Tour Overview

Machame is ideal for those who want a more difficult climb, and are confident in their ability to hike over extended periods of time on sometimes steep terrain. Climbers using Machame place a premium of varied scenery, but also accept heavy traffic. Let’s go on an adventure along what probably is the most beautiful route to the summit of the highest mountain in Africa.


 

Day 1: Machame Gate – Machame Campsite.

Elevation: 1830m to 3030m.
Distance: 13 km.
Hiking time: 5-7 hours.
Habitat: Montane forest.

After breakfast our vehicle will pick you from the hotel drive to Machame gate. Here you will do the required registration procedures then you will start the trek through the rainforest to Machame camp where you will find the tents are already setup for you.
Dinner and overnight at Machame campsite.


Day 2: Machame Hut Campsite to Shira Campsite

Elevation: 3030m to 3800m
Distance: 9km
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Moorland.

After breakfast leave the glades of rainforest and continue ascending by crossing little valleys and steep rocky ridge covering with heather plants to the western side of the mountain where the camp is situated. At this camp you will be able get the spectacular view of Mount Meru, Shira Plateau, Kibo Peak and beautiful sunset. Then dinner and overnight.


Day 3: Shira Campsite to Barranco Campsite via Lava tower

Elevation: 3800m to 3950m.
Distance: 13km
Hiking time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Moorland.

This is long and important acclimatization day so you will be having an early breakfast then continue trekking east to a junction leading to Lava tower rock 4600m for acclimatization. Afterwards you will continue down to Barranco camp. The camp location is in the bottom valley of Barranco wall where you will stop for dinner and overnight.


Day 4: Barranco campsite to Barafu hut via Karanga

Elevation: 3950m to 4680m via 4040m
Distance: 8 km
hiking time: 4-5 hours.
Habitat: Alpine desert

Today is short day walk. In the morning you will start climbing Barranco wall and reach 4200m for acclimatization and continue crossing ridges and valleys to Karanga campsite for hot lunch. After lunch we will proceed to barafu hut the walk takes few hours because of the short distance but does step need a slow pace to avoid fatigue. You will trek across an alpine desert. You will have an early dinner at 1700hrs then rest until midnight when we you will attack the summit.


Day 5: Barafu Hut Campsite / Uhuru Peak / Millennium Campsite Elevation: 4680m to 5895m to 3820m

Distance: 15km
Hiking time: 10 – 12 hours
Habitat: Desert and ice.

Wake up at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. The trails is a series of switchbacks up steep or possibly snow, and reach Stella Point on the crater rim at 5,861 m/18,640 ft between 4 and 5AM. At this point you will be having the views of the fabled crater and its glaciers facing you. Then after 1 hour of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro true summit, Uhuru Peak. Here you will spend some times for taking photo’s but it will depend on how you feel. After your summit activities done, you will descend back to the Barafu campsite, for lunch, rest, collect your equipment, and continue down through moorland to Millennium campsite for overnight.


Day 6: Millennium campsite to Mweka gate: 3820m to 1990m

Distance: 9km
Descending time: 5 hours
Habitat: Montane forest.

Today is your last day on the mountain. After breakfast you will descend down to Mweka gate walking across montane forest. This descent will take 5 hours. At the gate you will sign out and get ready to board the vehicle for the transfer back to the hotel for your certificate presentation and a well-deserved celebration.

 

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