Kilimanjaro Climbing - Machame Route

Itinerary details Day to Day activities

Arrival to Moshi Town

Upon arrival to Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred for overnight accommodation, your head guide will meet you for your briefing, gear check and arrange for you to hire any equipment you may need

Day 1 - Machame Gate (1,800m/5,905ft) to Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft)
Elevation gain : 1,200 meters, 3,935 feet

After an early Breakfast drive from Moshi town to Machame Gate, where you will meet our porters, guides, and cooks that will spend the next six days trekking with you to Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa.

The drive through coffee farms and villages to Machame Gate takes about 1.5 hours. 

The distance from Machame Gate to Machame Camp is 11km/7miles and takes a trekking time of about 5 to 7 hours. 

Hike to Machame Camp via the mystical, moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. As the forest thins later in the hike, take in the heathers, tall grasses, and wildflowers.

If the weather is clear, enjoy the striking views of your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak. Our porters and cooks will go ahead and prepare the campsite before you arrive.

Day 2 - Machame Camp (3,000m/9,840ft) to Shira Camp (3,840m/12,600ft)
Elevation gain : 840 meters, 2,760 feet

On day three hike through Kilimanjaro’s moorland. This includes several uphill sections so carry plenty of drinking water as it can be hot hiking on a clear day. The distance from Machame Camp to Shira camp is about 5km/3miles which takes a trekking time of about 4-6 hours 

There are several viewpoints from which to view the plains and forests below, and the commanding Kibo and Mawenzi peaks above. Notice the change in vegetation as you gain altitude. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro’s famous high-altitude plants, Senecio Kilimanjaro and Lobelia deckenii.

After lunch, climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo’s lava flows filled the Shira crater.

Continue to Shira Camp and relax for the rest of the day. Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east.

Day 3 - Shira Camp (3,840m/12,600ft) to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft)  
Elevation gain : 690 meters, 2,264 feet

This day is an acclimatization day, it is a long and tough trek at the East of Shira Plateau, the distance from Shira Camp to Barranco camp is 11km/7miles which takes trekking time of about 5-7hours. 

Although this up and down day ends with an elevation gain of only 110 meters, by early afternoon you will have climbed 690 meters up to Lava Tower and the Shark’s Tooth rock formation to a height of 4,530 meters before beginning your descent down via the Southern Circuit to Barranco Camp which is 3900m

 After breakfast, hike east on the Shira Plateau before reaching the junction for the Shira and Lemosho Routes.

Continue through the barren landscape before stopping for lunch. Shortly after lunch, reach the highest point of the day before descending quickly to Barranco Camp.

Faster hikers can take a detour via Lava Tower, a 300-foot lava formation jutting out of the mountainside.

Day 4 - Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)

Elevation gain : 600 meters, 2,140 feet

The distance from Barranco Camp to Barafu camp is 9.5km/6miles which takes about 8-10 hours.

Leave Barranco Camp after breakfast for Karanga Valley. The day begins with a 1.5-hour climb up the Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day, in some places, you may have to use your hands to aid your climb.

After reaching the top, hike through fairly level terrain before making a short but steep descent into the green Karanga River Valley.

Continue to Barafu Camp, viewing several of Kibo’s glaciers and the junction connecting the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail.

During day five, hike by the Heim, Kersten, and Decken Glaciers.

Although the trail to Barafu passes through an alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks.

Try to sleep upon finishing dinner as you will wake up before midnight for your summit hike.

Day 5 - Summit Night: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak(5895m) then to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft)

Elevation Gain: 1,295 Meters, 4,240 Feet
Elevation Loss: 2,795 Meters, 9,170 Feet

The distance from Barafu camp to Uhuru summit is 4.5km/3miles which takes a trekking time of about 6-8 hours to make to the summit. Then descent from Uhuru peak to Mweka Camp in a distance of 11km/7miles with a decent time of 5-8 hours 

Day 5 is a summit night and day, you will be awakened around 23:30 for a hot tea and biscuits to get ready for departure at midnight, and begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak. Hike by the light of your headtorch for the next six hours.

The ascent to the crater rim is the most challenging part of the entire trek. The trail is very steep until you reach the crater rim at Stella Point.

The hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. The crater rim hike takes approximately one hour.

Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos of your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Mweka Camp. On the way down from Uhuru, enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds, and glaciers.

At Barafu Camp, eat breakfast and take a short break. You still have another three to five hours to go before reaching Mweka Camp for your night stay.

Day 6 - Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft) to Mweka Gate (1,500m/4,920ft)
Elevation loss: 1,600 Meters, 5,250 Feet

The distance from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate is 9km/5.5miles with a trekking time of about 3-5 hours.

After your last breakfast on the mountain, finish the trek with a hike through the forest to Mweka gate.

The distance from Mweka camp to Mweka gate is 9 km / 6 miles, with a trekking time of 3-5 hours through the rainforest zone, on arrival at the gate you will sign-out with the authorities and be presented with your summit certificate, remember to tip your porters, our vehicles will meet you at the lower station of Mweka gate to take you back to Moshi.

Moshi to Kilimanjaro Airport

After breakfast will pick you from your hotel for transfer to Airport for your onward flight.