Overview
Machame Route is the most popular route, 26 km long, and it is considered the most beautiful route for trekking Mount Kilimanjaro by the adventurous. With a gradual ascend through the forest, you emerge to see wide views of the moorland on the Shira plateau, Kibo, and Western Breach.
The different kinds of vegetation found along the route make it the most panorama route. We are approaching the summit with an acclimatization day by walking the same distances from Barafu Camp to Karanga Valley Camp, and on the other day with a stop at Karanga Valley camp (these services are provided by few operations.
The accommodation is in mountainous tents because there are no huts on this route.
Day 1: Arusha / Machame Gate (1,490m) – Machame camp (2,980m)
Distance: About 18 km
Habitat: Montane forest
Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a drive from Arusha to the Machame village The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water in the village.
Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rainforest almost immediately.
There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy, and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about halfway and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon.
Your porters (arriving at the campsite long before you) will have erected your tent on your arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite.
DAY 2: Machame Camp (2,980m) – Shira Camp (3,840m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 9 km
Habitat: Moorland
You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast, you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers.
You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike, you will reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.
DAY 3: Shira (3,840m)-Lava Tower (4,630m)-Barranco Camp (3,950m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: About 15 km
Habitat: Semi-desert
the route now turns east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m).
Definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear.
This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait the preparation of your dinner.
DAY 4 .: – Barranco Camp to Karanga Valley Camp
The day will begin with a descent into the Gorge before we climb its eastern wall where we will enjoy views of Kilimanjaro ice fields, an equatorial anomaly. We will continue trekking until we reach our camp in Karanga Valley (13,900 feet, 4-5 hours of walking).
Day 5: Karanga Valley Camp -Barafu Camp
Trekking will proceed through the Karanga Valley, the trail turns steadily uphill, following the lava ridge to the Barafu camp. The temperature will grow colder and the landscape more sparse as we are stationed near to a small exposed flat area on a ridge, acting as a base camp from which you will make your summit attempt at midnight tonight. Barafu camp is on (15,200 feet, an attempt of 6-7 hours of walking).
DAY 6.Summit Attempt/ Barafu camp (4,550m)-Uhuru Peak (5,895m) – Mweka (3,100m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak
7/8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: About 7 km’s ascent – 23 km’s descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walks to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route.
At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions.
Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your live. The walk back to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well-earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka hut (3100m).
The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared.
DAY 7 : Mweka camp (3,100m)- Mweka Gate (1,980m)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: About 15 km
Habitat: Forest
After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. It is strongly recommended not to pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register.
This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate, you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike.
In Mweka village, you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Moshi /Arusha for a long over due hot shower, dinner, and celebrations!! Overnight in hotel
Day 8
Transfer to departure Kilimanjaro International Airport or by shuttle to Nairobi or your next safari destination.