At 9am, leave Arusha for Machame Gate, where you will meet the Kilimanjaro Trekking Guides porters, guides, and cooks that will spend the next seven 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. Once you arrive, wait at the gate while Kilimanjaro Trekking Guides registers your climb and the porters and guides make final preparations.
Your first day's destination is Machame Camp. Each day, porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival. On the first day, hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro's cloud forest. The forest will thin at the end of the hike and vegetation will change to include heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers. If the weather is clear, view the surrounding area and your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak.
Although considered to be the easiest day on the Machame Route, today's trek includes several uphill sections. Carry plenty of drinking water, as the exposed hike can be hot on a clear day. There are several viewpoints from which you can see the plains and forests below and Kibo and Mawenzi peaks above.
As you gain altitude, notice the change in vegetation. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro's famous high altitude plants, Scenecio kilimanjari and Lobelia deckenii. After eating lunch, climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo's lava flows filled the Shira crater. Continue to Shira Camp, where you will relax for the rest of the day. Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east.
Day Three
Shira Camp (3,840m/12,600ft) to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft)
Total Elevation Gain: 690 meters, 2,264 feet
Distance: 10 kilometers
Although this up and down day ends with an elevation gain of only 110 meters, by early afternoon you will have climbed 690 meters to a height of 4,530 meters before beginning your descent to Barranco Camp. This day is crucial for acclimatization.
After breakfast, hike east on the Shira Plateau before reaching the junction for the Shira and Lemosho Routes. Continue on 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.
Barranco Camp, set among stands of Senecio kilimanjari, is considered to be the most scenic campsite on the Machame Route.
Day Four
Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft) to Karanga Valley (4,200m/13,780ft)
Elevation Gain: 250 meters, 820 feet
Distance: 7 Kilometers
Leave Barranco Camp after breakfast for Karanga Valley. The day begins with a 1.5 hour scramble up Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day and in some places you will have to use your hands to pull your body up. After reaching the top make a short descent into the greener Karanga Valley. We generally camp on the ridge above the valley to allow for greater acclimatization.
Day Five
Karanga Valley (4,200m/13,780ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)
Elevation Gain: 400 meters, 1,320 feet
Distance: 6 kilometers
After breakfast, begin the hike to Barafu Camp. On the way to Barafu, view several of Kibo's glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail. During day four, hike by the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. Although the trail to Barafu passes through alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Try to sleep as soon as you finish dinner as you will awake before midnight for your summit hike.
Day Six
Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft)
Elevation Gain: 1,295 meters, 4,240 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,795 meters, 9,170 feet
Distance: 18 kilometers
Around midnight, begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. For the next six hours, hike by the light of your headlamp. 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.
After breakfast, finish the trek with a descent to Mweka Gate. Your last hike on Kilimanjaro is a beautiful one, passing through Kilimanjaro's cloud forest. Watch your step during the descent, as the trail can be slippery. Kilimanjaro Trekking Guides vehicles will be waiting at the lower station of Mweka Gate to take you back to Arusha. You will be able to buy t-shirts and sodas at the gate.
(7 Days on Kilimanjaro plus 2 nights at hotel in ARUSHA)
Group Size
2-3 People
4-5 People
6-10 People
On Request
On Request
On Request
Price Includes:
Arrival and departure transfers from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Accommodation in mountain huts or mountain tents with mattresses;e use the highest quality of expedition tents by Eureka or Mountain Hardware.
Meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
All park fees, including mountain rescue fees, government taxes, and all applicable fees and taxes
Services of a professional leading guide who is medically trained, certified, licensed, and English speaking
Dining tent on the trek for meals
Services of English-speaking assistant guide(s), a skilled cook, and enough porters for a guest's luggage, food, water, and dining tent
Transport back and forth from your hotel and the mountain
Use of radios/phones to increase your safety
Accommodations in Arusha two night before and after Kilimanjaro.
All park entrance, camping, hut and rescue fees.
All meals and filtered drinking water while on the mountain.
Transport to/from national park gates.
Camping equipment including mountaineering, mess and sleeping tents (Mountain Hardware, North Face, Marmot), table and chairs, toilet tent, hot water bottles.
Guide (Wilderness First Responder certified), cook and porter salaries and fees.
First aid kit and pulse oximeter.
a portable toilet
Price Excludes:
Items of personal nature such as passport, visa, travelers insurance.
Tips to guides and porters
F International airfare
Gratuities, soft drink/alcohol, health/evacuation insurance, visa fees, international airfare, laundry, and meals not noted on the itinerary .
All ascents via Crater Camp incur an additional USD 350 per person charge.
Single tent supplement: USD 25 per night
The luggage that porters are allowed to carry is limited to 35 pounds (i.e. 15 kgs)
Overweight or extra luggage will require an extra porter at a rate of $15/bag/day
Day
Camp
Breakfast
Lunch
Happy Hour (4 PM)
Dinner and dessert
1
Machame
Packed lunch (cheese salad sandwich, fried chicken, crisps, chocolate muffin, shortcake biscuits, banana, Del Monte mango juice, 3 L bottled water)
Fried pieces of banana and ginger nut biscuits
Carrot & lentil soup with cumin seeds and bun, tilapia, fried potato discs and vegetable sauce
Banana crisp with Nutella
2
Shira Hut
Oat Porridge, sausage, bacon, toast, fried eggs
Papaya, banana
Packed lunch (tuna & mayo sandwich, fried chicken, boiled egg, nuts, plain muffin, bourbon chocolate biscuits, orange and banana, , Del Monte orange juice)
Popcorn
Zucchini soup & bread
Beef biryani, rice, garlic bread and Southern coleslaw
Banana fritters & maple syrup
3
Barranco
Oat Porridge, French toast & syrup, bacon, beans, boiled eggs
Orange, mango
Packed lunch (corned beef & salad bun, fried chicken, boiled egg, Lays crisps, nut brittle, ginger nut biscuits, orange and banana, lemon pancake, Del Monte apple juice)
Chicken drumsticks & wings, nuts
Leek soup with bread, pepper steak, green beans and carrots, mashed potato, garlic bread
Pineapple
4
Karanga
Millet Porridge, sausage, toast, scrambled egg
Pineapple, orange
Hot lunch (vegetable soup, beef burger with minced beef in a bun with fried pepper & onion)
Vegetable samosa
Red lentil, chickpea & chili soup and chapatti
Chicken curry rice, chapati, green beans
Mango & pineapple fritters with chocolate cream
5
Barafu
Oat Porridge, pancakes, beans, omelette and bacon
Mango
Hot lunch (chicken & chips, mayonnaise, mango)
Small muffins
Onion soup with bread, spaghetti Bolognese, chips Cinnamon toast & maple syrup
6
Mweka
Ginger nut, shortcake, bourbon biscuits, small muffins and tea/coffee
Guide to carry Snickers for each client – give to them at summit
All day breakfast (baked beans, eggs, tomatoes, friend potatoes & toast)
