About This Tour
Machame route is the most popular route for trekking Mt Kilimanjaro due to its high summit success rate and scenic nature. It starts in the south west side of the mountain, crosses the Shira Plateau, only to join Shira and Lemosho routes at Shira camp. Machame route is also referred to as the Whisky route, because it is a tough route compared to Marangu route. Machame route's high success rate is attributed to it's topography, the climbers trek high an sleep low, allowing them to acclimatize even more. Tour in brief: Day 1 – Arrival – Moshi – Lindrin Lodge Day 2 – Machame Camp Day 3 – Shira Camp Day 4 – Baranco Camp Day 5 –Karanga Camp Day 6 – Barafu Camp Day 7 – Mweka Camp Day 8 – Moshi – Lindrin Lodge Day 9 - Departure
Highlights
What’s Included
- Full board accommodation during the trek – 3 meals daily
- 2-way airport transfers - 1 on arrival and 1 on departure
- Park fees, camping fees & rescue fee
- 18% VAT on tour fees & services
- Transportation to & from the mountain gate
- Filtered water throughout the trek
- Pre & Post Trek accommodation in Moshi town on bed and breakfast Basis
- Professional mountain guides, cooks and porters
- Enough porters to carry your camping equipment and food supplies
- Certificate of achievement
- Camping tents
- 2 nights at Lindrin Lodge – bed and breakfast basis
- Evacuation insurance – Amref flying doctors
- Visa
- Tips
- Laundry
- All items of personal nature like sunscreen, sun glasses, etc
- Trekking gear like Sleeping matt, gaiters, boots and rain gear
- Oxygen cylinder
- Chemical toilet
Tour Plan
Expand allCollapse allDay 1
Kilimanjaro International airport – Moshi:40kms/30minutes drive We will pick you up and transfer you to Lindrin Lodge for an overnight on bed and breakfast.
Day 2
Machame Gate/Machame Camp: Altitude change 1800m to 3000m, distance 11kms/5/7hrs trekking time After breakfast, drive to Machame gate where you will sign up at the park's authority's office. Begin trekking though the rain forest on a winding trail for 5-7 hours, then continue Machame camp where you will overnight at 3100m. Dinner and overnight at Machame camp on full board basis
Day 3
Machame Camp/Shira Camp: Altitude change 3000m to 3850m, distance 9kms/4/6hrs trekking time After breakfast, leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path(moorland), crossing a little valley and walking along a steep rocky ridge covered with heather until the end of the ridge. Then we turn west, to the river's gorge. We end the day at the Camp Shira, where we have dinner and spend the night. Dinner and overnight at Shira camp on full board basis
Day 4
Camp Shira through Lava Tower - Camp Barranco (Acclimatization Day): Altitude change 3850m to 4600m to 3950, distance 12kms/6/7hrs trekking time This is the day for our bodies to acclimatize in preparation for summit day. It's an intense day and you may feel the altitude symptoms. You ascend until Lava Tower (4600m), where you have lunch and rest. Then go down to Barranco campsite, for an overnight. This camp is located in a beautiful valley under the Breach and the Great Barranco Wall. and the sunset here is memorable! It's a special place to photograph. The environment is semi-desert Dinner and overnight at Barranco camp on full board basis
Day 5
Camp Barranco - Camp Karanga: Altitude change 3950m to 3930m, distance 9kms/4/6hrs trekking time Today you trek to the top of Great Barranco Wall. Then cross over the scree to Karanga Valley (3930 m), located under the icefalls of Kersten, Heim and Decken Glaciers. Dinner and overnight at Karanga camp on full board basis
Day 6
Karanga Camp - Barafu Camp :Altitude change 3930m to 4600m, distance 6kms/3/hrs trekking time Leaving the Karanga camp behind, we reach the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail for descent. Then we continue until the Barafu Hut. This marks the completion of the Southern Circuit. From here there are views of the top from different angles. We will camp, rest and enjoy some dinner. From here we can clearly see the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. The environment is Alpine desert. Dinner and overnight at Barafu camp on full board basis
Day 7
Barafu Camp until the Summit – Mweka campsite: Altitude change 4600m to 5895m(peak) to 3100m, distance 7kms ascend/6/8/hrs trekking time/ 23kms descent/6/7hrs descent We will wake up at 11:30PM, quickly have some tea and cookies and start the hike. The destination is the summit located between the Ratzel and Rembman glaciers. Heading to the north-west, we go up through scree to Stella Point, on the rim of the crater. This is probably the most challenging portion of the hike, both physically and mentally. At the Stella Point (5732 m) we have a short stop to rest, and the sunrise here will likely be the most marvellous you have ever seen, if the weather permits. At the Uhuru Peak (5895 m), Here you will have reached the highest point in Africa (5895m)! It can get really cold during the night. But it'll be very warm at the end of the day of hiking. From the peak, we go down until the Mweka campsite, via Barafu, where we have lunch. We need trekking poles for the loose gravel heading down to Camp Mweka (3100 m). Later in the day, we enjoy the last dinner on the mountains and a well-earned rest. The environment will be Stone scree, ice-capped summit / Alpine desert. Dinner and overnight at Mweka camp on full board basis
Day 8
Mweka Camp/Mweka Gate/Moshi: Altitude change 3100m to 1800m, distance 8kms/3/4/hrs trekking time We go down until the Mweka Park Gate where you receive the summit certificate. At lower altitudes it may be muddy and wet. Gaiters and trekking poles will be helpful. It's convenient to have t-shirts and shorts for this part, but keep your rain gear and warmer clothes at hand. This will be Montane forest From the gate, We will pick you up and transfer you to Lindrin Lodge for an overnight on bed and breakfast basis
Day 9
Departure After breakfast, you will depart as per your departure flight details.