Tanzania 7 Days Best Kilimanjaro Hiking route – Machame Route

The first day of trekking begins at Machame Gate (1,640 meters). Typically, you will drive from the town of Moshi to the gate, which takes approximately an hour. On the way, you will get to see subsistence farming and the town of Machame. The first day trek on the Machame Route is a long one (~11km / 7miles) and takes approximately 5-7 hours to complete. We mostly supply packed lunch for this route and 2-3 litres of bottled water. This is the only bottled water you will receive. From here on, porters will collect water from mountain streams. The day’s trekking ends at Machame Camp (2,835 meters) which sits near the border of the rainforest zone and the low alpine zone. By the time you arrive, your porters will have already set up your camp and tents, and dinner will be served.

• Transport: Private transfer (0.8 hour, 30 km)
• Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours (11 km)
• Ascent: 1200 m
• altitude: 3000 m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

On day two, you will rise early, pack your gear, and prepare for the trek from Machame Camp to Shira Camp 2 (3,850 meters). The trek is relatively steep as you enter the low alpine zone, which is characterized by moorlands and grasslands. Shira Camp 2 sits on a plateau which provides you with the first views of Kibo in the North-West and Mount Meru in the East. Day two takes approximately 4-6 hours and covers a distance of 5km / 3miles.

• Hiking time: 5 – 6 hours (5 km)
• Ascent: 850 m
• altitude: 3850 m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day three is a long and tough trek east off the Shira Plateau through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’, up to Lava Tower and the Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters, and then back down via the Southern Circuit to Barranco Camp (3,900 meters). After lunch, we will descend to Barranco Camp, following the ‘walk high, sleep low’ golden rule of acclimatization. Our 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 route is approximately 11km / 7 miles in length and takes 5-7 hours to complete.

• Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours (7 km)
• Ascent: 750 m
• Descent: 650 m
• altitude: 4600 m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After breakfast, you will begin to ascend the impressive Barranco Wall and hike glacial valleys – but don’t worry, it is easier than it looks! Lunch will be eaten at Karanga Valley, before joining the famous Mweka Trail. You will then continue along the rocky ridge for 1 to 2 hours before reaching Barafu Camp, which offers stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit from various angles. Your tents will be pitched along a narrow and rocky ridge with high winds. It’s therefore worth taking some time to familiarize yourself with your surroundings before it gets dark. Rest for the night at Barafu Camp and prepare for the upcoming hike to the summit.

Trekkers on the seven-day route spend the night at Karanga Camp before continuing to Barafu on day 5. This additional day is beneficial in terms of acclimatization.

• Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours (7 km)
• Ascent: 750 m
• Descent: 280 m
• altitude: 4700 m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

From the summit, we now make our descent, continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

• Hiking time: 12 – 14 hours (17 km)
• Ascent: 1295 m
• Descent: 2795 m
• altitude: 5895 m
• Accommodation: Camping
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka Village to drive us back to the hotel in Moshi.

Transport: Private transfer (0.5 hour, 17 km)

• Hiking time: 3 – 4 hours (10 km)
• Descent: 1300 m
• altitude: 3100 m
• Accommodation: Parkview Inn
• Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch

You will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to the airport to catch up your flight back home.

• Meals: Breakfast

Note: Hotel check-out is at 10:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, you have the option to extend your hotel stay till 6:00 PM for an extra fee.