6-day Machame Route trek

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Machame Gate to Machame Camp

  

  The journey from Moshi to the Machame gate takes about 50 minutes. The trip passes through the village of Machame, located on the lower slopes of the mountain. Leaving the park gate, we walk through the dense rainforest on a winding trail that climbs along a ridge until we reach Machame camp.

• day 2

  Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp

  

  We leave the clearings of the rainforest and continue on an ascending path up to a steep and rocky ridge. On the Shira plateau, we cross heather and open moorlands, then cross a large river gorge to reach Shira 2 camp.

• day 3

  Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

  

  We continue east by climbing a ridge, then head southeast towards the Lava Tower, a 300-foot-high volcanic rock formation. We then descend to Barranco camp through the strange but beautiful forest of senecios, at an altitude of 13,000 feet. Although you start and end the day at the same altitude, the time spent at a higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.

• day 4

  Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp

  

  We start the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Next, we climb the cliff, which is non-technical but steep, about 900 feet. From the top of the Barranco Wall, we cross a series of hills and valleys before descending sharply into the Karanga Valley. One last steep climb takes us to Karanga camp for a hot lunch. Shortly after lunch, we will continue the ascent for 3 hours to reach Barafu camp.

• day 5

  Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

  

  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, 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.

• day 6

  Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

  

  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 for a hot shower.