Machame Route

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Moshi at Machame Gate, then at Machame camp

  

  Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910 m) to the village of Machame (1490 m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies as well as your equipment in the village. Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but otherwise, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour. After registering at the check-in office, you begin your ascent and enter the rainforest. You will receive a packed lunch at the gate and you can also drink bottled water that you purchased at the Springlands Hotel in Moshi. There is a possibility of rain in the forest, which will turn the trail into a very wet, muddy, and slippery experience. 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. Nighttime temperatures can already drop to freezing at the Machame camp.

• day 2

  Machame Camp to Shira Camp

  

  You get up early at Machame camp and, after breakfast, you climb for about an hour to the top of the forest, then continue for 2 hours on a gentler slope through the moorland area. After breakfast and a rest, you continue along a rocky ridge on the Shira plateau. Now, you will be able to see to the east the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and, after a short hike, you will reach the Shira camp at 3,840 m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water before serving dinner. The night in this exposed camp will be even colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping well below zero.

• day 3

  Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

  

  The route now transforms to the east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding the Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630 m after about 5 hours of walking. Lunch is served in a designated area before climbing back up the rocky scree path to the Lava Tower (4630 m). This is certainly the most difficult day so far. It is normally at this stage that, for the first time, some climbers will begin to experience symptoms of shortness of breath, irritability, and headaches. After lunch, you descend nearly 680 m to Barranco Camp. After reaching the high altitude of 4600 m at Lava Tower, the real acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco Camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take beautiful photos of the Western Breach and the Breach Wall. The camp is located in a valley below the breach and the great Barranco Wall, which should offer you a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner to be prepared and spend the night at Barranco Camp.

• day 4

  From Barranco camp to Karanga camp, then to Barafu camp.

  

  Totally exposed to the omnipresent gusts of wind, the tents are set up on a narrow, rocky, and dangerous ridge. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the terrain before nightfall to avoid any accidents. The summit is now still at 1345 m and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, your ski pole, and your thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include replacing the batteries in your headlamp and your camera, and making sure you also have a spare set. To avoid freezing, it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed around 7:00 p.m. and try to rest and sleep for no more than 5 hours.

• day 5

  Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak

  

  You will get up around 11:30 pm, and after some tea and biscuits, you will leave into the night. You will head northwest and climb through large scree slopes towards Stella Point, located on the edge of the crater. This 6-hour walk to Stella Point is, for many climbers, mentally and physically, the most difficult part of the route. At Stella Point (5685 m), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you can see (if the weather allows). From Stella Point, you will normally encounter snow throughout your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you spend at the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again because of the cold and fatigue. Enjoy your achievement and an unforgettable day for the rest of your life. The return to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. Here, you will have a well-deserved but short rest and recover the rest of your equipment, before heading to Mweka camp (3100 m) for dinner and the night.

• day 6

  Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate in Moshi.

  After breakfast, from the Mweka gate, you will continue towards the village of Mweka, normally a muddy and long one-hour walk. In the village of Mweka, you will be taken to the Springlands hotel, where a delicious hot lunch will be served to you! You will then return to Moshi for a long-awaited hot shower, followed by a night at the Springlands hotel. It is recommended to give tips, which are greatly appreciated at the end of the trip. Tips can be given to the guide at the Springlands hotel. It is also at this place that climbers who have succeeded receive their summit certificates. Climbers who have reached Stella Point (5685 m) receive green certificates, while those who have reached Uhuru Peak (5895 m) receive gold certificates.