8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking via Machame Route

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Tanzania

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. You will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.

Main Destination:

Moshi (Town)

Accommodation:

Panama Garden Resort

• Mid-range hotel located in Moshi (Town)

+12 Photos

+11 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

-Elevation: 1640m to 2835m
-Distance: 11 km
-Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
-Habitat: Rain Forest
The drive from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

-Elevation: 2835m to 3850m
-Distance: 5 km
-Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
-Habitat: Moorland
After breakfast, we leave the glades of the rainforest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley and walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

-Elevation: 3850m to 4600m to 3900m
-Distance: 10 km
-Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
-Habitat: Semi Desert.
From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the southeast towards the Lava Tower, called the Sharks Tooth. Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

-Elevation: 3900m to 3960m to 4680m
-Distance: 9km
-Hiking Time: 8-10 hours
-Habitat: Alpine Desert.
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. Then, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Hut

-Elevation: 4680m to 5895m to 3100m
-Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent
-Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent
-Habitat: Arctic.
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. 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.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Hotel

-Elevation: 3100m to 1640m
-Distance: 10 km
-Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-Habitat: Rain Forest
After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and T-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi.

Main Destination:

Moshi (Town)

Accommodation:

Panama Garden Resort

• Mid-range hotel located in Moshi (Town)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Moshi to Airport

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times, you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.

*Safari, Zanzibar, and other add-ons are available if you wish to continue exploring Tanzania.

Meals: Breakfast Included.

Main Destination:

Kilimanjaro Airport

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinks not included

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.