Machame Camp
After breakfast, your adventure begins with a briefing from your guide. At 9 am, our team will drive you from your Moshi hotel to Machame Village, where your guides and porters will prepare your gear and supplies. You'll receive your lunch pack and can purchase bottled water for your first day. If the road conditions are favorable, we'll drive you directly to Machame Gate; if not, you'll enjoy a scenic 3 km walk to the gate, taking about an hour.
Once registered with the Kilimanjaro Park Office, you'll embark on your ascent through the lush rainforest. Be sure to have sturdy footwear, trekking poles, and gaiters—they’ll be invaluable as the trail becomes challenging. You'll stop for a well-deserved lunch midway, and by late afternoon, you’ll arrive at Machame Camp, ready to rest and recharge.
This day sets the tone for your Kilimanjaro climb—immersive, exhilarating, and unforgettable. Let’s conquer this mountain together!
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Machame Camp (3000) to Shira Camp (3840), distance is about 9 kms. Breakfast is served early in the mess tent and, weather permitting; you could take in your first view of the Western Breach of Kilimanjaro. The lunch stop will be reached at about 3600m and after this short lunch and an equally limited rest you'll continue up the rocky ridge to the next camp on the mountain, Shira camp (3840).
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Shira Camp (3840) to Barranco Camp (3950), distance is about 15 km. The route now turns east into a semi-desert and rocky environment where you reach an altitude of 4600m after a 5 hours walk to Lava Tower. As you ascend from the Shira camp (3950m), there are good views of the Shira Plateau to the west, Oehler Ridge to the northeast and the Western Breach to the east. This day you will climb high and steep low.
•Elevation (ft): 12,500ft to 13,000ft
•Distance: 10 km
•Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
•Habitat: Semi Desert.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Barranco Camp (3950m) to Karanga Camp (4200m), distance is about 6 kms. The morning starts with a scramble up the almost vertical Barranco Wall to an altitude of about 4200m and after approx. 3 hours, the path now crosses through the southern slopes to reach the Karanga Valley.
•Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft
•Distance: 5 km
•Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
•Habitat: Alpine Desert.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Karanga Camp (4200m) to Barafu Camp (4600m), distance is about 7 kms. After breakfast, you continue in a southeasterly direction to the junction before turning north to reach Barafu camp (4600m) after about 4 hours. Here you take a long rest and prepare for the midnight ascent to the summit.
•Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft
•Distance: 4 km
•Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
•Habitat: Alpine Desert.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
Barafu Camp (4600m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m), distance is about 7 km. At around midnight, you'll head in a northwesterly direction up the southeast valley towards Stella Point on the crater rim. The 6-hour long walk to Stella Point is a mental and physical challenge with the steep face just below Stella posing the ultimate challenge. The time you spend on the summit is determined by the weather and wind conditions. The walk back to Mweka Camp from the summit can take over 7 hours.
•Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft)
•Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent
•Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent
•Habitat: Arctic.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi
Mweka Camp (3100m) to Mweka Gate (2000m), distance is about 15 kms. You will camp for the night at Mweka camp (3100m) before departing for the Mweka Parks Gate the next morning where your driver will pick up and take you back to the the hotel in Moshi.
•Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft
•Distance: 10 km
•Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
•Habitat: Rain Forest.
- Main Destination:
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks: