7-Day Best Machame Route

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

Machame Gate (1800m/ 5900ft) to Machame Camp (3000m/ 9800ft)

Elevation Gain: 1,200 metres / 3,900 feet
Your head guide will meet you for the drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate
(approximately 45min). After registration, begin climbing along a winding trail through
beautiful and lush forest. Since this is the zone which experiences the most rainfall on
the mountain you should be prepared for afternoon showers. These can make the
trail slippery at times! The climb is steady, gradually easing as you approach camp at
Machame Hut (9,800ft). The camp is located on the edge of the forest and giant
heather zones. Approximately 6-7 hours of walking today.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

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

Machame Camp (3000m/9800ft) to Shira Camp (3840m/12600ft)

Elevation Gain: 840 metres / 2,800 feet
Today is a little shorter, beginning by climbing a steep ridge to reach a small
semicircular cliff known as Picnic Rock. There are excellent views of Kibo, the summit
cone of Kilimanjaro, and the jagged rim of the Shira Plateau. Shira is the third of
Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones. It is filled with the lava flow from Kibo and its rim has
eroded and been blasted away by weather and volcanic action. Once on the plateau
the trail becomes gentler as you continue your climb to Shira Camp. On a clear day
the views from here are spectacular. Approximately 5-6 hours of walking.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

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

Shira Camp (3840m/12600ft) to Barranco Camp (3850m/12650ft) via Lava Tower (4550m/14900ft)

Elevation Gain: 710 metres / 2,300 feet
Elevation Loss: 700 metres / 2,250 feet
Your climb today will take you steadily up and over the expansive ridgelines of high
desert to Lava Tower. The trek to the base of Lava Tower is about 4 hours. This
tower is a 300 foot high volcanic plug. If time and energy allow, you can scramble to
the top of Lava Tower for fabulous panoramic views. From Lava Tower we begin our
steep descent into the Barranco Valley, passing large flowering plants which actually
look like trees, the scenecios. This is good practice for your descent from the summit
in a few days time and will take 1-2 hours. Although you will end your day at almost
the same elevation as you started, today is very important for acclimatisation and will
help your body prepare for summit day. Barranco Camp is in a beautiful, sheltered
valley below the imposing Barranco Wall.

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 (3850m/12600ft) to Karanga Camp (3950m/13000ft)

Elevation Gain: 350 metres / 1,150 feet
Elevation Loss: 250 metres / 820 feet
After breakfast, we leave Barranco Camp and begin our climb up the Barranco Wall.
This is an impressive scramble where you will be rewarded with fantastic views back
towards camp. The porters climbing the wall are also an impressive sight. From the
top, at 4,200m, you will follow an undulating path around the mountain side. On a
clear day there are spectacular views of Kibo to your left and Mount Meru to your right.
After descending into the Karranga Valley your climb takes you up a short steep path
to Karranga Camp. Walking time approximately 3-4 hours.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

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

Karanga Camp (3950m/13000ft) to Barafu Camp (4600m/15100ft)

Elevation Gain: 650 metres / 2,150 feet
Today you will spend the morning climbing steadily on to Barafu, which is Swahili for
ice! This camp is located on the ridge below the summit cone. You have now
completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different
angles. This walk will take around 3 hours meaning that you will arrive at Barafu in
time to spend the afternoon resting and enjoy an early dinner in preparation for the
summit climb. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can 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 (4600m/15100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5895m/19300ft) then descending to Mweka Camp

Elevation Gain: 1,295 metres / 4,200 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,785 metres / 9,100 feet
In the early hours of the morning you will begin your final ascent to the summit of
Uhuru Peak. This part of the climb takes approximately 6-8 hours. It can be very cold
at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day and
therefore you will want clothing for both extremes. Just when you think you’ve had
enough of climbing in the dark the sun will rise and you will be rewarded with a rich
red sky framing Mawenzi. At Stella Point (5,750m) you join the crater rim. From here,
climb gently to Uhuru Peak which is the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the
continent of Africa. From the summit the descent will take you straight down to
Mweka Hut, with lunch served on the way. This part of the descent takes about 6
hours. Later in the evening enjoy your 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 (310m/10200ft) to Mweka Gate (1830m/6000ft

Elevation Loss: 1,280 metres / 4,220 feet
Descend straight to the gate through lush forest (2-3 hours), looking for monkeys
along the way. Return to Moshi from Mweka Village.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

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

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