7 Days Kilimanjaro Climb Machame Route

Overview

If you want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for the first time and want to have a wonderful time, this is the route we recommend. Trekking through the Machame route, also known as the “Whisky route,” will increase your chances of reaching Africa’s highest point. The Machame route is steeper in some places than other routes such as Marangu, Rongai, and Lemosho. Because of its success rates and popularity, the Machame route is the busiest of all Kilimanjaro routes. The Machame route also provides visitors with the best acclimatization experience and the best views of the peak. Favorable weather conditions across five climatic zones suit visitors and maximize their chances of reaching the summit.

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and start drive to the Machame village. The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and 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 if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rainforest. You will receive a lunch pack at the gate, and you can also drink the bottled water. There is a possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, 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. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at Machame campsite.

Accommodation :  Machame Camp     Meals & Drinks : Lunch and Dinner included

You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast, you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike, you will reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

Accommodation :  Shira Camp     Meals & Drinks : All meals included

The route now turns east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). Definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches. After lunch, you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner and overnight at Barranco Camp.

Accommodation :  Barranco Camp     Meals & Drinks : All meals included

Barranco Camp (3960m) to Karanga Camp (4035m), the distance is about 6 km. The morning starts with a scramble up the almost vertical Barranco Wall to an altitude of about 4200m and after approx. For 3 hours, the path now crosses through the southern slopes to reach the Karanga Valley.

Accommodation :  Karanga Camp     Meals & Drinks : All meals included

Karanga Camp (4035m) to Barafu Camp (4640m), distance is about 5km.

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. Accommodation :  Barafu Camp     Meals & Drinks : All meals included

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.

Accommodation :  Mweka Camp     Meals & Drinks : All meals included

After Breakfast, From the Mweka camp, you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy and long hour walk. In the Mweka village, You now drive back to Moshi | Arusha for a long overdue hot shower. It is recommended and tips are highly appreciated at the end of their trip. Tips can be given to the Guide at your Hotel.

Meals & Drinks : Breakfast & Lunch included

  • Trekking tour according to the itinerary
  • Accommodation in huts / camps as indicated in the itinerary
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Personal porter
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Drinking water
  • Transfers as indicated in the itinerary
  • National park fees
  • Rescue fees
  • All Taxes/VAT
  • Roundtrip airport transfer
  • International flights (From/to home)
  • Domestic Flight
  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
  • Tips (Tipping guideline from US$10.00 pp per day)
  • Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • The government imposed an increase in taxes and/or park fees
  • Sleeping bag
  • Climbing gear


EXCELLENT rating
Based on 6 reviews
Verified
Highly recommended! Hans and his team at Kilimanjaro Tourenare highly recommended! We really enjoyed our Mt. Kilimanjaro hike because of them. Anyone who wants to try climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro should definitely contact Kilimanjaro Touren!
Daryle Dale D
Daryle Dale D
2020-08-29
Verified
Mt kilimajaru climb and safari Reliable and well accomodated to the participants. Recommended for kilimanjaru climb amd safaru tour
Joo mar
Joo mar
2020-01-16
Verified
Unforgettable Kilimanjaro Experience Kili Touren created a wonderful experience for me and my friends! We embarked on our journey from Moshi and stayed at a hotel prior to beginning the climb the next day. During this time Hans and his team made sure we were fully prepared and had the gear required to be safe and comfortable throughout our trip. For those that did not have everything, they took us to a shop so that we could rent anything we needed. We took the Rongai route and made it in 5 days. The first three days weren't too difficult, and the guides with us were very knowledgable on the right pace we should be taking to make sure we could acclimate to the elevation. Each night we had a delicious meal that typically involved 2-3 courses, and there was water readily available when we needed it! The summit day was pretty difficult, mostly in part to the fact that our trip required us to do additional hiking after making it to Uhuru Peak. For other considering the climb, I would recommend 6 days if you have the budget. This trip was an unbelievable experience and I would like to thank Hans and his entire team for helping ensure all of us made it up and down safely, while also making it fun! I would highly recommend Kilimanjaro Touren to anyone considering hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, or any other activity in Tanzania!
Stevey T
Stevey T
2018-11-06
Verified
Western New York & Boston Meets the in country Peace Corps Hans and company were great! The guides and the barriers were some of the hardest working people on the planet. When one of our crew members was struck with altitude sickness the guides were right there to make sure he got down safely. We all enjoyed their company and comradeship on the hike. I can strongly recommend KILIMANJARO Turen for your next hike up the mountain.
Richard R
Richard R
2018-11-03
Verified
Amazing Kilimanjaro Adventure Climbing mount Kilimanjaro is was an amazing bonding opportunity for me, my family and friends. A group of eight of us were led by Hans and the Kilimanjaro Touren team to the summit on the Rongai route and descend using the Marangu route in 5 days. Prior the start of the climb we stayed in Marangu, which is where Hans and many of the crew live or have family. They did a gear check and made sure we were all fully prepared for our journey. We were concerned that trying to complete the climb in 5 would result in some being unable to make it to the summit because we had heard success rates for 5 day climbs are lower because of acclimatization issues. We decided to make the climb in 5 days however because of our budge. Despite a snow storm the night of our final ascent our entire team (including my 62 year old father) made it to the top and back down safely. The team of guides proved to be experienced and made us feel safe while pushing through the harsh weather conditions above 5,000 meters. It is an experience that I will cherish forever and am grateful for the help of Kilimanjaro Touren.
Brian R
Brian R
2018-11-01

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