Trip Introduction

This itinerary covers the Machame Route 7 Days trek. The same route is available in 6 days with the difference being the by-passing the spending of the night at Karanga Camp.

This trip takes you through the Southern face of Mount Kilimanjaro entering through the Machame gate and exiting through the Mweka gate. It gives one the opportunity to experience the lush rainforests resting in the shadows of Kilimanjaro. It then takes you through the low and high alpine zones into the glacial zone.

Effect of altitude are ever present with glaring intense sun during the day and bone chilling temperatures at night. This is a trip of a lifetime with opportunities to discover what you are capable as you push personal boundaries to achieve your goal and forge bonds with fellow trekkers that last forever.

Day 01: Machame Gate (1,640m / 5,380ft) to Machame Camp/Machame Hut (2,835m / 9,300ft)

Time: 5 – 7 hours

After a quick drive from Moshi or Arusha towns, we arrive at the Machame Gate. While the luggage gets weighed and the support team (porters, guides and cooks) get organized, we settle down to a hearty lunch. Once all the housekeeping issues are sorted we begin our trek into the lush mountain rainforest filled with giant trees.

Here you will get a good chance of seeing various species of monkey most notably the Colobus monkey. As we gain altitude we exit the dirt road and into the narrow foot trail that snakes through the thick forest canopies. Hours later we begin to exit the upper limits of the rainforest in time to take a well deserved break at the Machame Camp.

Included meals: Lunch Dinner

Day 02: Machame Camp/Machame hut to Shira Camp (3,850m / 12,630ft)

Time: 4 – 6 hours

We start off this day with a steep climb which extends for most of the day into Shira plateau in the low alpine zone and this is the beginning of experiencing stunning views looking down into the valleys below. Here you get to see the majestic Kibo to the North East and Mount Meru to the South West. This zone is is characterized by moorlands and grasslands.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 03: Shira Camp to Barranco Camp (3,900m / 12,795ft) via Lava Tower (4,600m / 15,090ft)

Time: 6 – 8 hours

Here we traverse the long trail eastward through the Shira plateau through the Senecios fields. We then go up to Lava Tower and the Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,630 meters and then back down via the Southern Circuit to Barranco Camp. Today’s climb has the special purpose of helping climbers acclimatize by climbing high and sleeping low. This is one of the best ways to shock the body into acclimatizing for high altitude without the increased risk of altitude sickness.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 04: Barranco Camp to Karanga Valley Camp (3,960m / 12,992ft)

Time: 4 – 5 hours

The day starts off early with an immediate challenge of scaling the Barranco Wall. This is a 360 meter rock face that leads up to the Karanga valley. From there you get more stunning views of the mountain neighborhood as well as close ups of Kibo. The day is spent traversing ups and declines through the valley finally get to Karanga with one last big push through a river gorge.

Trekkers on the six days Machame package will stop here for lunch before proceeding to Barafu Camp. Those on the Seven day Machame package will settling in here for the dinner and good night’s rest. Those who spend the night at Karanga have the added benefit of an extra day for the all important acclimatization process.

Note: For those on the Machame route 6 days itinerary will only have the luxury of stopping here for lunch before proceeding to Barafu Camp in time for late afternoon dinner and good early night’s rest or sleep to get ready for the summit push at midnight.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 05: Karanga Valley Camp to Barafu Camp (4680m / 15,354 ft)

Time: 4 – 5 hours

After an early morning hearty breakfast the Trek continues off through the value steadily gaining altitude. Here climbers continue to experience the effects of cooler temperatures and thin air. Here the steady decline in vegetation continues to hold true as climbers snake through the high alpine zone where towards the end vegetation is virtually non existent.

Trekkers arrive at Barafu Camp to settle in for lunch and to get some afternoon rest. Dinner is served early in this camp and Trekkers are advised to get some sleep in preparation for the summit push which begins at around midnight.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 06: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,341 ft) then descend to Mweka Camp (3,100m / 10,170 ft)

Time: 10 – 12 hours

This leg of the trip takes Trekkers through the Glacial zone to the Uhuru peak (the Summit) through Stellar point and quickly down all the preceding zones. Trekkers will be woken up at 11:30pm for hot tea and biscuits. After a quick gear check, the trek in the dark starts off at midnight.

The route is steep and slow. There are sporadic freezing winds and not much to see until dawn when the sun begins to rise over Mawenzi and the Tsavo plains in Kenya.

It takes about 6-8 hours to reach the top of the crater rim where you will see the sign for Stella Point (5,739 meters). After a brief rest at Stellar point, you then have another 156 meters of altitude to gain as you walk around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters).

From the summit there is another 5 – 8 hours of trekking to Mweka with a quick stop over at Barranco to pick up your stuff and have a quick breakfast. This is where you will notice the richness of oxygen and moisture in the air as well as increase in warmth.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 07: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (1,640m / 5,380 ft)

Time: 3 – 4 hours

Today’s trek takes you down the rainforest down to the gate. The walk is easy but with potential stress on ankles and knees as you descend as well as effects of descending on the previous day from the summit. Upon reaching the gate and signing out there will be the subsequent presentation of climbing certificates for those who reached either Stellar of Uhuru.

It is then customary to give out gratuities to the guides and porters before bidding them farewell and being transported to the respective hotels in Moshi and Arusha. Depending on your onward travel arrangements, you will be transferred to the airport at the appropriate day and time or transferred by road to Nairobi as your final destination or to catch your onward flight back home.

Included meals: Breakfast

Total distance covered is 62 Km /37 miles

Machame Route 7 Days Itinerary Resources

Note: You can download a FREE copy of this Kilimanjaro’s Machame Route 7 Days Itinerary in PDF format by registering through the form below to get the download link.