Six Days Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Machame Route

Day 1: Machame camp

Pick up at a hotel-booking in Moshi and drive for 45 minutes to Machame Village. The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive packed lunch and you can also buy mineral water in the village. If the weather permits you can be driven to the park gate if not you walk 3 kilometers to the gate which takes about an hour. Register at the Machame gate 1490 meters and start climbing through the forest to Machame camp which is at 2980 meters above sea level. The trail is muddy and very steap. You will have lunch mid way arriving Machame camp in the afternoon, the porters will have long arrived and pitched tents. In the evening the cook will boil drinking and washing water and prepare dinner. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
18kms - 7 Hours Hiking Time

Day 2: Shira camp

After breakfast descend a bit and then trek towards shira cathedral passing by Bivi cave then to Shira camp which is at 3840 meters having lunch en route. From this point the glaciers are visible. In the evening the cook will boil drinking and washing water and prepare dinner. The temperature at this elevation will drop below freezing point. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
9kms - 6 Hours Hiking Time

Day 3: Baranco camp

After breakfast hike to Baranco Camp via Lava Tower which is at 3840 meters where lunch will be served. Ascend the rocky scree to Lava tower 4,630 meters by now some climbers should be experiencing short off breadth and headaches, today's hike is meant to acclimatize and this will be the most difficult day yet. Descend down to Baranco camp 3950 meters and by now the benefits of acclimatizing should be evident. 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.
15kms - 7 Hours Hiking Time

Day 4: Barafu Camp

After breakfast set off and start today's hike, ascend from the Great Barranco Wall and make your way past the Heim Glacier looking down from this point one just appreciates the awesome sceneries of Mount Kilimanjaro. Continue with the trek through the Karanga valley where you will find intersecting ridges and valleys that join the Mweka route which is the preferred route to descend from the summit. Karanga valley is the last water stop as there is no water at the Barafu camp. Take a left turn up the ridge and walk for an hour to arrive at Barafu Camp. The weather conditions at this point are terrible and the camp is totally exposed. The camping ground is rocky and the ridges are dangerous so it's best to familiarize yourself with your surrounding to avoid un necessary accidents. Prepare your equipment and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it is wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. You will wake up very early the same night for the summit attempt so get to bed early for a good rest.
13kms - 7 Hours Hiking Time

Day 5: Mweka hut

Wake up at midnight and have tea and some biscuits, trek for six hours heading the north-westerly direction ascending through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim, this is the most challenging trek for many climbers. Rest for a short while at Stella point which is at 5685 meters above sea level. The reward for getting this far is the amazing view of the sunrise from the horizon if the weather permits. From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear. Descend further down to mweka hut, the route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared.
Ascend 7kms - 8 Hours Hiking Time, Descend 23kms - 7 Hours Hiking Time

Day 6: Moshi

After breakfast descend to the park gate which will take about 3 hours. It is strongly recommended not to pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. Sing in at the Mweka gate, write your name and other details in a register and this is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km 1 hour walk. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch and after wards drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations. Overnight at the Spring lands hotel-booking.
15kms - 3 Hours Hiking Time

End of services

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa standing at 5,895 meters above sea level. The Mountain has been nick named “The roof of Africa”. It has three major peaks namely Kibo 5,895 m (19,341 ft); Mawenzi 5,149 m (16,893 ft); and Shira 3,962 m (13,000 ft). Uhuru Peak is the highest summit on Kibo's crater rim. Kilimanjaro is a large stratovolcano. Two of its three peaks, Mawenzi and Shira, are extinct while Kibo is dormant and could erupt again. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world.

There are seven official trekking routes by which you can use to hike Mount Kilimanjaro namely Lemosho, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira, and Umbwe. Of all the routes, Machame is considered the most scenic and can be climbed in six or seven days. The Rongai is the easiest and least scenic of all camping routes. The Marangu is also relatively easy, but this route tends to be very busy, the ascent and descent routes are the same, and accommodation is in shared huts with all other climbers.

Required Hiking Equipments