Kilimanjaro Machame Route 6 Days the Machame Route is the “Whiskey” route. It is the second most popular and one of the most scenic routes on the mountain. All climbers sleep in tents (tents are included) and meals are served in a dinner tent or on a blanket outside. It is done over 6 days (Kilimanjaro Machame Route 6 Days), so acclimatization is easier, and the success rate is fairly high. It is for physically fit people with some hiking experience. Descent is down the Mweka trail staying at the Mweka or Millennium camp the final night on the mountain.
Tour Highlights
- Departure and Return Place: Moshi Town to Lemosho Gate and then back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (Google Maps)
- Departure Time: Please be ready by 8:15 AM for a prompt departure at 9:30 AM.
- Return Time: Approximately 10:30 AM on the last day.
- Dress Code: Casual. Comfortable athletic clothing, hiking shoes, hat, cold weather jacket, gloves, pants, and spare clothing.
- Accommodation: Two nights of accommodations based on Bed and Breakfast at 3 stars hotel (upgrades on request).
- Customizations: Can be customized upon request, to meet traveler’s needs
- Extensions: Trip Extensions are available on request.
- Trip Availability: All year round.
Details
Day 1 Arrival in Tanzania
On your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport a member of our staff will be at holding a Nihapa Tours placard. You will then be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 2 Machame Gate (1490m) – Machame Camp (2980m)
After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from Moshi and driven to Machame Village. In the village, you can buy mineral water and will receive a packed lunch. From the village, depending on the road conditions, you will either continue 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 almost immediately. There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy, and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about halfway and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon.
Your porters (arriving at the campsite long before you) will have erected your tent on your arrival. 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 this campsite.
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 18 kilometers
Habitat: Montane forest
Day 3 Machame camp (2980m) – Shira camp (3840m)
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.
Hiking time: 6hrs
Distance: Approximately 9 km
Habitat: Moorland
Day 4 Shira (at 3840m) to Lava Tower (at 4630m) to Barranco camp (at 3950m)
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). This is 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 descend 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 the preparation of your dinner.
Hiking time: 7hrs
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 5 Barranco camp (3950m)- Barafu camp (4550m)
After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome-looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut.
The last water stop on the route is the Karranga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for “ice” and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick, 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 will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at around 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and sleep.
Hiking time: 7hrs
Distance: Approximately 13 km
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day 6 (Summit attempt) Barafu camp (4550m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)
You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits, you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. For many climbers, this 6-hour walk to Stella point is mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). 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. 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.
Hiking time: 8h to reach Uhuru Peak, 7 – 8h to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 km ascent – 23 km descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Day 7 Mweka camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m)
Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). And you will drive back to your hotel in Moshi.
Hiking time: 3hrs
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: Forest
Day 8 Depart Tanzania
Depart Tanzania or continue your dream with amazing safari extensions.
For trekkers not continuing with a safari, we provide transfers to Kilimanjaro International Airport or bus station for your onward journey.
Tour Pricing
| Number of People | Cost Per Person in Mid-Range | Cost Per Person in VIP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $2,950 | $6,900 |
| 2 people | $2,100 | $5,900 |
| 3 people | $2,060 | $5,400 |
| 4 people | $2,010 | $5,200 |
| 5 people | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| 6 people | $1,950 | $4,800 |
| 7 people | $1,900 | $4,600 |
| 8 people | $1,860 | $4,200 |
| 9 people | $1,800 | $4,200 |
| 10 people + | $1,750 | $4,000 |
Tour Accommodations
| Mid-Range Package | VIP (Luxury) Package |
|---|---|
| Two Nights Accommodations on BB at either of the following Ameg Lodge or Salinero Hotels | Two Nights Accommodations at Mount Meru Hotel on FB or at Gran Melia Hotel |
Tour Map
Questions & Answers
Are there charging stations on Mount Kilimanjaro?
There are no charging stations on Mount Kilimanjaro. We recommend bringing Power Banks and spare batteries. There are charging ports in our safari vehicles.
Do we tip the hiking crew?
Yes, it is expected and much appreciated. The amount depends on the number of days, but can range from $150 and $300 per hiker. Tips are pooled and shared amongst the crew. Bring US dollar bills.
Do you arrange Airport pick-up and Drop off?
All our tours to mount Kilimanjaro climbs include airport transfers. We pick you up at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or any other airport near Arusha and Kilimanjaro as per your itinerary plan and take you to your pre-climb hotel in Moshi or Arusha, then back again at the end of your itinerary. In short, we take care of your air transfers and accommodation, before and after your Mount Kilimanjaro climb.
Do You Offer Crater Camp Option On Kilimanjaro Climbs
An overnight stop at Crater Camp is an optional extra on any customized Kilimanjaro climb, usually lasting eight actual mountain days or more on the Shira, Lemosho, Umbwe, and Machame routes. Possibly the most bizarre place you will ever see, it is visited by less than 5% of the 40,000 to 50,000 people who annually ascent Kilimanjaro on a distinct highlands voyage in northern Tanzania
Do You Offer Private and Fully Customizable Climbs For Kilimanjaro
Your Kilimanjaro dream climb is entirely your own to design. We will work with you to customize exactly the triumphant Tanzanian mountainous quest experience you want. You go with the people you choose. You leave on whatever day you wish. You decide on your preferred route option, pace, and the number of days you will take.
How high is Kilimanjaro?
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest freestanding mountain in the world and the highest mountain in Africa. Its highest point is Uhuru Peak on the Kibo crater at 5895m above sea level.
How long is the Kilimanjaro hike?
There are at least six routes to the top, of Uhuru peak. You will hike between 53 and 73km depending on which route you choose.
The shortest and toughest is the 5-day Umbwe route. Allowing extra days will help you to acclimatize better and improve your chances of reaching the summit. The easiest and most popular route is Marangu (which can be done in five), but we use six days for this route.
How many hours will I trek each day?
On most routes, you’ll trek 4-7 hours most days. On certain routes you’ll trek as many as 10-15 hours on the longest days.
I would like to book but I have group is large group, is this a problem?
We aim to keep the size of the public groups to a minimum, as we feel that a group that is much larger than ten trekkers is cumbersome and trekkers lose the sense that they are in a wilderness if there are too many people. That said, if you are a single, private group, then there is no problem accommodating you whatever the size of the group, as, of course, you will be aware before arriving in Tanzania of the number of people you will be trekking with.
What are the Kilimanjaro accommodations like?
Your mountain camps are set up and broken down each day by expert camp porters. You’ll stay in double occupancy all-weather tents with full-ground pads to keep you and your gear dry. Private toilet tents, solar-lit dining tents with tables and chairs, and basins of hot water for washing are provided in every camp.
Grand Traverse treks include upgraded solar-lit walk-in-height sleeping tents with mountaineering beds and mattresses for additional comfort.
What if I have special dietary requirements?
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, celiac, lactose-free, or if you have any allergies, just give us a heads up and you will be catered to.
What kind of hiking experience do I need?
None, but previous hiking or climbing experience will help. You need to be fit and healthy and have a good pair of worn-in hiking boots. The fitter you are the more you are likely to enjoy it.
What kind of food will I eat on Kilimanjaro?
Highly-trained chefs prepare three hot nutritious meals daily, as well as trail snacks and afternoon tea each day.
You’ll eat all your meals in a solar-lit dining tent with your fellow trekkers and head guide.
Delicious vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other specialty meals can be provided (with advance request). We’re happy to send you a sample menu—just ask!
What travel documents do I need?
You will need a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your dates of travel with an entry or re-entry visa, duly endorsed.
Who are your operators in Tanzania?
We are. We are not agents for anybody, but run the treks ourselves through our own Tanzanian company. So you can rest assured that whoever you speak to in our company has climbed Kilimanjaro – and probably many times.
When is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro?
Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed anytime throughout the year. Most travelers prefer climbing during the dry seasons: December to March, June to October. Many consider the best months to climb Kilimanjaro to be January, February, and September.
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