Kilimanjaro Machame Route 7 Days
Kilimanjaro Machame Route 7 Days
Overview
7-Day Kilimanjaro Climb via Machame Route ! The Machame Route (also known as the “Whiskey Route”) is a very scenic hiking route. It leads hikers through the mountain rainforest up to the Barranco Wall. The altitude profile of Machame Route 7 days is ideal for acclimatization, allowing climbers to hike to higher altitudes during the day than they’ll be sleeping overnight.
The Machame Route can be completed in 6 or 7 days. We mostly recommend the 7 days Machame Route Itinerary over the 6 days Machame Route Itinerary to allow more time to acclimatize to the high altitude. While even longer routes might further improve your acclimatization to the high altitude, and thereby your summit success chance, the route has the best altitude acclimatization profile of all 7 days’ routes.
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.
Costs Includeds/Excludes
- Two way private airport transfers
- All park fees collected by the National Park
- Hotel ccommodations one night before and one night after the expedition
- Tented accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro
- All meals on the hike
- All group equipment (dining tent, table, chairs, crockery and cutlery)
- Oxygen cylinders and oximeters
- Complete Expedition medical kits
- Professional guides licensed by Kilimanjaro National Park
- Dedicated support crew (assistant guides, camp master, porters, cooks, etc.)
- Government taxes
- Crew salaries
- Medical evacuations with AMREF Flying doctors
- Purified water while on the mountain
- Portable tented private flush toilet
- Personal Climbing gears
- Tanzania Visa on arrival
- Mountaineering Insurance
- Tips and Gratuities
- Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
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 Arusha (1400m) 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)
After an early morning breakfast, you will start you ascent leaving the rain forest and entering the heathland moorland vegetation. You will cross many streams and walk over a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau that leads to Shira Camp (3840m). At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and its glaciers in the East. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: Approximately 9 kilometers
Habitat: Moorland
Day 4 (at 3840m) – Lava Tower (at 4630m) – Barranco camp (at 3950m)
Following an early morning breakfast, you will leave the moorland environment and enter the semi desert and rocky landscape. After 5 hours of walking east, you will be come face to face with the Lava Tower (4630m). Packed lunches are served at the Tower and hikers have the option of climbing the massive Lava Tower weather permitting. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects from the altitude including headaches and shortness of breath.
After lunch, you will descend from Lava Tower (4630m) to the Barranco Campsite (3950m). The 6800m descent gives hikers a huge advantage to allow their bodies to adjust to the conditions of high altitude. The descent to camp takes around 2 hours to reach. It is located in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall (“Breakfast Wall”). Drinking and washing water and dinner will be served as hikers view the sunsetting.
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 5 Barranco Camp (3950m) – Karanga Camp (3950m)
After an early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the Wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. This is an ideal hiking day for acclimatization.
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Distance: Approximately 5 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day 6 Karanga Camp (3959m) – Barafu Hut (4600m)
Following breakfast, you will leave Karanga Camp (3959m). The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4550m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!
Hiking time: 2-3 hours
Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day 7 Summit Attempt – Barafu camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)
Your guide will wake you around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about 6 hours, you will reach Stella Point (5685m), located on the crater rim. After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will continue ascending for about 2 hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.
At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Mweka Hut (3100m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rainforest. Mweka Camp (3100m) is located in the upper rainforest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7-kilometer ascent and 23-kilometer descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Day 8 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). After receiving the certificates, you will drive back to your hotel in Moshi.
Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Forest
Day 9 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.
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Tour Pricing
Number of People | Cost Per Person in Mid-Range | Cost Per Person in VIP |
---|---|---|
1 person | $3,500 | $6,900 |
2 people | $2,300 | $6,100 |
3 people | $2,250 | $5,900 |
4 people | $2,200 | $5,700 |
5 people | $2,150 | $5,500 |
6 people | $2,140 | $5,300 |
7 people | $2,110 | $5,100 |
8 people | $2,080 | $4,900 |
9 people | $2,050 | $4,700 |
10 people + | $2,000 | $4,500 |
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 |
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