7 days Machame route
The 7-day Machame Route is one of the most popular routes for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It offers a beautiful and scenic journey through a variety of ecosystems and provides climbers a more gradual ascent to the summit, compared to shorter routes. The Machame route is often called the “Whiskey Route,” due to its more challenging nature compared to the “Coca-Cola” route (Marangu). The 7-day option allows for better acclimatization, which increases the chances of reaching the summit, Uhuru Peak.
Highlights
- Day 1: Moshi to Machame Gate to Machame Camp
- Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
- Day 3: Shira Camp to Barranco Camp
- Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
- Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
- Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
- Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, and return to Moshi
Day to Day
Day 1: Moshi to Machame Gate to Machame Camp
- Drive to Machame Gate (about 1.5 hours from Moshi).
- After registration, you’ll begin the
- Distance: 11 km (7 miles)
- Elevation: 1,800 meters (5,906 feet) to 3,000 meters (9,843 feet)
- Time: 5-7 hours
- The trail passes through a lush rainforest with a wide variety of plants and
- Overnight at Machame Camp
Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
- Distance: 5 km (3 miles)
- Elevation: 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) to 3,840 meters (12,600 feet)
- Time: 4-6 hours
- The route ascends through the rainforest and then into the moorland zone, characterized by giant heather and the beginning of alpine desert terrain.
- You’ll have fantastic views of the Shira
- Overnight at Shira Camp
Day 3: Shira Camp to Barranco Camp
- Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
- Elevation: 3,840 meters (12,600 feet) to 3,960 meters (12,992 feet)
- Time: 6-8 hours
- A challenging day that includes crossing the Shira Plateau and climbing the steep slopes up to the Lava Tower, where you’ll reach an elevation of 4,630 meters (15,190 feet) before descending to Barranco Camp.
- Overnight at Barranco Camp
Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
- Distance: 7 km (4.4 miles)
- Elevation: 3,960 meters (12,992 feet) to 4,035 meters (13,240 feet)
- Time: 4-5 hours
- Today is a relatively short day, but it includes the famous Barranco Wall, a challenging steep section that requires some scrambling.
- After the wall, the route enters the Karanga Valley before reaching Karanga
- Overnight at Karanga Camp
Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
- Distance: 4 km (2.5 miles)
- Elevation: 4,035 meters (13,240 feet) to 4,640 meters (15,223 feet)
- Time: 4-5 hours
- This day is relatively short but steep as you ascend to Barafu Camp, the base camp for your summit attempt.
- You will spend the night here to rest and prepare for the
- Overnight at Barafu Camp
Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
- Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles) to the summit, then 12 km (7.5 miles) to Mweka Camp
- Elevation: 4,640 meters (15,223 feet) to 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) at Uhuru Peak, then descend to 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) at Mweka Camp
- Time: 12-14 hours
- You will begin your summit attempt around midnight or 1 AM to reach Uhuru Peak at sunrise.
- After summiting, you descend back down to Mweka Camp, which is a long but rewarding day.
- Overnight at Mweka Camp
Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, and return to Moshi
- Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
- Elevation: 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) to 1,640 meters (5,380 feet)
- Time: 3-4 hours
- After breakfast, you will descend to Mweka Gate, where you’ll sign out and receive your summit certificate.
- A vehicle will take you back to Moshi for your celebration and departure.
Includes
- All Park fees and Rescue fees.
- Guides, Porters, cook salaries and park fees
- All activities(Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation(Unless listed as upgrade)
- * Professional, experienced, mountain guides
- All transportation(Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- All meals while on the Mountain
- Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
- Drinks(As specified in the day-by-day section)
Excludes
- International flights(From/to home)
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips(Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items(Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
There's So Much to Discover
