7 Days Machame Route

Itinerary

Day 0: Pre-trek Briefing

If you have opted for the optional airport transfers, we will pick you up from Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha airport and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi.

Pre-trek briefing at your Moshi hotel. You should be planning to arrive atleast one day before the start of the trek. Today we will spend in having a pre-trek briefing. We will also review your equipment and rent any equipment which is needed.

Day 1: Hotel to Machame Camp

Drive from Moshi to Machame Gate takes about 45 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain.

We depart the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. At lower elevations the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft
Distance: 11km/7mi
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

After breakfast we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the valley along a steep rocky ridge. The route now turns west onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira campsite.

Elevation: 3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Walking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elev 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
Distance: 10km/6mi
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit.

From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!

From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
Down to 3090m/10,150ft
Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Hotel

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).

Monkey Adventures vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).

Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast

Inclusions

• All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
• Professional, experienced, mountain guides
• Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees
• Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents (on twin sharing basis)
• Sleeping Mattress
• Emergency Oxygen Cylinder
• All meals while on the Mountain
• Quality Mess tents with table and chairs
• Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
• Clean, purified drinking water
• Conservation fees (part of park fees)
• Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)
• Rescue fees (part of park fees)
• VAT (18% charged by the Government)
• Kilimanjaro summit certificate

Exclusions

• Tanzania Visa
• International and domestic flights
• Hotel (available as an optional addon)
• Transfers (available as an optional addon)
• Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel Insurance
• Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
• Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
• Surcharge for online payment of advance and balance (5% on each payment)

Supplements

• Off-season supplement = USD 105
  Charged for solo trekkers to start a new departure in the month of March, April, May and November. This does not apply if you join an existing group. This does not apply if others trekkers also join your new group.

Discounts

Available discounts for Machame – 7 days

• • Children between 5 years and 15 years old
    Code: 5TO15 – USD 690 per person
  • Expatriates/Residents living in Tanzania
    Code: RESTAN – USD 245 per person
  • East African Citizens
    Code: EAC – USD 880 per person

Addons

Hotels
We offer the following hotel options

• • Lindrin Lodge (Single Room) – USD 55 per night
  • Lindrin Lodge (Double Room) – USD 70 per night
  • Lindrin Lodge (Triple Room) – USD 105 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Single Room) – USD 69 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Double Room) – USD 94 per night
  • Keys Hotel (Triple Room) – USD 122 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Single Room) – USD 81 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Double Room) – USD 91 per night
  • Parkview Inn (Triple Room) – USD 170 per night
  • Kilimanjaro Wonders (Single Room) – USD 140 per night
  • Kilimanjaro Wonders (Double Room) – USD 160 per night

Please note that if any hotel is booked out or is otherwise unavailable, we will book you in an alternate equivalent hotel.

If you are booking a hotel directly, please check with us before booking, to make sure we can meet you and pick you up from the hotel.

Gear

We offer the following add-ons to your gear

• • Private Toilet – USD 150
  • Private Tent – USD 5 per day
  • Thicker sleeping mattress – USD 10 per mattress
  • Thermarest – USD 15 per Thermarest

Our packages by default include a foam sleeping mattress of 2-inch thickness, if you want a thicker alternative you can opt for a 4-inch foam mattress with above mentioned extra cost.

Transfers

We offer the following transfer options

• • Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) to Moshi (one way) – USD 50 per vehicle
  • Moshi to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) (one way) – USD 50 per vehicle
  • Arusha to Moshi (one way) – USD 100 per vehicle
  • Moshi to Arusha (one way) – USD 100 per vehicle

Private Trek

Prices for a Private Trek

Please find below the prices for organizing a private trek. The prices are based on your group size.

• • Solo Trekker – USD 1841 per person
  • Group of 2 – USD 1741 per person
  • Group of 3 – USD 1706 per person
  • Group of 4 – USD 1678 per person
  • Group of 5 – USD 1666 per person
  • Group of 6 – USD 1643 per person
  • Group of 7 – USD 1643 per person
  • Group of 8 – USD 1631 per person
  • Group of 9 – USD 1624 per person
  • Group of 10 and above – USD 1616 per person