7 DAYS MACHAME ROUTE

• Transport: Private Car/Van (1.2 hours)
• Accommodation: Hotel
• Meals: Dinner

Upon your arrival a per-arranged driver will pick you up from Kilimanjaro Airport in Moshi and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi.

Depending on your schedule, you will meet your Chief Mountain guide for your climb on the same day or early the next morning. The guide will provide a pre-trekking briefing at your hotel and will also review your gear and assist you in renting any missing equipment which is needed.

• Distance: 11 km/ 7 miles 
• Walking Time: 5 – 7 hours 
• Zone: Rainforest 
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

The first day trekking Mt. Kilimanjaro via the 7 days Machame route begins with meeting the head tour guide at your hotel in the morning (after breakfast of-course) and you will be briefed about the day’s schedule. We will then start the journey to Machame Gate. An hour’s drive from Moshi will get you to Machame gate. You will be introduced to the rest of your trekking crew of assistant guides, porters and cooks.

Your Chief Guide will head on to the park rangers office and finalise the necessary registration formalities at the gate, mean while you can spend your time taking photos and changing your clothes if necessary while waiting for the climbing permit. After obtaining the permit, will hike up through the Montane forests full of corners, hills and slopes. After a 4 to 5-hour hike you’ll arrive at the Machame Camp

After arriving at Machame camp, you will be welcomed by our friendly team, the waiter will provide you with hot water for washing up, tea/coffee with popcorn to regain your energy while waiting for your first late lunch and finally dinner on Kilimanjaro Mountain.

• Distance: 5 km/ 3 miles
• Walking Time: 4 – 7 hours
• Zone: Rainforest / Low Alpine Zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After a hearty breakfast amidst the Montane forests of Machame camp this is your second day of the 7 days Machame route trek. We will hike slowly through short Savannah, soaking in the scenery as we make our and ascend through heather and open moorland for approximately 4 to 5hrs, with picnic lunch en-route before arriving in the highest point of the day, at the Shira Camp 2

The camp sits on a plateau which provides you with the first views of Kibo in the North-West and Mount Meru in the East. Dinner will be served early/late evening depending on your preferences

• Distance: 8 km / 6.7 miles
• Walking Time: 6 – 8 hours
• Zone: High Alpine zone/ Low Alpine Zone
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

From the Shira Plateau, we continue and our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As We continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower. We will take an acclimatization hike to Lava Tower (a 300ft tall volcanic rock formation) where our skilled chef will provide a nutritious feast for lunch, and eventually we will hike on descending to the Barranco valley.

We descend down to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization and that is why the 7 days Machame route has a high summit success rate.

Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight.

• Distance: 5 km / 3 miles
• Walking Time: 4 – 5 hours
• Zone: Alpine Desert
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

At day four of your 7 days Machame route hike you’ll continue to acclimatize and let your body adjust to these higher altitudes, in preparation for your upcoming summit push. We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall.

Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly terrifying 900 foot cliff. Despite the Wall’s seemingly daunting height and steepness the actual climb is rather simple and takes only an hour or so to complete. The top of the wall provides a great photo opportunity with Kibo Peak as the backdrop.

From the top of the Barranco Wall we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga valley. Here, there’s a stream of pure mount Kilimanjaro water and usually crews and hikers spend a few moments for refreshing. We will then start hiking up from the valley through a steep series of zig-zags until reaching the Karanga Camp

If you still have enough energy, we will go for a late-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.

This is a shorter but tough day meant for acclimatization. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite.

• Distance: 4 km / 2 miles
• Walking Time: 4 – 5 hours
• Zone: Alpine Desert
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

In regards to distance, day five is the shortest. We will depart after breakfast and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.

Our team will set up a camp for you ahead of time, including tents and sleeping bags, so you can relax upon arrival. A scrumptious cooked lunch will be served to you. Since tomorrow is the summit day, it is important for you to relax and prepare for the hard work ahead.

Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early supper in the evening in order to prepare you for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position. It is better to spend the remaining time sleeping as you will start tomorrow’s summit ascent after midnight with chief mountain guide and a few crew members.

• Distance: 5 km/ 3 miles Up –  12km /8 miles Down
• Walking Time: 5 – 7 hours ascent / 5-6 hours descent
• Zone: Arctic
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping Tents
  

Today is summit day and so we face our greatest challenge. After an early wake up at around midnight for preparation and light breakfast we hike for the summit.
We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. At sunrise we should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) where spectacular ice cliffs surround us and the views of Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m).

Congratulations! You‘ve made it to the “Roof of Africa”. Enjoy and cherish this moment.

From the summit, we now make our descent and stop at Barafu Hut for a well-deserved lunch and continue slowly straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site. The terrain is very rocky and so trekking poles will be helpful. Mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon at Mweka camp. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a victorious sleep after conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro through the 7 days machame route.

• Distance: 12km /7 miles
• Walking Time: 4-6 hours
• Zone: Rain Forest
• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
• Accommodation: Hotel

This is your last day upon Mt. Kilimanjaro.  After a thrilling breakfast upon your adventurous victory of conquering the highest peak in Africa, you will then continue with a gentle trek that takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate with our whole crew of porters, cook(s) & guides. It can be wet and muddy so trekking poles will help.  Also shorts and t-shirts will be suitable.
Upon reaching Mweka Gate, you will be served a delicious lunch meal as we have chief  guide of your 7 days Machame route hike will complete park formalities and obtain your international recognized certificates for conquering the roof of Africa.

There, From the gate, we will transport you back to your hotel in Moshi town, where you can choose to relax – or, if you have any energy left, to celebrate!