Kilimanjaro trekking machame route-8days

TRIP CODE: TTSKIL21

2 – 8 People per group

Climb the Kilimanjaro through one of the most beautiful route – The Machame “Whiskey” Route. For complete groups, you can start climbing at any day. We pick you up at the airport and you have 2 nights in the city hotel – before and after climbing Kilimanjaro. Those 2 nights are as well included in the price.

Kilimanjaro: “Broad as the whole world, great, high and snow-white” wrote Hemingway in his book: “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”. Experience the nature of a special kind, climbing the highest snow-capped mountain in Africa. Huge displacements of the earth plates 750,000 years ago led to the formation of three active volcanoes, which formed this mountain in its height in 400,000 years. Various natural eruptions have over the time changed this Landscape, the Kilimanjaro, the Shira Plateau and the Mawenzi have remained. The mountain is located in northern Tanzania, about 3° south of the equator. Kilimanjaro has an area of ​​approximately 60 km x 40 km and is one of the largest free-standing mountains on the planet. Special mountain climbing skills are not required; you do need to be fit. Then you too can fulfill this dream: to have conquered the highest mountain in Africa, the Kilimanjaro at 5,895m and to be able to enjoy a breathtaking, unforgettable view full of emotions and physical limits. A wide variety of climate zones, from the tropical rain forest to glaciated summit regions, also offer hikers a special experience.

The Machame Route is much more scenic due to the view of the Shira Plateau, the South Western Glacier and the Western Breach Wall. The first leg of the Machame Route initially takes you through rainforest on a paved trail. After the Shira Plateau it goes up and down, which makes it easier to adapt to the altitude. This route offers some of the most spectacular scenery while on the mountain. The Machame Route starts on the south-western side of the mountain and proceeds steeply north, traversing the Shira Plateau and eventually joining the Shira and Lemosho Routes at the Shira camp. The strenuous ascent begins around midnight from Barafu Camp and you will reach the summit by sunrise. The Mweka route is used for the descent.

 Day 1: Kilimanjaro-Moshi

You are already in Moshi or you are landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport today. You will be picked up by your driver and driven to your hotel. Later on, our operations team and your mountain guide will meet you and give you a thorough briefing in preparation for your trek. There will be an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear.  The hotel is located in Moshi with a magnificent view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Relax at the swimming pool after the long flight. Overnight at Park View Inn (B)

Day 2: Moshi – Gate – Machame Camp

After a hearty breakfast, you will be picked up by your Mountain Guide. Transfer to Machame Gate, the starting point of your tour. After the luggage has been distributed to the porters, we set off. You walk past coffee plantations followed by rainforest. With a pleasant incline, you continue on loamy paths past giant ferns and jungle trees draped with lianas and moss lichens. After a few hours you will notice that the Landscape changes. The forest becomes thinner, the trees shorter. After about 6 hours you will reach the Machame Hut (2990 m). Dinner and overnight in tents at Machame Camp (B, L, D)

Day 3: Machame Camp – Shira Camp

After breakfast, start the climb towards Shira Camp. The path runs through heathland and moorland with a moderate incline. After a few hours the landscape changes again. Lobelia, helichrysum and ever-increasing stocks of Seneca characterize the picture. After about 5 hours you will reach the Shira Camp (3,840 m). This is where the Shira and Machame routes meet. Dinner and overnight in tents at Shira Camp (B, L, D)

Day 4: Shira Camp – Barranco Camp

You hike over Lava Tower in the direction of “Barranco Valley”, here it is now steeper. Today is a perfect day for the altitude adjustment as this stage climbs to almost 4500m, and then descends again around 600m. “Climb High, Sleep Low” is the motto. So at the Lava Tower at an altitude of 4500 m you reach the highest point for the day and its easy going downhill again. The further you descend, the greener the landscape becomes and the better you feel. After about 6 hours you reach Barranco at 3860m altitude, where you spend the night in tents (B, L, D)

 Day 5: Barranco Camp – Barafu Camp

After breakfast, climb the Barranco Wall. The view of the Karanga valley is breathtaking. The landscape is characterized by rivers and stone meadows. The Karanga Valley offers views of the mighty ice slopes of the Ceiling and Rebmann Glaciers. You hike through “Karanga Valley” towards Barafu. The vegetation becomes sparser again with increasing altitude and the hardy helichrysum and the rather stubborn yellow-flowering shrubs soon disappeared. The view of the Mawenzi (5100 m) is beautiful. After about 6 hours you will reach Barafu Hut (4600 m), where you will stay overnight after dinner (B, L, D)

 Day 6: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp

Set out around midnight to reach the summit before sunrise. Only eat light food (biscuits and tea) so as not to unnecessarily burden the body. You continue hiking through Stella Point (5745 m) and after approx. 6 hours you reach the highest point in Africa – UHURU PEAK – at 5,895 m altitude. The descent to Mweka Camp (3,100 m) should be enough for the day (approx. 6 hours). Dinner and overnight at Mweka Camp (B, L, D)

 Day 7: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate – Moshi

The descent to Mweka Gate is now much easier. You walk through the densely overgrown rainforest. Here you will receive your well-deserved summit certificate, say goodbye to the Kili team and then you will be driven to your hotel. Overnight at Park View Inn (B)

Day 8: Moshi – Airport

Take your breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport, flight to Europe or starting of your individual program