This itinerary is for 7 days and 6 nights. Machame route begins from the south-western side of the mountain; the trail passes through some of the mountain’s finest features, including the cloud forest of Kilimanjaro’s southern plains, the dry and dusty Shira Plateau, and the delightful groundsel-clad Barranco campsite.
You’ll drive from the hotel in Moshi town (800m) after breakfast to Machame gate (1800m) for a reservation and start climbing through the rain forest up to Machame camp (3000m). It takes 5-6 hours with a picnic lunch on the way. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at Machame camp (3000m). The distance covered is 10.75 km and the altitude gained is 1200m.
After breakfast, you’ll continue hiking through the heath and moorland to Shira 2 camp- (3850m) with a picnic lunch on the way for 4-5 hours. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at the campsite. The distance covered is 5.3km and the altitude gained is 850m. This is an open camping site, and it’s perfect for taking good pictures.
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will start hiking to Barranco Camp (3940m) through Lava Tower (4600m) for acclimatizing. It takes 6 -7 hours with a picnic lunch, dinner, and overnight stay at Barranco camp (3940m). The distance covered is 10.75km via Lava Tower, and the altitude gained is 750m Then, from Lava Tower to Barranco altitude lost is 660m.
After breakfast, you will start climbing the Barranco walls (4250m) to Karanga Camp (4000m). You’ll have a hot lunch, rest, and walk around to acclimatize. It takes 3-4 hours. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at the camp. The distance covered is 4.25km and the altitude gained is 60m. This is the shortest hike to reach Karanga Valley for dinner and an overnight stay at the camp.
You’ll have breakfast at about 8:30 am. You will continue hiking through the heath and moorland to Barafu Camp, 4600m. It takes 3-4 hours. The distance covered is 4.25km, and the altitude gained is 600m before you get a hot lunch, rest, and then an early dinner. You’ll sleep for short hours, then wake up at about 11:00 pm, pack the useful things for the summit, and have hot drinks and snacks. At midnight, you’ll start hiking to the top of Africa, Uhuru Peak (5895m). It takes about 6-7 hours, and the distance covered is 4.86km, and the altitude gained is 1295m.
It takes about 3 hours from the summit to Barafu Camp for breakfast and rest for a few hours. You’ll eat a hot lunch and then continue descending from the alpine desert, heath, and moorland to the edge of the rain forest at Mweka camp (3100m). The distance covered from Uhuru Peak to Barafu Camp and to Mweka Camp is 11.5km, and the altitude lost is 2795m.
You’ll walk after breakfast to Mweka Gate (1800m) through the rainforest for 3-4 hours. The distance covered is 9.1km and the altitude lost is 1400m. You’ll receive your award certificate if you have made it to the top, meet the waiting vehicle, and transfer to the hotel in town for a hot shower, lunch, and rest. End of climb.
