7-Day Adventure
The Machame route is also known as the "Whiskey Route", given its reputation for being a tough climb, in contrast to the easier Marangu route, which is known as the Coca Cola route. Unlike the gradual incline and hut accommodations found on the Marangu Route, climbers on Machame hike steeper trails for longer distances while sleeping in tents.
The Machame Route climb can be done in a minimum of six days on the mountain. However, it is most often tackled over seven days for better altitude acclimatization. The trek begins at Machame Gate, located in the southern base of the mountain, within its lush, fertile rainforest.
The route heads toward the Shira Plateau, before circling along the southern circuit halfway around the mountain, exposing climbers to great views from all angles. The approach to the summit is made from the east, and the descent follows the Mweka trail.
Navigate through your 9-day Kilimanjaro adventure
You will be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and conduct an equipment check to ensure you have all necessary mountain gear. Missing gear can be rented on this day.
One hour's drive from Moshi to Machame Gate, where we complete park formalities, meet our crew of porters and start climbing! The first section climbs steadily through magnificent, dense rainforest. This path is less well-trodden so it can get overgrown and wet underfoot.
Continue up through the forest until reaching the steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, with rewarding mountain views. Looking back, you'll see Mt Meru rising high above Arusha town in the distance.
Walking on high moorland, the landscape changes completely. Traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and Western Breach. The day follows 'walk high, sleep low' for acclimatization.
Our day starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3963m. For those feeling strong, we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough, steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp, we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up between 11 pm and 12 pm to start the climb to the summit.
We start off at around midnight, and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest.
Gentle trek down through rainforest to Mweka Gate. Complete park formalities and receive your summit certificate! Return to hotel in Moshi for a well-deserved hot shower and celebration.
Free day to wind down after your trek. Explore Moshi town, buy souvenirs, or simply relax before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.
Experience the classic beauty of the Mt kilimanajro Routes through our lens
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