Hiking Kilimanjaro Via Machame

7 days—Mount Kilimanjaro Hike via Machame Route

$2267-2550 USD

Get quote

Safari summary

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa

The Machame route, also known as the “Whiskey” route, is the most popular route on Kilimanjaro. Machame’s drawing is in its scenic beauty. However, the trail is considered challenging but unlike the usual 6-day hike, this 7-day hike provides one extra day for acclimatization. Therefore, increasing your summit chances

Highlights
Cross the Barranco wall
Hiking to the root of Africa

About this tour

	Tour type	Set-date, set-itinerary, group
	Main focus	None
	Activity level	Strenuous activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Tanzania
	Parks	Kilimanjaro

Fine details

Safari highlights

Hiking | trekking

What’s included?

Accommodation
Airport transfers
Meals
Park fees

What’s not included?

Spa treatments
Tips and gratuities
Visas

Itinerary

Machame Gate – Machame Camp

Kilimanjaro

After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from Arusha (1400m) and driven to Machame Village. In the village, you can buy mineral water and will receive a packed lunch. From the village, depending on the road conditions, you will either continue to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately.

Machame Camp

Machame camp – Shira camp

Kilimanjaro

You rise early at Machame camp, and after breakfast, you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now, you will be able to see, in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo, and after a short hike, you will reach the Shira campsite at 3,840 m.

Shira camp

Shira - Lava Tower - Barranco Camp

Kilimanjaro

The route now turns east into a semi-deserted and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5-hour walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). This is definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point that, for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches.

Barranco Camp

Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp

Kilimanjaro

After an early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimidating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. This is an ideal hiking day for acclimatization.

Karanga Camp

Karanga Camp – Barafu Hut

Kilimanjaro

Following breakfast, you will leave Karanga Camp (3959m). The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4550m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means "ice,” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge.

Barafu Hut

Summit: Barafu – Uhuru Peak-Mweka

Kilimanjaro

You will rise around 23:30, and after some tea and biscuits, you will shuffle off into the night. You will head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. For many climbers, this 6-hour walk to Stella Point is mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685 m), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting).

Mweka Camp

Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate

Kilimanjaro

Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion.

Arusha/ Moshi

Here are the latest tours by Evergreen Escape Adventure.