Kilimanjaro Machame Route

6 days—Kilimanjaro Climb Tanzania

From

$1887 USD

pp

Safari summary

Sometimes called the Whiskey Route. This is a popular route up steep paths through the magnificent forests to gain a ridge leading through the moorland zones to Shira Plateau. It then traverses beneath the glaciated precipices of the Southern Ice fields to join the Barafu route to the summit.


About this tour

Tour type Set-date, set-itinerary, group
Main focus Hiking | trekking
Activity level Strenuous activity
Best months January, February, June, July, August, September, October, December
Countries
Parks

Fine details

Safari highlights
  • Sightseeing | shopping | markets
  • Hiking | trekking

Itinerary

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi to the Machame village. The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible 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 rainforest.

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

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. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner at Shira Camp.

Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower. It is normally at this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches. After lunch, you descend to the Barranco camp

Barranco Camp to Barafu

Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well.

Summit to Uhuru Peak

You will rise around 2330 hrs, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. From Stella Point you will encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru Peak. The walk back to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka Camp for Dinner and Overnight.

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

After Breakfast, From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy and long hour walk. In the Mweka village drive to Springlands Hotel and you will be served a delicious hot lunch! You now drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower. It is recommended and tips are highly appreciated at the end of their trip. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

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Zara Tanzania Adventure
YAScore: 75/100
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