7 Days Mt Kilimanjaro Climb Machame Climb

Elevation Gain: 1,200 meters/3,935feet,

Hiking Duration: 6 to 7 hours

At 9am, leave Arusha for Machame Gate, where you will meet your crew team that will spend the next six days trekking with you up to Uhuru Peak and down the mountain from the roof of Africa. The drive from Arusha all the way through coffee plantations and also Machame villages to Machame Entrance Gate takes about two to three hours, roughly estimated. After arriving at the gate, all the registration processes start; this may take up to two hours of waiting depending on the tourist falling at the gate, meaning time all the porters and guides will be making the final preparations.

The Kilimanjaro climb by using Machame Camp via the mystical, moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest begins as soon as you are done with all the registration processes for the permit, which will be held by the chief guide by the national park management. As the forest thins later in the hike, take in the heathers, tall grasses, and wildflowers. If the weather is clear, enjoy the striking views of your ultimate destination, Kibo Peak. Our porters and cooks will go ahead and prepare the campsite before your arrival at the camp. Lunch will be served in any of the lunch stops along the trail in accordance with the hiking starting time. Dinner and overnight at the Machame campsite.

Elevation Gain: 840 meters, 2,760 feet,

Hiking Duration: 6 to 8 hours

As the day two trek includes several uphill sections with steep sections, you are advised to bring with you some power bars with at least three liters of drinking water due to the hot hiking resulting from a clear-skied day. There are several viewpoints from which you can get nice views of the plains and forests below, as well as the commanding Kibo and Mawenzi peaks above.

Notice the change in vegetation as you gain altitude. The trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro’s famous high-altitude plants, Scenecio Kilimanjaro and Lobelia deckenii. After lunch at the lunch spot, which is actually more than halfway up the climb to Shira camp, you will observe lots of unique landscapes created when Kibo’s lava flows filled the Shira crater. Continue to Shira Camp and relax for the rest of the day, with a short-day hike to the Shira cave if the weather allows. From this camp, Kibo lies to the west and Mount Meru to the east. Dinner and overnight at the Shira cave camp

Elevation Gain: 690 meters/2,264feet,

Hiking time: 6–8 hours

Although this day hike is mostly covered with lots of ups and downs and ends with an elevation gain of only 110 meters, by early afternoon you will have climbed 690 meters to a height of 4,530 meters. After breakfast, the hikecontinues more to the east on the Shira Plateau for roughly two to three hours before reaching the junction for the Machame Route climbers, then continues through the barren landscape for another 1.5 to two hours for the lunch stop at the Lava Tower Camp (4600 m asl), where you will meet some of the crews settled with dining tents, tables, and chairs ready for your lunch before you begin with the long descent, about 700m down to the Barranco Camp. The descent to Barranco camp leads you through the magnificent valley dominated by varieties of igneous and metamorphic rocks but also many different unusual plant species, including the Senecio Kilimanjaro and Lobelia deckenii. Barranco Camp is mainly considered to be the most scenic campsite on the route. The camp settled along the canyon among forests of Senecio Kilimanjaro right beneath the Heim glacier. From the campsite, enjoy magnificent views of Mount Meru’s shade and Heim Glacier, but also Kibo’s southern face and the imposing Barranco Wall on the western side. Dinner and overnight at the Barranco campsite

Elevation Gain: 250 meters, 820 feet,

Hiking duration: 3–5 hours

A day starts with the hike through the Barranco Great Wall, nicknamed as the breakfast wall, as it is the first approach soon after you are done with your breakfast for an hour-and-a-half scramble up the wall (4200 m asl). This part is considered as the hardest part of the day, and in some places, you may technically be required to use your hands just to aid your climb. After reaching the top of the wall, hike through fairly level terrain before making a short but steep descent into the green Karanga River Valley all the way up to the camp, which is located right at the ridge above the Karanga River Valley. Lunch, dinner, and overnight at the Karanga campsite.

Elevation Gain: 400 meters/1,320 feet,

Hiking duration: 3–4 hours

Soon after having breakfast, the last hike to the base camp (Barafu camp 4600 m ASL) begins. As you will be hiking right at the ridge on the way to Barafu camp, depending on the clear sky, the terrain will just offer you nice views. several of Kibo’s glaciers as well as the junction that connects your descent route (Mweka Route), as you will be approaching the bases of the base camp. During the hike you will pass the Heim, Kersten, and Decken glaciers. Although the hike to Barafu camp leads you through alpine desert with little vegetation, there are also stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks along the way. As you reach the camp, it is highly recommended to try to spend much time for rest and sleep after finishing dinner, as you will need to wake before midnight for the very last and challenging ascent part to the summit. Lunch, dinner, and overnight at the Barafu camp.

Gaining Elevation: 1,295 meters, 4,240 feet,

Elevation Loss: 2,795 meters, 9,170 feet

Hiking Duration: 6–7 hours to the rim, 1 hour to Uhuru, descend 3 to 4 hours to descend back to Barafu camp, then 4 hours down to Mweka camp

This day is considered as the longest and most challenging part of the climb. Around midnight, begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak. Hike by the light of your headlamp for the next six hours. The ascent to the crater rim is the most challenging part of the entire trek. The trail is very steep until you reach the crater rim at Stella Point. A gradual hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak and might seem to be very challenging depending on the strength after a long night hike, but usually it is not very difficult to sum it up, as the altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. This small hiking part takes approximately one hour. Upon reaching Uhuru, obviously it’s time for taking some photos of your memories with the guides but also the group picture at the peak before beginning the descent down to Mweka Camp. You will enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds, and glaciers on the way down from Uhuru. A short resting break served with lunch at the Barafu Camp. Soon after lunch begins again another three to five hours of descent down to the Mweka Camp. Dinner and overnight at Mweka camp

Loss of elevation: 1,600 meters, 5,250 feet,

Hiking duration: 4 hours

Soon after your last breakfast in the park, you will have a chance to enjoy the Kilimanjaro climb with songs with all your crew team, followed by the group picture together. As it is the last hiking day to complete the trek with a descent to the Mweka exit gate, you will find it a very beautiful one, hiking down through the Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. Watch your step during the descent, as the trail can be slippery, mostly in the rainy season. As you reach the exit gate, you will find our vehicles with drivers waiting at the lower station of Mweka Gate, ready to take you to your accommodation places in Arusha. You can also have a chance for a break to see some beauty of Kilimanjaro and buy t-shirts and souvenirs on the way driving from the Mweka exit gate. Some traditional African meals with a variety of Western options are served for lunch at the Mweka gate before departing the mountain. Dinner with bottles of champagne accompanied by the celebration part at your hotel/lodge.

Meal plan: Half Board

Accommodation: Tulia Boutique Hotel

After breakfast, you will get ready for your transfer to the airport for your flight to the next destination.