6-Days Machame Route

When you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a member of the Ihana safaris hospitality team will greet you. He’ll take you to Panama Garden Resort, where you’ll find everything you need for a relaxing stay after a long flight, including comfortable rooms with hot showers, a delicious restaurant, a friendly service team, and Internet access. At the appointed time, your briefing will take place, during which your guides will go over all the details of the upcoming trek. They’ll answer your questions and make sure you’re prepared for the journey. They will let you rent it if you don’t have everything you need.

Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort
Journey time and distance: 1 hour’s drive, 40 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi

You have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel this morning before departing in your vehicle at around 08.00 hours to arrive at the Machame Gate (1,800 meters) at 09.00 hours. Your first task before beginning your trek will be to complete the necessary paperwork. You’ll also enjoy meeting your mountain team, which includes your guides, porters, and anyone else who will accompany you on your ascent.

Today’s walk is a long one: you’ll gain around 1,035 meters of elevation over a distance of just under 11 kilometers (7 miles), and it’ll take you between 4.5 and 5 hours.

The start of today’s walk is marked by a wide path that winds its way up through dense forest and beautiful tall trees laden with green moss. The vegetation changes as the route becomes steeper and narrower, and the appearance of flowers like impatiens kilimanjari and impatiens pseudoviola adds some bright colors to the scenery. You’ll also get your first glimpse of Kibo peak, which is located to the east. Look for species like the olive thrush and stonechat among the abundant birdlife around the camp. You expect to arrive at camp around 17.00 hrs, giving you a couple of hours of much-needed rest before dinner.

Accommodation: in tents at Machame Camp.
Hiking time and elevation: 4.5–5 hours’ walking, from Machame Gate at 1,800 m to Machame Camp at 2,835 m.

You’ll get used to the early breakfast (07.00 hrs), and you’ll leave the camp at 08.30 hrs today. You’ll gain 915 meters in elevation before finishing the day at 3,750 meters, and despite the short distance (5 km/3 miles), you’ll spend 5.5 to 6 hours walking.

Today’s path is dusty, winding, and steep. The vegetation starts out as heather forests, but you’ll soon come across the first of the giant groundsels. The climb up to your midday picnic lunch is steep, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the south and Kibo as you eat. With today’s early start and short distance, you should arrive at your camp by 14.00 hrs, by which time you will have first seen the Shira Plateau’s distinctive dark obsidian rock and moorland lobelias. After arriving at the camp, you’ll have plenty of time to take in some spectacular natural sights, including the “Shira Cathedral,” Klute Peak, and Mount Meru, before sitting down to eat around 18.00 hrs.

Accommodation: in tents at Shira Cave Camp.
Hiking time and elevation: 6 hours’ walking, from Machame Camp at 2,835 m to Shira Cave Camp at 3,750 m.

The character of today’s stage is very different from yesterday’s, with a much longer trek. Of course, you start at 3,750 meters, but even though you cover nearly 10 kilometers (6 miles), your elevation gain will be only 150 meters by the time you arrive at Baranco Camp at around 16.00 hours. However, during your hike, you will ascend to the base of the Lava Tower, which stands at a lofty 4,600 meters, before descending for your overnight stay. Although this may appear to be a waste of time, it actually aids in the crucial process of altitude acclimatization.

You will be walking for approximately 6.5 to 7 hours today, excluding breaks, due to the overall distance. Your day will begin with breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and departure at 8:00 a.m., when you will begin your trek across the Shira Plateau’s stony landscape. At first, the vegetation is sparse, with only a few hardy lichens to admire. At 13.00 hrs., you climb to the Lava Tower and have your picnic lunch. You descend to the Baranco Camp after passing the day’s highest point, the Lava Tower. Once you’ve arrived at camp, take in the views of Kibo’s southern face as well as the Heim Glacier. Dinner will be served tonight at 19.00 hrs.

Accommodation: in tents at Baranco Camp.
Hiking time and elevation: 6.5–7 hours’ walking, from Shira Cave Camp at 3,750 m to Baranco Camp at 3,900 m.

Today will undoubtedly present a challenge! You’ll have another breakfast at 7:00 a.m. in preparation for a long day ahead. Today’s departure time is 08.00 a.m., with a cooked lunch at Karanga scheduled for midday. Your final destination, Barafu Camp, should be reached by 16.00 hours, and your dinner should be served at 18.00 hours. Today’s trek begins with a challenging scramble up the near-vertical face of the Baranco Wall (also known as the “Breakfast Wall” because the climb takes place right after breakfast!). Before gradually descending to the gully below and into the cold, beautiful Karanga Valley, you are treated to spectacular views of the Heim Glacier.

After that, you’ll continue up a steep series of zig-zags until you reach Karanga Camp, where you’ll have lunch. Today’s stage climbs steadily upwards after leaving Karanga, passing through a barren, rocky landscape with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible to your left. As you descend into a valley at the top of the climb, the landscape remains desolate until you see Rebmann, another glacier. The Barafu Camp, which you reach after a short, steep scramble and a walk, is at the end of this valley.

Accommodation: in tents at Barafu Camp.
Hiking time and elevation: 7.5–8 hours of walking, from 3,900 m at Baranco Camp, up to Karanga Camp at 3,995 m, then up to Barafu Camp at 4,673 m.

Today is the most difficult day, but it will hopefully end with a sense of accomplishment as you reach your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro! Your “Summit Day” schedule will be drastically different from the rest of your mountain days. You have your tea and biscuits (23.30hrs) before a midnight departure at 23.00hrs.

The day begins with a long, difficult climb from Barafu at 4,673 meters to Stella Point at 5,756 meters; you will be walking on scree for part of the way, making the trek more difficult. There is still a 139-meter climb and 45-minute walk to the summit from Stella Point. Your objective is to reach the summit by 07.00 hrs. Then celebrate your achievement, snap some photos, and take in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. You return to Barafu (4,673 meters) after summiting (5,895 meters), rest for a few hours, eat brunch, and then leave at 13.30 hrs to continue descending to Mweka Camp (3,100 meters), where you spend the night. You should plan on arriving at 17.00 hrs and eating dinner at 19.00 hrs. (Today, you walk about 11–14 hours and cover about 17 km (10 miles)—it’s tough going, but hopefully you’ll reach your goal!)

Accommodation: in tents at Mweka Camp
Hiking time and Elevation: 11-14 hours’ walking, from 4,673 m at Barafu Camp to the summit at 5,895 m, then down to 3,100 m at Mweka Camp 

Breakfast will be served at 7:00 a.m., and you will have the opportunity to reward your trekking team at the ‘Tipping Celebration’ at 8:00 a.m.

Despite the fact that you still have 10 kilometers/miles to walk, you start at a leisurely 09.00 hrs and descend to the Mweka Gate, which is located at an altitude of 1,640 meters. At midday, you will be served a cooked lunch and presented with your well-deserved certificate. Your transportation will be waiting to transport you back to your hotel in Moshi, where you can choose to relax or celebrate if you still have energy!

Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort
Hiking time and elevation: 3 hours’ walking, from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, descending from 3,100 m to 1,640 m, then returning by vehicle from Mweka Gate to your hotel, 0.8 hours’ drive.

After a good night’s sleep in your hotel, you’ll have breakfast ready for your 11 a.m. check-out. (If you want to stay in the hotel during the day, let us know when you book your trip and we’ll give you a quote for a ‘day room,’ which allows you to stay until 18:00 hrs., and then make the reservation for you.)

Because this package includes an airport transfer, you will be picked up from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. Our Ihana safaris guide will meet you in the late afternoon to provide you with a briefing for those who have booked to go on safari.