-
Mt. Kilimanjaro, Machame Route (7 Hiking Days)
- Home
- Mt. Kilimanjaro, Machame Route
Beautiful scenery, challenging terrain...
Machame route is one of the most popular routes to the
summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Machame route, also known as
the “Whiskey Route,” is known for its beautiful scenery,
challenging terrain, and high success rate. The trek
starts on the southwestern side of the mountain at the
Machame Gate and descends to the Mweka Gate on the
southeastern side.
Machame's route involves several Mt
Kilimanjaro landmarks like the Shira Plateau, Lava Tower,
and Baranco Wall. The route wanders up and down a series
of valleys and ridges, making the hike strenuous, but
rewards hikers with stunning mountain views.
itinerary
Day 1: Moshi- Machame Gate- Machame Camp:
After breakfast, we will be picked from Moshi to Kilimanjaro
National Gate, which takes about 50 minutes. At the gate, we
will register and then start the walk through the rainforest
on the winding trail. At the camp, we shall have dinner and
retire early.
Distance:11 km
Duration:7 hrs
Elevation gain: 1035 m
Habitat: Rainforest
Day 2: Machame Camp- Shira Cave Camp:
After breakfast, we leave the rainforest on an ascending path
through steep ridges and valleys heading to Shira Cave Camp.
We shall have our packed lunch along the way. We can explore
the Shira plateau and caves at the camp before dinner.
Distance:6 km
Duration:8 hrs
Elevation gain: 935 m
Habitat: Moorland
Day 3- Altitude Acclimatization: Shira Cave Camp-Lava
Tower-Baranco Camp:
From the Shira Plateau, we head eastwards to a junction,
towards the peak of Kibo, where we continue southeast to Lava
Tower. We shall have our packed lunch here and continue our
trek to Baranco Camp. This day is essential for
acclimatization and prepares your body for summit day.
Distance:10 km
Duration:8 hrs
Elevation gain: 850 m
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 4: Baranco Camp- Karanga Camp:
After breakfast, we hike the iconic Baranco wall by the
Kissing Rock. The climb is non-technical, but some sections
require scrambling and handholds. After conquering the wall,
we will descend to Karanga Valley camp, where we will spend
the night. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.
Distance:5 km
Duration:5 hrs
Elevation gain: 95 m
Habitat:Alpine desert
Day 5: Karanga Camp- Barafu Camp:
After breakfast, we leave Karanga, passing the junction to
Mweka trail to the base camp, Barafu Camp. From this camp,
Mawenzi and Kibo peaks are visible from different angles.
Here, we have dinner and retire early ahead of the summit
push.
Distance:4 km
Duration:5 hrs
Elevation gain: 678 m
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day 6: Barafu Camp- Uhuru Peak-Barafu Camp-Mweka Camp:
We arise at 2300hrs, have a simple breakfast, gear up and
start the slow trek to the summit through Stella Point. This
is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the
trek. If the weather is clear, we will briefly rest at Stella
Point while experiencing the magnificent African sunrise. From
Stella Point, it is an hour-long trek to the summit. At Uhuru
Peak, the roof of Africa, we will celebrate the moment and
then descend to Mweka Hut Camp for last night’s rest, stopping
at Barafu Camp for lunch.
Distance:17 km
Duration:14 hrs
Elevation gain: 1222 m
Habitat: Arctic
Day 7: Mweka Camp- Mweka Gate- Moshi:
After breakfast, we will trek down to Mweka Gate, where we
will receive our summit certificates and bid the guides and
porters farewell. After that, we board our vehicle and head to
our hotel in Moshi.
Distance:10 km
Duration:4 hrs
Habitat: Rainforest