Mount Kilimanjaro Trek – Machame Route 7 Days
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Description
Mount Kilimanjaro Trek – Machame Route 7 Days : There are six established routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro – Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Shira, Rongai and Umbwe. The Marangu, Machame, and Umbwe routes all approach from the south of the mountain. The Lemosho and Shira routes approach from the west. The Rongai route approaches from the north near Kenya. All routes except Marangu and Rongai descend via Mweka.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via The Machame Route
The Machame route, also known as the Whisky Route is one of the most scenic and recommended routes on Kilimanjaro. This popular route with paths through magnificent forests to gain a ridge leading through the moorland zones to the Shira Plateau. It then traverses beneath the glaciated precipices of the Southern Ice fields to join the Barafu Route to the summit. Because it can be done over longer periods and the incline is more manageable it has a much higher success rate of summit.
DAY 1: MACHAME GATE – MACHAME CAMP: 10.75K /7MI | 5-6 HRS | RAINFOREST
Elevation: 1811m/5942ft to 3021m/9911ft
Altitude Gained: 1210m
Departing from Moshi a 45-minute drive will take you through the Village of Machame to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. We will patiently wait for our permits to be issued while watching the hustle and bustle of operations as many crews prepare for the journey ahead Enjoy the beautiful rainforest scenery and windy trails while your guide tells you about the local flora and fauna and natural wildlife. At these lower elevations, the trail can be muddy and quite slippery. We highly recommend gaiters and trekking poles here.
DAY 2: MACHAME CAMP – SHIRA CAMP: 5.3KM/3MI | 4-5HRS | MOORLAND
Elevation: 3021m/9911ft to 3839m/12,595ft
Altitude Gained: 818m
After a good nights sleep and a hearty breakfast we emerge from the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the valley along a steep rocky ridge. The route now turns west onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira campsite. Temperatures begin to drop.
DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP – LAVA TOWER – BARRANCO CAMP: 10.75KM/6MI | 5-6HRS | SEMI-DESERT
Elevation: 3839m/12,595ft to 3986m/13,077ft
Altitude Gained: 147m
Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization. From Shira Plateau we continue east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the Kibo peak before we then continue, South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elev. 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower, we come to a second junction, which leads to the Arrow Glacier. We then continue to descend to overnight at Barranco Camp.
DAY 4: BARRANCO CAMP – KARANGA CAMP: 5.2KM/3MI | 3-4HRS | ALPINE DESERT
Elevation: 3986m/13,077ft to 4034m/13,235ft
Altitude Gained: 48m
After breakfast, we continue on a steep ridge up to the adventurous Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction, which connects, with the Mweka Trail. This is one of the most impressive days to see the power, agility, and strength of your crew zip over this wall with what appears such ease. Overnight at Karanga Camp.
DAY 5: HIKE KARANGA CAMP – BARAFU CAMP: 3.3KM /2 MI | 3-4HRS | ALPINE DESERT
Elevation: 4034m/13,235ft to 4662m/15,295ft
Altitude Gained: 628m
We continue up toward Barafu Camp, and once reached you have now completed the South Circuit, which offers a variety of breathtaking views of the summit from many different angles. An early dinner and rest as we prepare for summit night. Overnight at Barafu Camp.
DAY 6: BARAFU CAMP – SUMMIT: 4.86KM /3MI UP | 5-7HRS | – MWEKA CAMP: 11.5KM /7.2MI DOWN | 5-6HRS | GLACIERS, SNOW CAPPED SUMMIT
Elevation: 4662m/15,295ft to 5895m/19,341ft
Altitude Lost: 1233m
Descent To: 3106m/10,190ft
Altitude Gained: 2789m
Excitement is building as morning comes with an early start between midnight and 2 a.m. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
We continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers trying to stay warm and focused on the amazing sense of accomplishment that lies ahead. With a switchback motion in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. You will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise during your short rest here. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit. From here on your remaining 1 hour ascent to Uhuru Peak, you are likely to encounter snow all the way.
Congratulations, one step at a time you have now reached Uhuru Peak the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire continent of Africa!
After photos, celebrations and maybe a few tears of joy we take a few moments to enjoy this incredible accomplishment. We begin our steep descent down to Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch and a very brief rest. We strongly recommend gaiters and trekking poles for uncooperative loose gravel and volcano ash terrain. Well-deserved rest awaits you to enjoy your last evening on the mountain. Overnight Mweka Camp.
DAY 7: MWEKA CAMP – MWEKA GATE – MOSHI: 9.1KM/6MI |3-4HRS | RAINFOREST
Elevation: 3106m/10,190ft to 1633m/5358ft
Altitude Lost: 1473m
After breakfast and a heartfelt ceremony of appreciation and team bonding with your crew, it’s time to say goodbye. We continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. As the weather is drastically warmer, the terrain is wet, muddy and steep and we highly recommend Gaiters and trekking poles.
From the gate, a vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes). Enjoy a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations!!
Overnight The Maridadi hotel B&B. before being transferred to your journey home, safari or a relaxing trip to Zanzibar.
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- Facilities: They sleep between 4 to 12 people per room on wooden bunk beds with simple mattresses.
- Ablutions: There are no running showers. Warm water will be provided in a basin for washing up, and toilets are the basic "hole-in-the-ground" type
While no technical mountaineering skills are required, you must have good cardiovascular fitness. The trekking days are long, and the final summit night is notoriously steep and physically demanding. It is highly recommended to train with long walks (4–6 hours) on hilly terrain before your trip.
Altitude sickness (AMS) can affect anyone, regardless of fitness level. The 6-day itinerary is explicitly chosen to give your body an extra day to adjust at Horombo Hut, which greatly increases your chances of avoiding severe symptoms compared to the 5-day route. Always drink plenty of water, hike "pole pole" (slowly, slowly), and communicate any headaches or nausea to your guides immediately
- Footwear: Broken-in hiking boots and moisture-wicking thermal socks.
- Layers: Thermal underwear, warm fleece layers, and a heavy-down or wind-proof jacket.
- Gear: A -10°C rated sleeping bag, a daypack for your daily items, and a larger duffel bag for the porters to carry (maximum 15 kg limit).
- Accessories: Trekking poles, a warm beanie, waterproof gloves, and high-UV sunglasses.
Prices generally range between $1,500 to $2,500 USD per person, depending on the group size, whether you book a private or open tour, and the quality of the local operator. This usually covers national park fees, hut accommodation, all meals while on the mountain, guides, cooks, and porters.
For climbing Kilimanjaro we suggest the following medicines: headache tablets (preferably not aspirin since this tends to irritate stomachs already sensitive at altitude), Imodium/Lomotil for diarrhoea sometimes associated with altitude.
Climbers may like to consult their physicians about azetazolomide (Diamox), a drug that many find mitigates the ill effects of altitude such as headache, diarrhoea & vomiting.
There is no malaria on the Kilimanjaro climb as you are above the altitude where malarial mosquitoes are found. Marangu also does not have these mosquitoes, although there have been very rare cases of Malaria found in Marangu once every few years.
If you are travelling to the coast of East Africa, or on safari after your climb it is a good idea to have malaria medication with you for this part of your trip.
We have a large stock of clothing, tents, sleeping bags and lots of other mountain equipment and gear. We do not charge our guests for mountain equipment if they are doing a fully equipped climb with us. Many other tour operators will charge per item, which can add up. In all cases, we encourage climbers to bring as much warm clothing as possible. In particular, climbers should avoid the need to rent or borrow boots.
If you need to change your plans, we can easily accommodate your new travel dates. If you need to cancel your stay at the hotel, there are no fees. If you are cancelling a climb, you would have paid a $118 non-refundable deposit per person, but depending on the situation, we are usually very understanding!
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Location / Contacts
- Address : Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
- Phone : +255687590560
- Mail : info@serengetitrips.com
- Website : http://serengetitrips.com/
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