Mt. Kilimanjaro – 9-Day Machame Route

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9 Days

Starting From

$9765

per person*

Mountain Climbing Highlights

Suggested route: Londorossi Gate → Mti Mkubwa → Shira 2 → Lava Tower → Barranco → Karanga → Barafu → Stella Point → Uhuru Peak → Mweka → Mweka Gate → Arusha Hotel.

Maps can be attached digitally to provide trekkers with visual route guidance.

Price – 9765

DAY 1

Arrival in Arusha

  • Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA)
  • Meet and greet by representative
  • Assistance and transfer to your hotel
  • Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis at ARUSHAHOTEL
DAY 2

Machame Gate – Machame Camp

  • Elevation: 1800m to 3000m
  • Distance: 11 km
  • Time: 5-7 hours
  • Habitat: Montane Forest
  • Drive from hotel to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate
  • Sign in at park office and final preparations
  • Trek through rainforest on winding trail up a ridge to Machame Camp
  • Overnight camping
DAY 3

Machame Camp – Shira Camp

  • Elevation: 3000m to 3850m
  • Distance: 9 km
  • Time: 4-6 hours
  • Habitat: Moorland
  • Trek leaving rainforest behind, cross small valley, up steep rocky ridge covered with heath
  • Route turns west onto river gorge
  • Dinner and overnight at Shira campsite
DAY 4

Shira Camp via Lava Tower – Barranco Camp

  • Elevation: 3850m to 4600m to 3950m
  • Distance: 12 km
  • Time: 6-7 hours
  • Habitat: Semi-desert
  • Ascend to Lava Tower at 4600m for lunch
  • Descend to Barranco Camp
  • Sunset view
  • Dinner and overnight
DAY 5

Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp

  • Elevation: 3950m to 3930m
  • Distance: 7 km
  • Hiking Time: 4 hours
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
  • Short scramble to top of Great Barranco Wall
  • Traverse scree ridges to Karanga Valley (3930m)
  • Overnight at Karanga campsite
DAY 6

Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp

  • Elevation: 3950m to 4600m
  • Elevation: 3950m to 4600m
  • Time: 6-7 hours
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
  • Short scramble to top of Great Barranco Wall
  • Traverse over scree ridges to Karanga Valley
  • Ascend to Barafu Camp (4600m)
  • Overnight at Barafu
DAY 7

Barafu Camp to Summit – Mweka Camp

  • Elevation: 4600m to 5895m (and down to 3100m
  • Distance: 7 km ascent / 23 km descent
  • Time: 6-8 hours ascent / 6-7 hours descent
  • Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit / Alpine desert
  • Wake at 23:30 with tea and biscuits
  • Trek to summit via Rebman and Ratzel glaciers
  • Ascend through scree to Stella Point (5732m)
  • Reach Uhuru Peak (5895m) – highest point in Africa
  • Descend to Mweka Hut campsite via Barafu
  • Dinner and overnight
DAY 8

Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate – Arusha Hotel

  • Elevation: 3100m to 1800m
  • Distance: 8 km
  • Time: 3-4 hours
  • Habitat: Montane Forest
  • Descend to Mweka Park Gate for summit certificates
  • Vehicle transfer back to hotel
  • Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis at ARUSHAHOTEL
DAY 9

Arusha Hotel – Depart

  • After breakfast, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for scheduled international departure flight, 03 HOURS PRIOR TO FLIGHT DEPARTURE TIME
DAY 1

Arrival in Arusha

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), meet and greet by our representative. Assistance and transfer to your hotel. Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis at ARUSHAHOTEL (BB).
Meal Plan: BB – Bed & Breakfast

DAY 2

Machame Gate – Machame Camp

Elevation (m): 1800m to 3000m, Distance: 11km, Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Montane Forest. Drive from your Hotel to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. Once you reach the park gate, you will sign in at the Park office and make your final preparations to start the climb. Our path takes us through rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge to Machame Camp where we will camp overnight.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 3

Machame Camp – Shira Camp

Elevation (m): 3000m to 3850m, Distance: 9km, Time: 4-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland. After breakfast, we start walking, leaving the rainforest behind, and continue our ascent, crossing a small valley and up to a steep rocky ridge, covered with heath. Our route now turns west onto a river gorge. Dinner and overnight at Shira campsite.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 4

Shira Camp via Lava Tower – Barranco Camp

Elevation (m): 3850m to 4600m to 3950m, Distance: 12 km, Time: 6-7 hours, Habitat: Semi-desert. This is a very important day for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day. This will be our toughest day so far and you may start to feel the symptoms of altitude. We will ascend to Lava Tower at 4600m and take our lunch there to acclimatize. Following this we descend to spend the night at Barranco campsite. This offers great photographic opportunities of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which will provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 5

Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp

Elevation (m): 3950m to 3930m, Distance: 7 km, Hiking Time: 4 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert. Today starts with a short, but fun, scramble, to the top of the Great Barranco Wall. We then traverse over scree to the Karanga Valley (3930m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 6

Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp

Elevation (m): 3950m to 4600m, Distance: 13km, Time: 6-7 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert. After breakfast, a short and fun scramble to the top of the Great Barranco Wall! We then traverse over scree ridges to the Karanga Valley (3930m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. After climbing out of the Karanga Valley our trail ascends to Barafu Camp (4600m) where we will spend the night.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 7

Barafu Camp to Summit – Mweka Camp

Elevation (m): 4600m to 5895m (and down to 3100m), Distance: 7km ascent/23km descent, Time: 6-8 hours ascent/6-7 hours descent, Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit/Alpine desert. You will be woken at 23:30 with some quick tea and biscuits. We start our trek to the summit between the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers. We will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek. At Stella Point (5732m), we will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). At Uhuru Peak (5895m), we will have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. It can be very cold at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day. From the summit, we descend down to the Mweka Hut campsite, via Barafu for lunch. Trekking poles will be needed for the loose gravel going down to Mweka Camp (3100m). Later in the evening, we will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Meal Plan: PC – Full Board: Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight

DAY 8

Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate – Arusha Hotel

Elevation (m): 3100m to 1800m, Distance: 8 km, Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Montane Forest. We descend down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will be suitable (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). A vehicle will meet you to drive you back to the Hotel. Accommodation on bed & breakfast basis at ARUSHAHOTEL (BB).
Meal Plan: B – Breakfast

DAY 9

Arusha Hotel – Depart

After breakfast at the hotel, transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for scheduled international departure flight, 03 HOURS PRIOR TO FLIGHT DEPARTURE TIME.
Meal Plan: B – Breakfast

The Machame Route is moderately challenging. Daily trekking ranges from 4–8 hours with varying terrain, including rainforest, moorland, scree, and alpine desert. Some days involve steep ascents, like the climb to Lava Tower at 4600m and the final summit push to Uhuru Peak at 5895m. Proper acclimatization is built into the itinerary, making it suitable for beginners with moderate fitness as well as experienced trekkers.

The climb reaches Uhuru Peak at 5895m, which is the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire African continent. The route also passes notable landmarks such as Stella Point (5732m) and Lava Tower (4600m), providing excellent acclimatization and photographic opportunities.

Yes. Trekkers receive full board on the mountain (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and bed & breakfast at ARUSHAHOTEL in Arusha. Meals on the mountain include nutritious, high-energy food to support your climb, while hotel meals offer comfort before and after the trek.

No prior mountaineering experience is required. The Machame Route is designed to allow proper acclimatization for all participants. Moderate fitness and preparation through regular walking or hiking is recommended to ensure comfort and endurance during daily treks.

Essential items include layered clothing for varying temperatures, trekking poles for steep or loose terrain, sturdy hiking boots, gloves, hat, rain gear, and sun protection. Nights at higher altitudes can be cold, and proper clothing will ensure comfort from the rainforest through alpine desert to the summit.

The itinerary gradually increases altitude, with important acclimatization days such as the ascent to Lava Tower at 4600m and the Barranco Camp overnight at 3950m. This helps prevent altitude sickness while preparing your body for the summit.

The best climbing seasons are January–March and June–October, when the weather is generally dry and skies are clear. These months provide the most stable conditions for summit attempts and photography.

The trek is supported by professional guides, porters, and medical support. In case of emergencies, evacuation plans are in place, and trekkers are insured for medical air evacuation to Nairobi if needed.

Summit day starts at 23:30 with tea and biscuits, followed by a 6–8 hour ascent through scree and rocky terrain to Stella Point (5732m) and then Uhuru Peak (5895m). After reaching the summit, a long descent of 23 km to Mweka Camp requires endurance and trekking poles for safety. Summit day is the most physically and mentally challenging part of the climb.

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