Machame Route

Distance: 11 km Hiking Time: 5-7 hours Habitat: Rain Forest You will be driven from your hotel in Arusha or Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate, passing through the village of Machame, located on the lower slopes of the mountain. As we leave the park gate behind, our walk starts through the rainforest on a winding trail up the ridge. At some sections the trail can be muddy and slippery, so the gaiters and trekking poles are good to bring. At the end of our today’s trek lies Machame Camp, where we stay for the night. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 5 km Hiking Time: 4-6 hours Habitat: Moorland The second day continues through increasingly sparse trees and bushes into the moorlands. The day finishes with Shira Camp, which is on a small plateau in the high moorlands, and features views of Kibo in the northeast and Mount Meru towards the west. White-necked ravens can be seen throughout the day. There is also a set of small caves a short walk from the campsite known as the Shira Caves. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 10.8 km Hiking Time: 6-8 hours Habitat: Semi Desert We continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation. Through the Senecio Forest, we descend to Barranco Camp to an altitudinal level of 13,000 ft. Even if you start and end at the same altitude, it is very beneficial for acclimatization. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 5km Hiking Time: 4-6 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall, we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 4 km ascent Hiking Time: 3-5 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section of Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 13.4km Hiking Time: 12-15 hours Habitat: Arctic Uhuru Peak to Millennium Camp Distance: 12 km Hiking Time: 12-15 hours Habitat: Arctic Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit of Uhuru Peak (5895m). This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (5739m), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Millennium camp, stopping at Barafu for breakfast and lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful, and crampons are recommended. Later arrive at Millennium camp for dinner and for a long well-earned rest. Meals: Full Board.

Distance: 12.2 km Hiking Time: 6-7 hours Habitat: Rain Forest On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka gate to drive us to the Kijiji art gallery for the gift shop and have a short break for lunch and celebration, thereafter back to the hotel in Moshi/Arusha. Meals: Full Board.