7 Days Machame Route
Tour Overview
Spanning one of Mount Kilimanjaro’s most scenic trails, the Machame Route offers a rewarding balance of challenge, acclimatization, and ever-changing landscapes. The journey moves through dense rainforest, across heath and moorland, beneath dramatic glaciers, and onto the alpine desert before the final push to Uhuru Peak. Carefully planned camp placements and gradual altitude gain make Machame one of the most successful and visually striking ways to reach Africa’s highest point.
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Machame Gate – Machame Camp
10.75 km | 5–6 hrs | Rainforest
Elevation: 1,811 m → 3,021 m
Altitude Gained: 1,210 m
Your journey begins with a scenic drive from Moshi through Machame village to Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. While permits are processed, the atmosphere is lively as climbers and mountain crews organize equipment and supplies for the ascent ahead.
The trek starts in dense montane rainforest, where narrow trails weave beneath towering trees covered in moss and lichen. The forest is rich in birdlife, and your guide explains the unique plant species found at these lower elevations. The path can be muddy and slippery, especially after rain, making trekking poles and gaiters highly recommended. By afternoon, you arrive at Machame Camp, surrounded by thick forest and cool mountain air.
Day 2: Machame Camp – Shira Camp
5.3 km | 4–5 hrs | Moorland
Elevation: 3,021 m → 3,839 m
Altitude Gained: 818 m
After breakfast, the trail continues upward as the rainforest gradually fades behind you. The vegetation becomes shorter and hardier, marking the transition into the moorland zone. The route follows rocky ridges and open valleys, offering increasingly wide views of the mountain.
As you approach the Shira Plateau, the temperature drops and the landscape opens dramatically. On clear days, Kibo Peak dominates the horizon. Shira Camp is set on an expansive volcanic plateau, providing a sense of space and altitude that signals the true beginning of high-mountain trekking.
Day 3: Shira Camp – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp
10.75 km | 5–6 hrs | Semi-Desert
Elevation: 3,839 m → 3,986 m
Altitude Gained: 147 m
Today is designed to support proper acclimatization. The route climbs gradually across the Shira Plateau before ascending toward Lava Tower, an impressive volcanic formation rising from the alpine desert. Lunch is taken at altitude, allowing your body to adapt to thinner air.
Afterward, the trail descends into the Barranco Valley, a dramatic and sheltered basin below towering cliffs and glaciers. This descent is essential for acclimatization and is often when climbers begin to feel more comfortable with altitude. Barranco Camp is widely considered one of the most scenic camps on the mountain.
Day 4: Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp
5.2 km | 3–4 hrs | Alpine Desert
Elevation: 3,986 m → 4,034 m
Altitude Gained: 48 m
The day begins with the ascent of the Barranco Wall, a steep but enjoyable scramble that requires hands-on climbing in places. From the top, sweeping views extend across the valleys below and toward the summit.
Beyond the wall, the trail rises and falls gently across ridges toward Karanga Camp. The shorter hiking day allows time to rest, hydrate, and continue acclimatization, helping prepare both body and mind for the summit attempt ahead.
Day 5: Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp
3.3 km | 3–4 hrs | Alpine Desert
Elevation: 4,034 m → 4,662 m
Altitude Gained: 628 m
Today’s trek completes the Southern Circuit, offering changing perspectives of the summit and surrounding glaciers. The landscape becomes increasingly stark and rugged as you approach Barafu Camp, perched high on an exposed ridge.
After arriving, you rest, enjoy an early dinner, and receive final instructions from your guide for summit night. Temperatures drop significantly, and the thin air makes rest essential before the climb.
Day 6: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp
Summit Ascent: 4.86 km | 5–7 hrs
Descent: 11.5 km | 5–6 hrs
Elevation: 4,662 m → 5,895 m
Altitude Gained: 2,789 m
Descent To: 3,106 m
The summit attempt begins between midnight and early morning under a sky filled with stars. Moving slowly and steadily, you ascend between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers toward Stella Point. Reaching the crater rim around sunrise is a powerful and emotional moment for many climbers.
From Stella Point, the final traverse to Uhuru Peak follows the crater rim, often over snow and ice. After photos and quiet celebration at Africa’s highest point, descent begins. You return to Barafu Camp for a short rest and lunch before continuing down to Mweka Camp, where warmer air and thicker vegetation welcome you back.
Day 7: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate – Moshi
9.1 km | 3–4 hrs | Rainforest
Elevation: 3,106 m → 1,633 m
Altitude Lost: 1,473 m
After breakfast, the final descent continues through lush rainforest. At Mweka Gate, you receive your summit certificates and take time to thank and say farewell to the mountain crew who supported you throughout the climb.
A vehicle transfer returns you to Moshi for a well-earned hot shower, relaxed dinner, and reflection on an unforgettable journey to the roof of Africa.
Tour Includes
- Experienced English-speaking guides
- Full mountain crew support including cooks and porters.
- All park fees, permits, and VAT
- Meals and drinking water according to the itinerary
- Gate transfers and airport transfers.
- Emergency oxygen cylinder and portable toilet with porter
- High-quality trekking equipment provided
Tour Excludes
- Flights and visa fees
- Travel or medical insurance
- Tips for crew (recommended USD 450 per person)
- Personal gear (sleeping bags, trekking poles, etc.), souvenirs, or additional drinks