Machame Route
7 DAYS TREKKING ITINERARY
Destinations
Arusha, Machame Gate, Machame Camp, Shira Camp, Lava Tower, Barranco Camp, Karanga Camp, Barrafu Camp, Uhuru Peak, Mweka Camp & Mweka Gate via kilimanjaro
Route Overview
The Machame route which sometimes they call WHISKEY ROUTE is the most attractive route to climb the Mount Kilimanjaro with great background than any other route. The accommodation on the way up and down is only camping.
This route is ideal suitable for adventurous hikers because of its tireless hike work. Normally the best minimum duration to complete climbing is 7 days exclusively with an additional of 1-night on arrival and the other day during your departure. Impressive Vertical Barranco Wall is another attraction on this route, so supply of oxygen is as well great on this route due to its vegetation.
DAY BY DAY
full Itinerary
Day 1: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) – Arusha City (1400 m)
Welcome in Tanzania. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will meet our professional guide and you will be chauffeured to Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha City for relaxation, trip briefing and overnight stay.
Day 2: Arusha City – Machame Gate (1,640 m) – Machame Camp (2,9720 m)
Next to heavy breakfast at Mount Meru Hotel, you will start with a 2hrs safe drives to Machame gate where the journey passes through the Machame village to give you the glimpse of Tanzanian livelihood. At the gate you will have a stop for entry registration with KINAPA.
You will then start your ascent through natural rain forest about halfway up the trail. You will then have a lunch break and thereafter reach the Machame Campsite in the late afternoon for overnight stay and dinner.
Day 3: Machame Camp – Shira Campsite (3804 m)
After breakfast in the morning, you will leave the glades of the rain forest and entering the Moorland Vegetation. You will continue to cross a little valley and find a steep rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau which leads to Shira Camp where you will spend the night. This is an exposed campsite and you will notice the temperature drop, often below freezing point during the night.
It is normal to experience mild headaches on this day, which should be alleviated with paracetamol. Those choosing to take Diamox should begin their dosage this morning with half a tablet (125mg) and the other half prior to supper in the evening. Distance hiked in this second day will be 5.2km.
Day 4: Shira Camp – Lava Tower (3,901 m) – Barranco Camp (3,950 m)
Immediately after breakfast the journey will begin from the Shira Plateau where you will continue east up a steep and rocky trail to Lava Tower, this chunky remnant of Kilimanjaro’s earlier volcanic activity is several hundred meters high and the trail passes right below. You will then descend to the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco Camp where you will be rewarded with beautiful landscape and spend the night. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, the importance of the day is acclimatization.
Distance from Shira to Lava Tower is 7.0km. while from Lava Tower to Barranco is 3.7km. After your arrival at the camp, each couple will be supplied with a bowl of hot water for washing and enjoy dinner prepared by our cook with passion.
Day 5: Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp (3959 m)
Just after breakfast, it will be the time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall. However it may seems intimidating at the first instance, but much easier than anticipated and at the top you will have a view of Heim Glacier then the trail winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. You will have lunch at the Camp and enjoy the rest of your day just resting as you have acclimatized enough.
Day 6: Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp (4,680 m)
In the morning following breakfast, you will depart to Karanga Camp and proceed on a steep ridge up to Barranco wall and then through Karanga Valley to the junction that intersects with the Mweka Route. As you proceed hiking for 1 to 2 hrs, you will reach Barrafu Hut and enjoy the views of the summit from the distance. Note: This is the last water point for porters.
“Barrafu” is a swahili word means “Ice”, this Camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge thus tents will be more exposed to wind and rocks so it is vital for hikers to familiarize with the camp prior the darkness. An early dinner will be served for maximizing your resting time before summit attempts at the same night. Your guide will give you a detailed briefing on how to prepare for your last push to the summit tonight.
Day 7: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) – Mweka Camp (3,100 m)
The Summit Night! You will spend a short night at this camp, wake up at midnight around 23: 00 hrs for tea and biscuits, from there begin your summit attempts, the route heads north east and ascend over stone scree. A lot of trekkers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the hike, around 6 hrs you will have reached Stella Point at 5,685 m located on the Crater rim. Continue ascending for about 2 hrs on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak after enjoying the magnificent sunrise.
Congratulations, at this point you are at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, this is a lifetime memory and you will spend a short while to take photos and drinks before descend to Barrafu Camp which takes 3 hrs. At the camp, you will pend the rest of your day relaxing and gathering some strength for the next day at Mweka Camp.
Day 8: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate (1,640 m) – Arusha City
After a leisurely breakfast in the morning, you will continue with your descent to the Mweka Gate where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Then you will have 1 hr descent to Mweka village for hot lunch and thereafter drive back to Arusha City for overdue showers and more celebrations before Dinner & overnight stay at Mount Meru Hotel.
This will mark end of Climbing exercise via Machame Route.
DAY 9: ARUSHA CITY – KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Next to breakfast in the morning, we will transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for flight back home..
Depending on the flight schedule, we may organize for half day market visit for souvenir from Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre and Tanzanite Museum prior to departure
Package Includes
- Airport transfer on arrival and during departure
- Ground local Transport
- Climb briefing conducted by our Office Staff and Leading Guide prior to climb
- All park fees (including Mountain entrance, rescue and hut fees)
- All applicable government taxes
- Accommodation (Hotels, Huts and Tents) and meals as indicated in the confirmed itinerary
- Service of a Professionally Multi-linguistic linguistic mountain-guide and assistants (well-trained translator guide) with wide variety of skills:
- Cook service and adequate porters to carry both trip provisions and passenger private bags.
- Unlimited mineral drinking water while on trekking
- Comprehensive First aid Medical Kit.
- Emergency Oxygen at no extra charges
- Fingertip Pulse Oximeter, to measure client’s oxygen saturation and pulse rate daily.
- 24/7 radios/ phones communication
- Certificate of Appreciation for Climbing Achievement at the end of the exercise
Package Excludes
- International and domestic airfare
- AMREF Flying Doctors cover for medical evacuation which last for 30 days effective arrival date
- Tips to guides ($25), porter ($15) and Cook ($10) per guide per day per group
- Items of personal nature such as passport, visa, traveller’s insurance, bar drinks e.t.c
- Personal climbing gears which can be rented e.g sleeping bags
- Medical equipment which can be rented well in advance for the following costs: $250/group for hyperbaric chamber, $210/group for an emergency oxygen cylinder and $140/group for a stretcher. Please note these prices include a porter to carry the equipment.
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