7-Day Guided Mount Kilimanjaro Climb by Machame Route
Overview
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168 hours
Mobile ticket
Machame Route or the “whiskey route” is one of the most popular routes due to its picturesque views and varied landscapes. However, climbing through Machame Route is a bit difficult as compared to Marangu route. Even though the walk on the Machame route is steeper and longer, still the success rate is higher than the Marangu route.
Machame Route is not technically difficult, but the climb is more exhausting as it has many ups and downs crossing a chain of valleys and ridges. Therefore, the route is best suited for people with some hiking or trekking experiences and for those who love adventures. For first-timers the climbers, the route can be tiring.
Machame Route starts from the south, heading towards the east, navigating beneath the southern ice fields ahead of summiting. Usually, the minimum days to summit Kilimanjaro through this route is six, but seven days is recommended.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
DAY 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Accommodations
Machame Camping Site
Food and Drinks
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
The drive from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp. Elevation (ft): 5,400ft to 9,400ft •Distance: 11 km •Hiking Time: 5-7 hours •Habitat: Rain Forest
DAY 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Accommodations
Overnight stay at Shira campsite
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, we leave the glades of the rainforest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite. •Elevation (ft): 9,400ft to 12,500ft •Distance: 5 km •Hiking Time: 4-6 hours •Habitat: Moorland
DAY 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Baranco Camp
Accommodations
Overnight at Baranco camp
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.” Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day. •Elevation (ft): 12,500ft to 13,000ft •Distance: 10 km •Hiking Time: 6-8 hours •Habitat: Semi Desert
DAY 4: Baranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Accommodations
Overnight at karanga camp
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization .Elevation: 13,000ft to 13,100ft .Hiking time: 4-5 hours. .Distance: 3 miles .Habitat: Alpine Desert
DAY 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Accommodations
Overnight Stay at Barafu Camp
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position. . Elevation: 13,000 ft to 15,300ft . Hiking time: 4-5 hours . Distance: 2.5 miles . Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
Accommodations
last night on the Mountain at the Mweka camp
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mount Kilimanjaro
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. At Stella Point, you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting), you may encounter snow all they way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Day 7: Mweka Camp (3,080 m) – Mweka Gate (1,630 m) – Moshi/Arusha
Accommodations
any of the hotels in Moshi/Arusha
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast, we continue the descent 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 probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel in Moshi. . Elevation: 10,000ft to 5400ft . Hiking time: 3-4 hours . Distance: 6 miles . Habitat: Rain Forest
What‘s Included
Fair wages for the mountain crew
2 Nights’ accommodation in Moshi or Arusha before and after .
Park fees, camping fees & rescue fees
VAT fees and Charges
Professional guides, cooks and porters
Pick up and drop off at the airport
– International flights – Tip to the driver guide and hoteliers – Insurance fees – Cost of Tanzania
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
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7-Day Guided Mount Kilimanjaro Climb by Machame Route
Pickup included
Reviews
13 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The best experience
paddyt2026,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very good experience. All the porters and guides were so helpful and great fun. Couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of people.
Great experience
377paddyf,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience with kisaza, it was very well organised we all summited Kilimanjaro great team of porters and guides.
Incredible experience climbing Kilimanjaro guided by Ezekiel & Michael Jackson!
maxwJ5169RK,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00KISAZA Tours gave us an absolutely incredible experience guiding us up Kilimanjaro. The attitude of the guides and crew was outstanding; everyone was genuinely kind, supportive, and encouraging throughout the entire climb. While the trek was definitely challenging, I always felt safe and expertly guided, which made a huge difference. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I couldn’t recommend KISAZA Tours more highly.
Affordable, professional and locally owned and operated.
Traveler33343600063,,Jul 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very professional and experienced guides. The company is locally owned and operated. We did the 7 day route and they got us up and down safely. Affordable
The best Tour Operator in Tansania
329joseantonioj,,Mar 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Thank you Kisaza team for the unforgetable experiance! I never experianced such a good service from day one to the last day. Stephen was fast replying and sharing his experiance giving proactive solution to all the doubts we had. A leader which held every worth, having de taxi ready in the airport at 04.00 and beeing picked up at 03.00 in order to fly out. Michael and Francis were out heroes, the experiance in the mountain how to reach the summit. Both were very helpfull, patient and funny which is the perfect mix for a 6 days hike. Louis the cook prepared delicious meals every day, in our case two, veggie and one with meat. There was more then enough food for both of us! The team with Dave as our most visible person was out angel. The first who was wake up to bring us the tea in out tent and the fastet packing the tents, carry them to the next place and build them up before we arrived. Conclusion, I would only chose them for a hike to the Kili or to the everest. Thank you all Again and wish you the best. Asante!
The Best Team to Climb Kilimanjaro With!
FrencyEffe,,Mar 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We couldn’t have asked for a better experience climbing Kilimanjaro! Choosing Kisaza Adventures for our 6-day Machame Route trek was the best decision—we felt supported, safe, and incredibly well taken care of. A big highlight was the food! Cooking in the mountains is not easy, but Louis, our chef, worked magic. Every meal felt like dining in a restaurant, and he was incredibly attentive to my dietary restrictions (vegetarian and food intolerances), which made a huge difference. Our guides, Michael and Francis, were phenomenal. They knew exactly when to push, when to encourage, and when to slow down, ensuring we had the best chance of reaching Uhuru Peak in good health and spirits. Their expertise and motivation were invaluable. And then there was David, the true morning hero! Waking up in a tent is not easy, but when someone greets you with a warm smile and coffee or tea in bed, the day already starts perfectly! This climb was not just about reaching the summit; it was about the people who made it happen. The entire Kisaza team worked together flawlessly, creating an experience that we will cherish forever. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a professional yet personal trek to the top of Africa!
This has to be the best company to book your Tanzania adventure with!
R24YOdavidk,,Feb 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The organization and operation of the tour by Kisaza was absolutely amazing and left nothing to be desired! From the included airport pickup two days before the start to the drop off at the complementary hotel after the 7 day tour, everything went as smoothly as it possibly could have. Steven even came to the hotel just to greet us the night we arrived, followed by a professional briefing and checking of the equipment the next day together with our two guides. During the tour, the whole team was super friendly, professional, and helpful. Every time we arrived to a new camp, the tent was already up and shortly after, we were served an always delicious and fresh meal. When we were just hanging out and relaxing after the day‘s hike, the team also regularly offered snacks such as popcorn as well as tea/coffee, which we considered very thoughtful! Every night after dinner, our two guides checked on us and our wellbeing and gave a briefing on the next day. They planned everything according to our preferences and pace, which was especially great on the summit day (or rather night), where we arrived perfectly for sunrise at Uhuru Peak. As this surely was not the case for many other people summiting, this can be considered one of the most outstanding perks of going with Kisaza! We were overall more than satisfied with Kisaza and couldn’t recommend the company more! There wasn’t a single thing we could have complained about and the price is an absolute steal compared to many other companies, especially considering the outstanding performance of the whole team. We also climbed Mount Meru with Kisaza last year by the way, which was just as perfect as the Kilimanjaro tour this time. So all in all, there is absolutely no reason to hesitate to book your tour with Kisaza!
What an experience on Machame!
eotoole,,Jan 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00So my husband and I decided that Kilimanjaro would be a great adventure for his 49+1 birthday... Kisaza was from the start professional and attentive in their communication. Then on the trek, we couldn't have had a better team. Ezekiel and Michael, our guides, prepared us for the next day's hike and weather. We took the Machame route and did not summit, and also decided 15703 feet was enough to see that altitude sickness is real! I'd strongly recommend getting a toilet! The cook Lusekelo made some amazing vegetarian food.
Perfectly arranged safari and Kilimanjaro tours, best experience ever!
JoostHessels,,Mar 19, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Went on safari with Kisaza (5 days) and climed the Kilimanjaro with Kisaza (8 days). Both tours were arranged perfectly. Seen the big 5, stayed at nice accomodations, reached Uhuru Peak and had the best experience of our life! The contact beforehand with Steven was very pleasant: very quick and clear communication via whatsapp. Send him a message and he will reply within one hour, but probably even faster! The food that our cook made for us at the Kilimanjaro was delicious and the whole crew of 11 people (private tour) was great! They treated us like king and queen (or as babies, that's how they called it). If we would go again, no single doubt that we will do it via Kisaza again. Very much recommended!
Excellent!
rikybains1,,Feb 1, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Steve and his team were immaculate. From the airport transfers to the climb itself, they’re the perfect professionals, providing the best possible experience.
From US$2,180.00
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