Private Tour

7 Day Kilimanjaro Machame climb

Overview

Available languages

English

1 week

Mobile ticket

This non-technical Kilimanjaro camping route is one of the most popular and commonly referred to as the ‘whisky’ route due to its popularity and strong nature of the route. Machame starts at the southwest mountain rain forest and involves steep and challenging hikes on the southern circuit which is well designed for acclimatization with natural features taking you high and low. Although this is a non-technical route, there is a small ‘scrambling’ (using your hands and legs) section at the Barranco wall which truly gives you that mountain climbing feeling without any special equipment or experience.

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness

Not recommended for travelers with lung problems or other known altitude related medical conditions

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Day 1

Moshi town/Pick up location to Machame gate to Machame camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite (Machame Camp)

Food and Drinks

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

You will be transferred by road from Moshi town/Pick up location (09:00am) to Machame gate. After registration you begin your trek through the rain forest zone with your guide. The forest is thick and diverse with flora / fauna, and you may experience rain this afternoon which is common in this zone making the path slightly slippery. A steady but relatively steep hike takes you to the edge of the forest and heather zone.

7 hours • Admission Included

Day 2

Machame camp to Shira camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite (Shira Camp)

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

Today’s hike is a little shorter and begins with a trek through the heather & moorland zone up a steep ridge till the semi-circular cliff known as Picnic Rock. From here you have excellent views (on a clear day) of Kibo peak, the tallest cone on the mountain where your goal of Uhuru peak is. You should also see the jagged peaks of the Shira Plateau to the west. Shira is the third peak of Kilimanjaro which has been molded by lava flow, erosion, and volcanic activity. Tanzania’s second highest mountain (Mt Meru 4563m or 14970ft) may be seen in the distance. The remainder of your day is a much gentler / flat trail to your camp, where the views are equally as spectacular.

7 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 3

Shira camp to Lava Tower to Barranco camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite (Barranco Camp)

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

Your hike today takes you towards to Kibo cone steadily climbing up and over the edges of the alpine desert to your first high altitude at the lava tower (4630m or 15190ft). Today helps you to acclimatize and also is a great indicator to see how your body can handle the higher altitude. From the Lava Tower you begin your steep descent anti clockwise around Kibo and into the Barranco Valley passing the large flowering mountain cacti (Kilimanjaro Senecios) unique to Kilimanjaro. The day ends around the same elevation as you started on the edge of the heather and moorland.

8 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 4

Barranco camp to Karanga camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite (Karanga Camp)

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

This morning you will leave the camp and ascend the Barranco wall. This is an impressive non-technical scramble and gives a feeling of mountain climbing (without any previous experience or advanced equipment required) and is rewarded with a superb view from the top back into the camp and the Heim glacier on the peak. The remainder of the hike will be through the alpine desert slowly winding around the mountain till the Karanga valley which you descend into and again up till your camp. Karanga valley is the last water point.

5 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 5

Karanga camp to Barafu Camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite (Barafu Camp)

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

Today you climb almost casually through the empty landscape of the alpine desert where you keep a slow pace even though the path is not extremely steep. Kibo cone starts to near and you may finally glimpse the Mawenzi peak (Kilimanjaro’s second peak) in the east. The short distance means you have plenty of time at your summit camp to rest and prepare for the summit attempt tonight.

4 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 6

Barafu Camp to Stella point to Uhuru peak to Mweka camp

Accommodations

Shared public campsite(Mweka Camp)

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

LUNCH

Lunch

DINNER

Dinner

Mount Kilimanjaro

In the early morning (around 00:00am) you begin your final ascent to the summit of Uhuru peak through the arctic zone. The trek is a steep hike over loose volcanic scree through the dark and cold night and takes a slow pace in a zig-zag pattern towards Stella point (5685m or 18650ft) which is your first stop on the Kibo crater rim. From here a short (but difficult) hike remains to take you to Uhuru Peak (5895m or 19341ft), the highest point in Africa. You usually don’t spend that long at the peak due to the extreme altitude and will descend back down to the base camp for your breakfast / brunch. After your gear is packed up you continue the descent through the alpine desert, heather and moorland and eventually stopping at Mweka camp in the rain forest zone for a well-deserved rest.

18 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Day 7

Mweka camp to Mweka gate to Moshi town/Drop off location

Food and Drinks

BREAKFAST

Breakfast

Mount Kilimanjaro

Your final day on Kilimanjaro is a descent through the southern rain forest until Mweka gate where our vehicle will be waiting to take you back to Moshi town/Drop off location. Usually, the crew will leave you at Mweka gate and it’s a perfect opportunity to say goodbye to your crew who all generally head directly home from the end gate.

4 hours • Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Twice daily health checks with guides and a high-grade medical oximeter

Boiled drinking water on trek (from 1st camp onwards)

Hand washing station and small personal wash basin at campsites

1 x approx. 100Ltr rubberized hold all bag / packsack

Trained, certified, and experienced English-speaking Mountain guide/s at KINAPA minimum ratios

Shared public toilet facilities at campsites

Pre-climb briefing / equipment check with the guide / tour consultant in Moshi

Luggage storage while on trek

All meals on the mountain and eating utensils, cutlery, bowls, cups etc.

Specialist tent crew to service and set-up campsites

All taxes and VAT applicable

1 Emergency oxygen cylinder per 5 passengers and first aid kit

1 x transfer from a Moshi based lodge/pick up location to park gates per group

Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project monitoring on Kilimanjaro treks for fair treatment standards

1 x luggage porter carrying luggage of 15kg per person of personal luggage

Four season tent(sharing for even numbered+1 single tent for odd numbers)chairs, tables, dining tent

Basic 1” foam sleeping mattress per person

All National Park conservation, park entry, camping, and rescue fees as applicable

Trained and experienced personal mountain cook and waiter

1 x transfer from park gates to a Moshi based lodge/drop off location per group

Tips / gratuities

Beverages such as soft drinks, alcohol etc.

Insurance

Visas

Items of a personal nature

Water on first day of trek

Metal & hard plastic water bottles, etc. (note: soft plastics are not permitted on the mountain)

Extra Single tents ($20 per extra tent, per day)

Comfort upgrades as portable toilet(45 per day-Max 5 pax), foldable bed($20 per bed, per day) etc.

Flying Doctors Emergency Evacuation membership

Personal mountain equipment such as sleeping bags, walking poles, etc(Please request pack guideline)

Extra guides or extra luggage porters ($35 per guide per day, $20 per luggage porter per day)

Pickup points

Kph Hotel

Chagga Street 2 Moshi Tanzania

Leopard Hotel

35 F Market Street, Moshi Tanzania

Parkview Inn

Aga Khan Road, Near Central Bus Station Moshi Tanzania

Kilimanjaro Lodge

Rengua Road Box 1402 Moshi Tanzania

Seronera Hotel

Chagga Street Moshi Tanzania

Happy Family Cottage Hostel

Kiboni Boma Ng'ombe, Moshi Tanzania

Options