9 Day Mt Kilimanjaro Machame route

Either take the transfer Shuttle bus from Nairobi and drive to Tanzania through Namanga border point or on arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will meet our representative for briefing and our driver for the transfer to Moshi hotel for an overnight rest on bed and breakfast in readiness for the next day’s beginning of your 9 Day Mount Kilimanjaro Machame trekking.

After breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) through the Machame village to the Machame gate, (1,640m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment here and you will receive a packed lunch after registering at the gate office, then you start your ascent and enter the rain forest immediately. There is a possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy and slippery experience. You will have a welcome lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping area in the evening
Dinner and overnight at the campsite. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite.
Hiking time: 7 hours | Distance: About 11 km’s | Habitat: Montane forest

You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast, climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike you will reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing. Hiking time: 5- 6 hours | Distance: About 5 km’s | Habitat: Moorland

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4600m after about 5 hours walk and Lunch is served in a designated area. Definitely, it will be a tough day so far and it is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 650m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4,600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner. Hiking time: 7 hours | Distance: About 10 km’s | Habitat: Semi desert

After spending a night at the Barranco camp, the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads over intervening ridges, down through the Karanga Valley to the Karanga camp where you will meet you crews preparing tents and lunch. You will spend the rest of the day resting and acclimatizing around the camp, dinner and overnight. Hiking time: 5 hours | Distance: About 5 km’s | Habitat: Alpine desert

After breakfast, the cook will provide with water to make sure you have refilled your water bottles before you leave as this is the last water point at Karanga valley and there is no water at Barafu camp. Start the gentle hike up on a rocky ridge and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow and stony ridge. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1,245m up and you will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed at round about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest. Hiking time: 4 hours | Distance: About 4 km’s | Habitat: Alpine desert

You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka hut (3100m). The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared. Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak | 6 hours to descend to Mweka | Distance: About 5 km’s ascent – 12 km’s descent | Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5,685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5,895m) receive gold certificates.
From the gate, you take a transfer vehicle and drive through agricultural farm with coffee fields around the Mweka village on your way to Moshi/Arusha for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations. Overnight at a hotel, your 9 Day Mount Kilimanjaro Machame climb is almost done.

Transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home or continue with your safari schedule/travel back to Nairobi.

Ending your Mount Kilimanjaro Machame trekking adventure, this better combined with Zanzibar tour.