Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (2980m)
Hiking time: 7h
Distance: Approximately 18kms
Habitat: Montane forest
Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi/Arusha (910m) to the Machame village (1490m). Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour to complete. After registering at the gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately.
Day 2: Machame camp (2980m) - Shira camp (3840m)
Hiking time: 6h
Distance: Approximately 9 kms
Habitat: Moorland
You rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast you 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.
Day 3 Shira (at 3840m) to Lava Tower (at 4630m) to Barranco camp (at 3950m)
Hiking time: 7h
Distance: Approximately 15 kms
Habitat: Semi-desert
The semi-desert area of Lava Tower on the Machame route.The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). This is definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches.
Day 4 Barranco camp (3950m)- Barafu camp (4550m)
Hiking time: 7h
Distance: Approximately 13 kms
Habitat: Alpine desert
After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall 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 down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys 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.
Day 5 (Summit attempt) Barafu camp (4550m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Mweka (3100m)
Hiking time: 8h to reach Uhuru Peak, 7 - 8h to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kms ascent - 23 kms descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
You will rise very early, and after some early breakfast you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. For many climbers, this 6-hour walk to Stella point is 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).
Day 6 Mweka camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m)
Hiking time: 3h
Distance: Approximately 15 kms
Habitat: Forest
After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Moshi/Arusha for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations!
DAY 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Elevation: 10,065 ft to 5,380 ft
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Distance: 10 km | 6 miles
Habitat: Rain Forest
We continue the descent to Mweka Gate on our final day, where we will pick up the summit certificates. It might be muddy and wet at lower altitudes. We travel another hour to Mweka Village from the gate. We’ll be picked up by a car at Mweka Village and taken back to our Moshi hotel.