MT. KILIMANJARO

KILIMANJARO HIKING - MACHAME ROUTE ITINERARY

INFO
Machame Route is commonly known as "Whiskey" route. It's a more technical compared to Marangu Route. It is the second most popular and one of the most scenic routes on the mountain.

All climbers sleep in tents and meals are served in a dinner tent. It can be completed over 6 days, so acclimatization is easier, and the success rate is fairly high. It is for physically fit people with some hiking experience. Descent is down the Mweka trail staying at the Mweka or Millenium camp the last day during hiking tour.

PRE DEPARTURE: (ARRIVAL) Moshi is at 815m
2670ft above sea level.
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet and great then transfer to your hotel in Moshi, briefing about your hiking trip by our guide.
TRANSFER: AIRPORT TO HOTEL
MEAL PLAN: BB
ACCOMMODATION: STANDARD HOTEL

DAY 1 Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (2980m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 18 km's
Habitat: Montane forest

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a drive from Mosh Town to the Machame village (1490m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water in the village. After registering at the park gate office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately. There is a strong 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 late afternoon.

Your porters (arriving at the camp site long before you) will have erect your tent on your arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner, before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at Machame campsite.

DAY 2 Machame camp (2980m) - Shira camp (3840m)
Hiking time: 4 hours
Distance: About 9 km's
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 3840m. 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.

DAY 3 Shira (3840m)-Lava Tower (4630m)-Barranco camp (3950m)
Hiking time: 6-8 hours
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Semi desert

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).

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. After lunch you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m 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 and overnight at Barranco Camp site.

DAY 4 Barranco camp (3950m) - Barafu camp (4550m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: About 13 km's
Habitat: Alpine desert

After spending a night at 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 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.

The last water stop on the route is the Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m 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 and sleep for not more than 5 Hours.

Day 5 SUMMIT ATTEMPT

Barafu camp (4550m)-Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3100m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak
7/8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: About 7 km's ascent - 23 km's descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

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 walks 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 live. 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 and drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates and beer is available from the camp office!!

DAY 6 Mweka camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Forest
After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. It is strongly recommended not to pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. 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 (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. Then drive to Moshi back to your hotel. Dinner and overnight.
MEAL PLAN: BB
ACCOMODATION: STANDARD HOTEL

Don't forget to tip your guides and porters. It's time for celebration

Departure Day:
After breakfast check out from the Hotel then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport

TRANSFER: HOTEL TO AIRPORT
PRICE: PER PERSON SHARING IN GIVEN PAX IN US $

Price includes:
All park entry fees, All camping/hut fees, Guide and porters fees, Transport to and from the mountain gates, Meals 3 times daily, cook and all kitchen facilities

Prices does not include items
International Flights, Hard and soft drinks and Tips, and all mountain Gears. (We can arrange to hire this) Note: We recommend that you leave your valuables and your tip money in a safe deposit box at the hotel in Moshi