Kilimanjaro Climb Machame Route: 6 days/5nights

Day 0: Arrival in Arusha (1,400m/4,593ft)

• Relax at your hotel in Arusha after arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
• Meet your Safari Consultant for a briefing about the upcoming trek.

Day 1: Lemosho Trailhead (2,000m/6,600ft) to Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft)

• Drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate for park entry formalities.
• Take a 4WD track to the Lemosho Trailhead.
• Enjoy lunch before starting your trek through lush forest.
• Look for Colobus monkeys as you ascend a sometimes-steep path.
• Reach your first campsite, Big Tree Camp, after 3-4 hours of trekking.

Day 2: Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft)

• The trek transitions from forest to a landscape of giant heather and volcanic rock.
• Steadily ascend through rolling hills below the Shira Plateau.
• Reach Shira 2 Camp, your destination, after a challenging full day of hiking (7-8 hours).

Day 3: Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft) to Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) via Lava Tower (4,550m/14,900ft)

• Experience contrasting landscapes on your climb.
• Ascend over expansive ridgelines to Lava Tower (optional scramble to the top for views).
• Descend steeply into the Barranco Valley, passing scenecios (large flowering plants).
• This acclimatization trek ends at Barranco Camp, nestled in a sheltered valley.

Day 4: Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) to Karanga Camp (3,950m/13,000ft) via Barranco Wall (4,200m/13,800ft)

• Tackle the exciting scramble up the impressive Barranco Wall.
• Enjoy fantastic views and witness the skilled porters climbing the wall.
• Follow an undulating path along the mountainside with spectacular views of Kibo.
• Reach Karanga Camp, your next campsite, after approximately 3-4 hours of walking.

Day 5: Karanga Camp (3,950m/13,000ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)

• Enjoy a steady climb towards Barafu Camp, which translates to “ice” in Swahili.
• This camp sits on a ridge below the summit cone, marking your completion of the South Circuit.
• The trek takes roughly 3 hours, allowing you to arrive for rest and an early dinner before the summit push.
• Admire the twin peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo from this vantage point.

Day 6: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,300ft) then descending to Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft)

• Begin your pre-dawn ascent to the summit of Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
• This challenging climb can take 6-8 hours, requiring layered clothing for extreme temperature variations.
• Witness a breathtaking sunrise painting the sky red over Mawenzi as darkness gives way to light.
• Reach Stella Point (5,750m/18,865ft), where you join the crater rim before the gradual climb to Uhuru Peak.
• Descend directly to Mweka Camp for lunch, followed by a well-deserved night’s sleep.

Day 7: Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft) to Mweka Gate (1,830m/6,000ft)

• Descend through lush forest for 2-3 hours, keeping an eye out for monkeys.
• Upon reaching Mweka Village, you’ll be transferred back to Arusha.

Day 8: Departure

• Relax at your hotel in Arusha before being transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. This marks the end of your Kilimanjaro adventure.