7 Days Kilimanjaro Trekking Machame Route

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Arusha | Moshi town; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.

After a one-hour drive from Moshi, we arrive at Machame Gate where we complete the necessary park formalities and meet our team of porters and guides. From here, our Kilimanjaro adventure begins. The first stretch of the trail ascends gradually through lush, dense rainforest. This section is scenic but can be slippery and muddy, as the path is less frequented and may be slightly overgrown in some areas.

Our route continues on up through the forest until we reach the steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt Meru rising high above Arusha town in the distance.

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. We traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach and finally reach camp The day has been spent at altitude (up to 4600m), but we have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to aid your body’s acclimatization to altitude.

Our day starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3963m. For those feeling strong we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.

After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we begin our trek to Barafu Camp (4640m), crossing barren scree slopes with little to no vegetation. The trail is steep and challenging, made more demanding by the high altitude. Upon arrival at camp, we have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon resting in preparation for the summit push. Staying hydrated and warm is crucial. An early dinner is served, and we head to bed early — as the summit climb begins around 11:00 PM to midnight.

We start off at around midnight, and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest.

After a gentle descent through the lush rainforest, we arrive at Mweka Gate, where you'll complete park formalities and proudly receive your summit certificates. Our team will meet you at the gate for a transfer back to your hotel in Moshi — where a well-deserved hot shower and relaxation await.

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.