8 Days Machame Route

On Request

The Machame route, known as the "Whiskey" route, is now the most popular route on the mountain. Machame approaches from the southwest and descends using Mweka, rewarding climbers with views of the expansive Shira Plateau, an optional scramble up Lava Tower, a climb up the Great Barranco Wall, and a traverse underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Icefield. The descent occurs on the Mweka route. Climbers sleep in supplied tents at designated campsites, and eat meals either outdoors or inside a large dining tent. Staff prepares all meals and sets up the tents.

The minimum number of days required for this route is six days, although seven days is recommended. The Machame route is scenically beautiful and varied. Compared to Marangu, the days on Machame are longer and the walks are steeper. It is considered a difficult route, better suited for more adventurous folks, and those with some hiking or backpacking experience.

  • Price Included

    • Transfers from Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport.
    • Accommodation, meals as per the programme.
    • Hut Fees, Entry Fees, Park fees.
    • 2 porters for each climber (15Kgs each porter), Guide, Assistant Guide.
    • Rescue fees.
  • Price Not Included

    • Other meals not mentioned as included, items of a personal nature,
    • Gratuities to Porters and Guide/s - the driver guides.
    • Mountain Equipments.
    • All type of drinks.
    • Visa and visa fees for Tanzania.
    • Visa fees (currently US$ 50.00 per passport holder – US CITIZEN US$ 100.00). Visas are available on arrival at all Entry point/s
    • Flying doctors coverage: Optional @ US$ 50.00 per person.
    • Covers you within East Africa for a period of 14 days. In the eventuality of a medical emergency, you will be airlifted to Nairobi where you will be taken to a good hospital. Hospital bills are born by the patient
    • We highly recommended you to have your personal insurance.
1

Day 1: Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport / Moshi

You are met at the Airport or in Arusha City, drive to Moshi.

Overnight: Sprinland Hotel - HB

2

Day 2: Moshi / Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (3010m)

Hiking time: 7h

Distance: Approximately  09 kms

Habitat: Montane forest

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) 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. 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. 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 erected 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 this campsite

Overnight: Machama Camp.

3

Day 3 : Machame camp (3010m) - Shira camp (3845m)

Hiking time: 6h

Distance: Approximately 7 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. 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

Overnight: Shira Camp

4

Day 4: Shira (at 3845m) to Lava Tower (at 4630m) to Barranco camp (at 3960m)

Hiking time: 7h

Distance: Approximately 10 kms

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). 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. 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 acclimatisation 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.

Overnight: Baranco Camp.

 

5

Day 5: Barranco camp (3960m)- Barafu camp (4640m)

Hiking time: 7h

Distance: Approximately 08 kms

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 Karranga 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 familiarise 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.

Overnight: Barafu Camp.

6

Day 6: (Summit attempt) Barafu camp (4640m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Mweka (3080m)

Hiking time: 8h to reach Uhuru Peak, 7 - 8h to descend to Mweka

Distance: Approximately 7 kms ascent - 19 kms 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 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). 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. 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.

Overnight: Mweka Camp.

7

Day 7: Mweka camp (3010m) - Mweka Gate (1680m) - Moshi

Hiking time: 3h

Distance: Approximately 10 kms

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. View more tips on climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. 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. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot lunch!! You now drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations!!

Overnight: Springland Hotel - HB

8

Day 8: Moshi /Arusha City or Kilimanjaro Airport

After breakfast you will be transferred to the Airport for your return flight or to Arusha to start your safari.

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We had a wonderful time in Tanzania with our amazing guide Estomih! He was so nice to us and did everything he could so we can have an excellent trip! He has so many knowledges about animals and the entire area. He tought us so many interesant things.

SophieR

United Kingdom

Booked a 6 night Tanzanian northern parks tour directly with Simba safaris dealing with Mohammed. He was very helpful in advising best area to visit during the month of February for game viewing..

PennyMat

London, United Kingdom

There are not enough words in any language to describe our experience with Simba Safaris, specifically with our safari driver/guide, Geoffroy Bosco!.

Gina Schofield

Ottawa, Canada

We had the most amazing experience … our driver Urassa was outstanding he was so attentive and his love of the animals was so evident … the lodges along our route were exceptional.

Sam

Summerhill, Ireland

We spent 4 days with our guide Estommy on safari. He made these 4 days unforgettable for us. With his knowledge he could answer us every question on the animals and gave us a very good insight in african culture, as we could ask him everything.

Jil S

Ottawa, Canada

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