Mount Kilimanjaro Machame Route

The first day on your amazing Kilimanjaro Machame Route journey is filled with anticipation. After arriving at the airport, you’ll be greeted warmly by our driver who’ll transport you to the hotel in Moshi. You’ll then settle down then attend an orientation session. Our experienced team leaders will guide you through all the important details of your trip and offer advice for a successful journey. Your hiking gear will then be carefully inspected and adjusted if necessary. The rest of the day is spent getting ready for your life-changing adventure.

Walking Time: 6-7hrs Distance: 9km Altitude Gain: 1200m/3935ft

Wake up fresh and invigorated for the first leg of your journey to the foot of majestic Kilimanjaro. After eating a warm hotel breakfast, you’ll depart Moshi for the Machame Gate. The 45-minute drive will take you off the beaten path through a panorama of coffee plantations and local villages. After arriving at the park gate, you’ll register with the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities while our team prepares and checks all your gear. Then journey onwards to the final destination of the day: Machame Camp. You’ll experience the first of many scenic hikes through tropical rainforest and savannah terrain. Venture through moss-covered timbered underpasses and catch glimpses of rare wildlife and botanical species. Emerge from high grasses into fields of heather and sprouting wildflowers. Stop and marvel at a view of Kibo Peak, the mighty summit at the end of your climb. Meanwhile, your porters and cooks will prepare a hot steaming meal ahead of your arrival.

Walking Time: 4-6hrs Distance: 7km Altitude Gain: 840m/2,760ft

Today will be the most scenic leg of your journey so far on one of the best Kilimanjaro climbing routes. You’ll begin your first morning on the slopes of the mountain with a warming and hearty breakfast. Pack up your gear and venture across damp, cool heathland and temperate moorland dunes. Move across the rolling savannah among tall grasses and the otherworldly beauty of the Heather and Erica plains. Scramble across enormous boulders and emerge among volcanic rocks draped with dark green lichen. You’ll also experience increasingly higher altitudes to help your acclimatization process. After lunch, you’ll climb the lava-filled Shira Plateau then head for the Shira Camp. In the meantime, your porters and cooks will prepare a delicious meal in anticipation of your arrival.

Walking Time: 6-7hrs Distance: 10km Altitude Gain: 690m/2,264 ft

Today’s trekking journey continues along the steepest and most rewarding stretch so far. You’ll get off to an early start and hike eastwards towards the wide expanse of the Shira Plateau. Upon reaching the junction of the Shira and Lemosho Routes, you’ll break off for a more secluded trail before stopping for a break. After lunch, embark towards Lava Tower, an incredible 300 ft tall volcanic plug that transforms into a passageway. Then take a rapid descent towards your campsite located in the Great Barranco Valley, where you’ll set up in a scenic campsite encompassed by massive valley walls and the stunning Kibo massif. Looming glaciers reflect the sunlight while giant lobelias and groundsels dominate the otherworldly landscape. Then sit back and enjoy a warm, delicious meal before settling into a deep sleep.

Walking Time: 3-4hrs Distance: 6km Altitude Gain: 90m/295ft

This section of the Machame Route is filled with thrilling exploration and life-changing scenery. You’ll start the day climbing up the lofty eastern wall of a gorge and soak in the dramatic view: Kilimanjaro’s ice fields covered by blankets of frost. Then brace yourself for a 90-minute climb up the magnificent Barranco Wall, also known as the Breakfast Wall, after which you’ll continue along a clam trail until you reach the Karanga Valley. Here you’ll settle and mentally prepare for the final stretch of your journey.

Walking Time: 3-4hrs Distance: 4km Altitude Gain: 560m/1837ft

Your last day on the Kilimanjaro Machame Route before reaching the summit gets off to a gentle start. You’ll begin a gradual ascent through the tranquil Karanga Valley before encountering the granite floors of the lava ridge. Along the way, the temperature will drop and the vegetation will become more and more sparse. You’ll set up camp on an exposed zone along a smooth edge of the ridge. An energy-dense meal will be served in preparation for your midnight ascent to the Mount Kilimanjaro summit.

Walking Time: 14-16hrs Distance: 19km Altitude Gain: 1,295 meters (4,240 feet) Altitude Loss: 2,795 meters (9,170 feet)

You’ll embark shortly after midnight on your last push to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Journey amid luminous sapphire glaciers to Stella Point while a spectacular sunrise illuminates the peaks of the summit. Relish the final hours of your unforgettable journey before reaching your final destination, Uhuru. Standing on the rooftop of Africa, you’ll be filled with a sense of exhilaration and triumph looking down over the swirling cloudscape and oceans of ice. Celebrate with your support team and soak in the beauty before retracing your steps to Barafu Camp. After a short break, travel to Mweka Camp where a hot, welcoming meal will await your arrival. There you’ll spend your last night on the mountain lounging beneath the stars.

Walking Time: 3-4hrs Distance: 10km Altitude Gain: 1,600m/5,250ft

Wake up on the mountain steps refreshed and victorious—you’ve just conquered Mount Kilimanjaro! After breakfast, you’ll stroll back to Mweka Gate, taking time to admire the deep green forest scenery draped in morning mist. Farewell your guides and porters, then board the Viva Africa Tours vehicle. You’ll be transported back to Moshi where a hot shower, comfy mattress, and clean set of clothes await.

A driver will bring you to Kilimanjaro Airport, where it is time to say good bye to Tanzania and its friendly people. If you’ve decided to go on a safari – well, that’s a different adventure and we’ll take care of that too!