MACHAME ROUTE (7days/6nights)

 

Day 1: ARRIVE AT KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JRO)
            We will meet you on your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)             and transfer you to your overnight hotel in Arusha.

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)

 

Day 2: PRE-CLIMB ORIENTATION

            This day is designed to give you plenty of time to relax, pack and recoup from the long journey. Your Kilimanjaro climbing team leader and guides will meet you in the late morning for a short pre-climb orientation. During the orientation, you will meet the Trip Leader and the Guides and you will go through the climbing program, discuss about the mountaineering and group expedition ethics, hazards on the mountain, sickness prevention, treatment and evacuation procedures. Our guides will go through our group camping gear and demonstrate the use and operation of all the equipment. They will also show you and demonstrate the use and operation of our safety equipments especially Emergency Supplemental Oxygen Tanks, Pulse Oximeter, Gamow Hyperbaric Chamber and our climbing expedition First Aid Kits. Safety is our first priority on the mountain. The guides will answer any questions you have about the climb. We will do equipment check with each person to be sure that you are fully prepared. 

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)

 

Day 3: MACHAME HUT CAMP (10,000’) (day 1 on the mountain)

            We will drive for about 1 to 2 hours hour from our lodge in Arusha to Machame gate (8000ft) for registrations, and meet the rest of the crew (Cooks and Porters) ready for the climb. We will start the climb through rainforest and the giant heathers for 6 hrs to our first overnight camp.

 

Day 4: SHIRA CAMP (12,480’) (day 2 on the mountain)

            Today will be a short day but rather steep rocky and dusty trail. It's a slow hike with plenty of breaks and enough time to acclimatize. Most of the route is rather bare of vegetation providing little shade from heat. You will cross many ridges and see the first of many Senecias on the mountain.

 

Day 5: BARRANCO CAMP (13,000’) (day 3 on the mountain)

            We will start with climbing over boulders and very few rocks, then steady uphill climb to Lava tower (a 300 ft high volcanic lava plug that juts out of the side of the mountain) and stop for lunch around noon. For those interested we may climb up to the top of Lava tower which is 14850ft for acclimatization process (You may start to get a mild headache due to altitude change). From Lava tower we will go down for about 2 hrs through dusty and rocky trails to our next overnight camp Barranco Camp at 13000ft.

 

Day 6: KARANGA VALLEY CAMP (13,450’) (day 4 on the mountain)

            The day will start by scrambling up the Great Barranco Wall for about an hour and half. Some spots will be steep forcing you to use your hands to reach and maneuver yourself around rock boulders like rock climbing, although it's not as challenging as rock climbing. At the top of the wall you can see the Barranco valley and the campsite you spent a night before. You will walk up and down the greener valley which is the last water point to the mountain and on top of the ridge will be our camp for the night.

 

Day 7: BARAFU HUT CAMP (14,200’) (day 5 on the mountain)

            Today will be another short but steep uphill climb across barren landscape with lots of boulders and shattered rocks. You will see the Decken glaciers on your left. We will keep going through a very steep ridge until we reach a rocky section for more scrambling for about hour and half.  Our next camp will be on large rocks with very steep cliff faces. We will go to bed very early because we will have to wake up at 11pm for the summit.

 

Day 8: SUMMIT DAY and MWEKA HUT (10,500’) (day 6 on the mountain)

            We will wake up to around 11pm; have some food and dress up for the summit. We will start our summit climb at around midnight. We will start with very steep rocks for about 2 to 3 hours, and then will enter a snow covered area where you can see glaciers above. If it's a moonlight night, you may turn off your headlamp and walk in the moonlight, it is a wonderful experience. Next 3 hours to Stella Point, we will take a break every 15 minutes as a struggle gets more mentally and physically challenging. Then we will get to Stella Point where the Lava fields are like loose sand. After our last break at Stella Point we will climb to UHURU PEAK for about 1 hour just as the sun appears over the Mawenzi peaks. We will be at UHURU PEAK (19370ft) around 6.00am or 7.00a.m ready for pictures, big hugs and cheers! We will start our descent which is steep and rigorous via Stella Point to Barafu hut Camp. We will stop for lunch at Barafu Camp and a good rest before we proceed down to Mweka camp, a very comfortable hike, but very dusty and long.        

 

Day 9: HIKE OUT & DRIVE BACK TO ARUSHA (day 7 on the mountain)      

            We will start the hike down through rainy forest to the park gate through steep downhill and very often slippery. We will arrive at the gate around 11am ready to sign out of the park and receive your certificates. You will say goodbye to your climbing crew (Porters and the Cooks) and drive back to Arusha for a nice hot shower or swimming at the lodge and relax, looking forward to going on safari the next day.

            Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)