7 Days/6 Nights Kilimanjaro Trekking, Via Machame Route

7DAYS/6 NIGHT KILIMANJARO TREKKING VIA MACHAME ROUTE (7DAYS IN THE MOUNTAIN)

The Machame route, also known as the Whiskey route, is one of the most scenic routes and the most popular route nowadays. This route is more used than other routes, but more strenuous and involves camping at basic campsites throughout the trek. The start of this route involves a gradual climb through the rain forest, from 1800 to 3000 meters. The summit attempt is a long day, involving about 14 hours walking, most of it during the night.
The seven day Machame variation is the ideal schedule for this route. On the 7 day Machame route, the trek from Barranco to Barafu is broken up into two days, allowing for a short day just prior to the summit attempt. This is important because summit day begins very early, around midnight, so climbers are sleeping deprived going into the toughest day on the mountain. By having a short day beforehand, climbers can be better rested.
We highly recommended Machame 7 days for more times of acclimatization, which support easy way to get to the summit, the successes rates for this route is more than 95%

ACCOMMODATION
You will spend two nights in Moshi before and after the climb. The room would be shared in the hotel per two person but private rooms can be available based on a request. The tent would be shared in the mountain two persons per tent, but personal tent can also be provided based on a request.

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Day 0
You will meet and drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to your hotel in Moshi and rest for a while. Afterward, you will meet your guide for gear checking and briefing about the mountain. Also, your guide will go through your group camping gear and demonstrate the use and operation of all equipment, especially emergency oxygen cylinder and pulse ox meter and explain signs and symptoms of various mountain sicknesses which might happen while trekking.

Day 1: Hike to Machame Hut, 3000 meters/9840feet
You will drive for 1 hour from your hotel in Moshi to Machame gate for registrations and meet the rest of the team cook and porters ready for the climb. You will climb for 5 – 6 hours to walk for 11 kilometers/6 miles and you will cross rain forest. Also, during noon, you will break for picnic lunch and overnight at Machame hut.

Day 2: Hike from Machame Hut to Shira Cave Camp, 3750 meters/12300 feet
Today will be a short day but rather steep rocky trail and you will have hot lunch at the camp. It will be a slow hike with plenty of breaks and enough time to acclimatize. Most of the route is rather bare of vegetation providing a little shade from the sun because you will be in moorland zone. You will cross many ridges and see Shira peak and mount Meru on the west side. The total distances to cover will be 5km/3. Miles

Day 3: Hike from Shira Cave Camp to Lava tower (4600m/15091feet) then Baranco Camp, 3940 meters/12926feet
Today you will keep walking in the alpine desert for 10 kilometers for 6 – 8 hours. You will start with climbing over boulders and very few rocks, then steady uphill climb to lava tower (150 meters high volcanic plug that juts out the side of the mountain) and stop for lunch around noon. Some people may start to get a mild headache due to altitude changes. From lava tower, you will descend about 2 hours through dust and rock trail to your next overnight at Baranco Camp. The total distance to cover will be 10Km/ 6miles

Day 4: Hike from Baranco Camp to Karanga Camp, 3995 meters/13106 feet
Today, you are still in the Alpine desert and expect to walk for 6 kilometers/3.7 miles, about 4 – 5 hours. Start by scrambling up the great Baranco wall for about an hour and a half. In this wall, some section will be steep forcing you to use 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 Baranco Valley and the campsite you spent a night before. Also, you will walk up and down to the Karanga Valley which is the last water point on the mountain and on top of the ridge will be your campsite where you will have hot lunch and overnight at Karanga Campsite.

Day 5: Hike from Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp, 4673 meters/15330 feet
Today will have another walking of 4 kilometers for 3 – 5 hours in steep up hills with a lot of boulders and shattered rock crossing the upper alpine desert. You will go through a steep ridge until you reach a rocky section more scrambling for about hour and a half. Your next camp will be on large rocky with steep cliff faces and you will have earlier dinner and sleep earlier because you have to wake up in the midnight for the summit. The total distance to cover will be 4kilometers /2.4 miles.

Day 6: Hike from Barafu camp to Uhuru peak 5895m/19340feet and descend to Mweka Hut, 3100 meters/10170 feet
You will wake up around 11:00pm, have some tea and snacks and dress up warm for the summit. You will start your summit around 12:00am starting with steep rocks for about 2 to 3 hours, and then you will start crossing the zigzag area and keep moving to the crater rim and finally Stella point, 5756 meters/18884feets around 06:00am. At Stella point, you will meet people from other routes like Marangu and Rongai route and join them heading to Uhuru peak about 1 hour from Stella point. You will be able to see the sunrise at Stella point or on your way to Uhuru or at Uhuru peak, and then you will stay for 10 – 15 minutes for pictures and view, and after, descend to Barafu Campsite for resting brunch and descend down to Mweka Camp. The total distances round trip to the summit and back to the base camp is 10kilometers /6.2Miles.

Day 7: Mweka Gate, 1640 meters/5380feet
Today after breakfast, you will meet your Kilimanjaro crew for group pictures and Kilimanjaro songs and afterward, start descending down for 3 – 4 hours to cover the distances of 10 kilometers / 6.2 miles, and you will back again to rain forest heading all the way to Mweka gate and you will sing out in National park log book. Your guide will collect certificates for those who made the successful summit and we will drive to your hotel in Moshi for a long shower and Kilimanjaro beer.

Day 8: Departures day or join for the Safaris
We will drive you back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for departures or join us for life time safaris.
NOTE; This route can also be done for 7 or 6 days, but we strongly recommend 7 days in order to provide more time for acclimatization. Since you got more time for acclimatization, the success rate is very high above 95%.