7 Days Machame route - Eco Adventure Safaris

7 Days 6 nights Machame route

7 Days Machame route Also known as the “Whiskey” route, the Machame route is now the most popular ascent route on Mt Kilimanjaro. Compared with the Marangu route, the walking days on the Machame route are longer and the walks are steeper. However, the scenery is spectacular and landscape interesting. The Machame route is considered a difficult route, and is better suited for more adventurous trekkers and those with some hiking or backpacking experience. The Machame route is scenically beautiful and varied. However, due to its popularity there are increased numbers of trekkers, it loses some of its splendour. The Machame route approaches the summit from the southwest and descends using the Mweka route, 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 ice field.
After arrival at your hotel in Moshi, you will rest. And later there will be a meeting with the your guide for briefing about your trek and Mt Kilimanjaro. After finish to the briefing he will check all your mountain gears to see if you have all equipment, and if you will miss some of them he will take you to rent the missing gears.

Itinerary Summary

Day 1: Drive from Arusha to Machame Gate

Day 2: Climb Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Day 3: Climb Shira Camp to Barranco Hut

Day 4: Climb Barranco Hut to Karanga Camp

Day 5: Climb Karanga Camp to Barafu Hut

Day 6: Barafu Hut to Uhuru Peak and back to Barafu then Mweka Camp

Day 7: Mweka Camp to Park Gate then drive back to Arusha

Gallery

Tour Itinerary

Includes & Excludes

Included	All transportation as scheduled All park entrance fee, crater service and concession fee Meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner as indicated above Four wheel transportation for safari with pop up roof ideal for game view English speaking driver guide Complementary bottled water while doing game drive All activities as per above proposal
Excluded	Uganda visas Meals, transport, and lodging outside the regular itinerary Alcoholic beverages and bottled drinks Any items of personal nature International vaccinations Insurance

Tour Map

Travel Days

DAY 01: Drive from Arusha to Machame Gate

• Elevation:1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft
• Distance:11km/7mi
• Climbing Time:5-6 hours
• Habitat: Montane Forest

You will start with a drive from your Hotel to the Mt Kilimanjaro Machame Park Gate takes about 2 – 3 hrs. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

DAY 02: Climb Machame Camp to Shira Camp

• Elevation:3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft
• Distance:5km/3mi
• Walking Time:4-5 hours
• Habitat: Moorland

When you done with breakfast with your packed lunch you leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge, Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira camp.

DAY 03: Climb Shira Camp to Barranco Hut

• Elevation:3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
• Distance:10km/6mi
• Walking Time:5-6 hours
• Habitat: Semi-desert

A short day leaves Shira Plateau, you continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As you continue, a direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 1 6,000 ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 1 3,000 ft. Here you will rest, enjoy dinner, elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

DAY 04: Climb Barranco Hut to Karanga Camp

• Elevation:4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
• Distance:5km/3mi
• Climbing Time:34 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

In your Day four after breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Camp. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.

DAY 05: Climb Karanga Camp to Barafu Hut

• Elevation:4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
• Distance:4km/2mi
• Climbing Time:3-4 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

Early breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.

DAY 06: Barafu Hut to Uhuru Peak and back to Barafu then Mweka Camp

• Elevation:4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
• Down to3090m/10,150ft
• Distance:5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
• Climbing Time:5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
• Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Summit day midnight to 00:00 am, you will continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point 1 8,600 ft., you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1 -hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

DAY 07: Mweka Camp to Park Gate then drive back to Arusha to end 7 Days Machame route

• Elevation:3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
• Distance:10km/6mi
• Climbing Time:3-4 hours
• Habitat: Forest

After breakfast, you will leave the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear. From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel in Arusha.

End your 7 Days Machame route .