7 Days Trekking tour itinerary for Arusha, Moshi & Mount Kilimanjaro: Trek Through The Scenic Machame Trail

Best time to Climb: all year round

Pre day : Arriving in Tanzania

• The Kilimanjaro adventure starts the moment one lands at Kilimanjaro international Airport or Arusha from Nairobi by Shuttle bus. 

• Meet staff at the airport and transfer to Arusha or Moshi in the peaceful surrounds of comfortable pre and post trek accommodation in Arusha – Kigongoni Lodge, from where there are great views of the mountain. 

• Relax by the pool before briefing with guides, who will provide the essential information for the trek to the roof of Africa.

Accommodation : Kigongoni Lodge or similar accommodation in Arusha.

Hiking time: 7 hours

Distance: Approximately 18 kilometers

Habitat: Montane forest

• After an early breakfast at hotel, be picked up from Arusha (1400m) and drive to the Machame Village. 

• In the village, buy mineral water and receive a packed lunch. 

• From the village, depending on the road conditions, either continue 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, start 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. 

• Have welcome lunch stop about half way up the trail, and reach the Machame camping area in late afternoon.

• Porters (arriving at the camp site long before you) will have already set tent onm arrival.

• In the evening, the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner before climbers retire to their tents for the night. 

• Night temperatures can drop to freezing point at this campsite.

Hiking time: 6h

Distance: Approximately 9 kms

Habitat: Moorland

• Rise early at Machame camp and after breakfast, climb an hour or so to the top of the forest.

• Continue trekking for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. 

• After a short lunch and rest, continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now, one will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. 

• Now due west of Kibo and after a short hike, reach the Shira campsite at 3 840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner.

• Spend the night at this exposed camp, as it will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

Hiking time: 7h

Distance: Approximately 15 kms

Habitat: Semi-desert

• The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where one can reach an altitude of 4630m after about 5 hours of trekking.

• 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 at this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headache. 

• After lunch, descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. 

• The 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 one with a memorable sunset while waiting for the preparation of dinner.

• Overnight stay in camp.
  

Hiking time: 7h

Distance: Approximately 13 kms

Habitat: Alpine desert

• After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), make way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what one anticipated. 

• Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, climbers will be able to 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, reach Barafu Hut.

• The last water stop on the route is the Karanga 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.

• Climbers should make sure to familiarize themselves with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents.

• The summit is now a further 1345m up, and climbers will make the final ascent the same night.

• Prepare equipment, ski stick, and thermal clothing for summit attempt. This should include the replacement of headlamp and camera batteries and making sure to have a spare set available as well. To prevent it from freezing, it will be wise to carry water in a thermal flask. 

• Go to bed at about 19:00 pm, and try to get some peaceful rest and sleep.

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

Distance: Approximately 7 kms ascent – 23 kms descent

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

• Rise around 23:30 pm, and after some tea and biscuits, shuffle off into the night. 

• 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), stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise ever (weather permitting). 

• From Stella Point, climbers normally encounter snow all the way on the 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. 

• The time spent on the summit will depend on weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. 

• Enjoy accomplishment the summit. The walk back to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. 

• After arriving at Barafu, have a well earned but short rest and collect rest of the gear. The route is not difficult and will take climbers down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest.

• The camp is situated in the upper forest area, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. 

• Dinner and washing water will be prepared.

Hiking time:

Distance: Approximately 15 kms

Habitat: Forest

• Following a well-deserved breakfast, have a big celebration full of dancing and singing with the trekking staff. It is here on the mountain that climbers will present tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. 

• After celebrating, descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion.

• Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

• After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). 

• Enjoy hot lunch.

• After lunch, drive back to Arusha for long overdue showers and more celebrations.

End of service.