Itinerary

1. Day 1: Machame Gate (1634 m/5,363 ft) to Machame Camp (28340 m/9,300 ft)

   • Meet and greet your Kilimanjaro tour guide at the agreed-upon location and drive to Machame gate on the first day of the 7 Days Machame route.
   • Register and begin your climb with your guide. It will be a nice leisurely hike through the tropical rain forest. Pass through the rainforest. You are likely to spot colobus monkeys and wild birds.

   Dinner and overnight at Machame camp.

2. Day 2: Machame Camp (2834 m/9,300 ft) to Shira Camp (3749 m/12,300 ft)

   • Cross the stream from the Machame Hut onto its west bank and follow the path up the steep rocky ridge – crisscrossing a few times before reaching Shira camp, at the base of a semi-circular wall of rocks. 

   Dinner and overnight at Shira camp.

3. Day 3: Shira camp (3749 m/12,300 ft) to Barranco Camp (3901 m/12,800 ft)

   • Hike to Lava Tower (15,000’) from Shira camp to acclimatize. 
   • Then, proceed down to Barranco Camp via the Great Barranco Wall. This camp is one of the best on the mountain. 

   Dinner and overnight at Barranco camp.

4. Day 4: Barranco Camp (3900 m/12,800 ft) to Karanga Valley (3963 m/13,000 ft)

   • Climb up through the edge of the great Barranco Wall from the Barranco Camp. It’s a tough morning climb on a steep trail, but once you reach the top, the views are stunning and rewarding. 

   Dinner and overnight at Karanga camp.

5. Day 5: Karanga Valley (3963 m/13,000 ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600 m/15,091 ft)

   • Hike up to the final camp before your last ascent day to the summit. It is a shorter climb than the past few days. You must get a lot of rest, as you will need all your energy for the climb to the roof of Africa. 

   Dinner and overnight at Barafu camp.

6. Day 6: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,091 ft) to the Summit (5896 m/19,343 ft) and then to Mweka Camp (3100 m/10,170 ft)

   • Start trekking early, just after midnight, as the walk today will take 10-14 hours. The 1,100-meter (3,600’) ascent is just over 3 km (1.86 miles), which will take you about 6-8 hours as you try to reach the summit to watch the sunrise over the Great Rift Valley. 
   • After watching the sunrise and taking enough pictures, start descending the mountain to below the tree line. 

   Dinner and overnight at Mweka Camp.

7. Day 7: Mweka Camp (3100 m/10,170 ft) to Mweka Gate (1828 m/6,000 ft)

   • Have a short three-hour hike out on your final day, walking through the lush forest.
   • Meet your driver with the vehicle at the Mweka park gate to drive back to the hotel in Moshi/Arusha.