8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Trek via the Machame Route to Uhuru Peak

Meet the tour guide at the airport.

Check into a hotel in Arusha (Lush Gardens Hotel) for dinner, bed, and breakfast.

Have breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Machame Park Gate.

Set off climbing gently through the south-western slopes of the mountain, passing through the original montane forest.

Savour the scenery carpeted with unique "busy lizzie" flowers, begonias, and ferns.

Camp amongst the giant heather at 3,000 m after a 1,200 m ascent and about 6 hours of walking.

Have an early morning breakfast.

Emerge from the forest into the giant heather zone and continue out onto fine open moorland to camp by Shira Cave at 3,840 m.

Catch views of eland herds here and there along the way.

Fascinating geological features in the old volcanic caldera can be viewed during a half-hour optional walk in the afternoon.

Camp for the night after covering an 840 m ascent and 4-5 hours of walking.

Have an early morning breakfast.

Climb towards the main peak, Kibo, while enjoying the clearly visible western glaciers across the rugged high-altitude desert of volcanic rocks and boulders.

Skirt around its base and under the imposing Western Breach, then descend into the sheltered Barranco Valley. This mid-way climb and descent helps with acclimatisation.

Retire for the day with dinner and camping.

Have breakfast early in the morning.

Hike up the steep Barranco Wall, with some sections of very easy scrambling, and then drop down again to the Karanga Valley.

Take an optional acclimatisation hike in the afternoon up onto the scree below the glaciers.

This is a short walking day of 3-4 hours.

Have dinner and camp for the night.

Have breakfast.

Climb up to about 150 m above Barafu Hut, perched high on a rocky bluff at 4,750 m.

Enjoy fantastic views across to Mawenzi Peak.

Prepare for the hard summit-day ascent to Stella Point.

Have dinner.

Depart early in the morning.

Start climbing the steep frozen scree towards Stella Point.

As on any route, the aim is to reach Stella Point on the crater rim for sunrise.

Only 40 minutes later, you will be at Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the continent, usually under the warm sunshine.

Depart in the morning towards Mweka Gate.

Pick-up and transfer to Arusha.