6-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Route Trek to Uhuru Peak

• After breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel to Machame Gate, a drive of about 45 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame, located on the lower slopes of the mountain.

• At Machame Gate, you will complete the required registration procedures before starting the trek through the rainforest. At lower elevations, the trail can be muddy and slippery, so gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here.

• Continue to Machame Camp, where the tents will already be set up for you.

Dinner and overnight at the Machame Campsite.

Elevation: 1200 m to 1830 m to 3050 m

Distance: 13 km

Walking Time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: Montana Forest

• After breakfast, leave the glades of the rainforest and continue ascending, crossing small valleys and steep rocky ridges covered with heather plants on the western side of the mountain, where the camp is situated.

• At this camp, you will be able to enjoy spectacular views of Mount Meru, Shira Plateau, and Kibo Peak.

Dinner and overnight.

Elevation: 3050 m to 3850 m

Distance: 5 km

Walking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Moorland

• This is a long and important acclimatization day. From the Shira Plateau, continue east up a ridge, passing the junction and proceeding towards Kibo with your Kilimanjaro hiking guide.

• During the hike, your route turns southeast as you continue towards the Lava Tower, popularly called the Shark's Tooth, at an elevation of 4650 m.

• After a short journey from the tower, you will come to the second junction at Arrow Glacier.

• Thereafter, continue down to Barranco Camp. One of the most remarkable things about this day is that you end at nearly the same elevation where you started. This day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Elevation: 3850 m to 4000 m

Distance: 10 km

Walking Time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: Semi-desert

• After breakfast, leave Barranco and continue along a steep ridge up to the Barranco Wall at 4250 m, then through the Karanga Valley at 4050 m to the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail.

• Continue up to Barafu Camp with your Kilimanjaro trekking guide. By this stage, you will have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.

• Here, make camp with views of the summit in the distance.

Elevation: 4000 m to 4700 m

Distance: 9 km

Walking Time: 6-8 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• Very early in the morning, between midnight and 2 am, continue your way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers.

• Ascend through the scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. Remember, this will be the most challenging part of the trek, both mentally and physically.

• After a short stop at Stella Point, you may witness the most magnificent sunrise. Only the faster hikers will have the opportunity to view the sunrise from this point. This is not the final stop, as there is still a one-hour hike to reach the summit. While hiking from Stella Point to the summit, you may come across snow all the way.

• Once on the summit, try to take all your photographs as soon as possible, as it will be very cold.

• Then descend to Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. Gaiters and trekking poles are recommended for this section of the descent.

• Enjoy your last night on the mountain after reaching Mweka Camp.

Elevation: 4700 m to 5895 m to 3090 m

Distance: 5 km up and 13 km down

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up, 5-6 hours down

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

• Today is your last day on the mountain. After breakfast, you will descend to Mweka Park Gate, walking through Montana Forest. This descent will take 3-4 hours.

• At the gate, you will sign out and then board the vehicle for the transfer back to Moshi, about 30 minutes away, where you will return to the hotel for your certificate presentation and a well-deserved celebration.

Elevation: 3090 m to 1680 m to 1200 m

Distance: 10 km down

Walking Time: 3-4 hours descent

Habitat: Forest