8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Hike via Machame Route with Summit Sunrise

• On the way to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, the journey passes through the village of Machame, which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain.
• Once you leave the park gate, you will walk through the rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge until you reach Machame Camp.

Hiking time: 7 hours

• Shortly after leaving Machame Camp, you will leave the glades of the rainforest and continue on an ascending path to a steep rocky ridge covered with heather. The route then turns west into a river gorge and continues to Shira Campsite.

Hiking time: 5 hours

• From the Shira Plateau, you will continue east up a ridge, eventually passing the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth."
• Shortly after the tower, you come to the second junction, which leads up to the Arrow Glacier and continues on to Barranco Campsite.

Hiking time: 7 hours

• Leave Barranco after breakfast with a challenging scramble up the Barranco Wall. This is the most difficult part of the day.
• Once you reach the top of the wall, you will make a small descent to the Karanga Valley and spend the night at Karanga Camp.

Hiking time: 4 hours

• You leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge, passing up the Barranco Wall and through the Karanga Valley.
• From Karanga, head up a moraine ridge where the views can be spectacular. The final stage to Barafu is quite steep, and as always, it is taken very slowly.
• In the evening, your guide briefs you for the final ascent.

You can take an optional acclimatization day by staying a night at Karanga Camp (13,100 ft) before continuing the next day to Barafu Camp. This gives you a little extra time to acclimatise.

Hiking time: 5 hours

• Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), you will continue your way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
• At Stella Point, you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see, weather permitting. It can be very cold at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day, so you will want clothes for both extremes with you.
• We now make our descent from the summit, continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon.

Hiking time: 15 hours

• From Mweka Camp, you continue the descent down to Mweka Gate. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Shorts and T-shirts will probably be plenty to wear, but keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy.
• At Mweka Gate, summiting climbers receive their summit certificates.
• Our driver will meet you at the gate and transport you to your Moshi hotel. Depending on availability, an overnight stay is included in our packages.

Hiking time: 3-6 hours

• Enjoy breakfast and morning sightseeing in the city, or join us for one of our safari adventures.
• Our driver will bring you to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to catch your flight if you are returning home.