8-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Route Trek with Uhuru Peak Summit

• Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where you will meet the guide and be transferred to the hotel. In the evening, there will be a briefing with our managers to ensure you are prepared to trek Kilimanjaro on the Machame Route for 7 days by checking your gear and giving you a brief trip breakdown.
• Note: Check-in starts at 2:00 PM.

• A guide and support crew will arrive at the hotel in the morning to meet you and hold another briefing. Then, we will travel to the entrance of Kilimanjaro National Park, known as Machame Gate (1,800 m). You will be on the trail after a few hours of formalities with the park rangers at the gate. The group will stop for a light snack and then hike towards Machame Camp (3,010 m). Raincoats are especially necessary on this day, as you will be walking through the rainforest.

Change in Elevation: Machame Gate (1,800 m) - Machame Camp (3,010 m)

Hiking distance: 11 km

Hiking time: 5-7 hours

• An early wake-up and breakfast begin the day. The first part of today's trek is a slow, gradual, steep walk as you climb out of the jungle and see the stunning Shira Plateau for the first time. After reaching the camp and enjoying lunch, we can explore the Shira Caves or continue an acclimatization hike towards the Lava Tower. We will return to camp to enjoy dinner and rest.

Change in Elevation: Machame Camp (3,010 m) - Shira Camp (3,845 m)

Hiking distance: 5 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

• After breakfast, you will leave Shira Camp (3,845 m) and head to the critical point of the route, the Lava Tower (4,630 m). Once we reach the Lava Tower, we will stay there for 2 hours and enjoy lunch for proper acclimatization. After lunch, we will pass by the Arrow Glacier (4,876 m).
• Then, you will descend to Barranco Camp (3,960 m). Here, you can see the famous Barranco Wall, rest, and enjoy a warm dinner.
• Note:
• Although you end the day at nearly the same elevation at which you began, this day is significant for acclimatization and will help you prepare for the summit day.
• If one or more participants feel sick, the group may refrain from passing the Lava Tower and adjust the route, following the road for porters instead. In this case, you will not reach an altitude of 4,630 meters, going up only to a maximum of 4,400 meters.

Change in Elevation: Shira Camp (3,845 m) - Barranco Camp (3,960 m)

Hiking distance: 10 km

Hiking time: 6-8 hours

• Early wake-up, breakfast, and the start of summiting Barranco Wall begin the day. The climb is on a steep ridge, but hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.
• Then, you start a more difficult hike to Karanga Camp (4,035 m), which features numerous ascents and descents along the route. After reaching the camp, you will enjoy a warm lunch. Then, after a couple of hours, you will begin the trek to Barafu Summit Camp (4,640 m), the starting point for the night ascent to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Our team will set up camp for you ahead of time, including tents and sleeping bags, so you can relax. After regaining strength, you have to complete an acclimatization hike towards the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp (4,800 m) and then return to Barafu Camp, where you will be served a hot dinner and be prepared for the climb to the summit. It is better to spend the remainder of the day resting and sleeping.

Trekking from Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Change in Elevation: Barranco Camp (3,960 m) - Barafu Camp (4,640 m)

Hiking distance: 9 km

Hiking time: 8-10 hours

Acclimatization hike:

Change in Elevation: Barafu Camp (4,640 m) - Kosovo Camp (4,800 m)

Hiking distance: 2 km

Hiking time: 1 hour

• Very early wake-up, around midnight, we begin our climb to the summit. Each pair of climbers will get a personal guide for the entire ascent to monitor their physical and mental conditions. Then, we will continue our ascent toward Stella Point (5,669 m). This is the most challenging portion of the climb due to the high altitude. At Stella Point, we will enjoy a short rest, and you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (unless you are a fast hiker, in which case you may enjoy a fantastic sunrise from Uhuru Peak), weather permitting. You may encounter snow from Stella Point along your 1-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). After your successful ascent to Uhuru Peak - the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and the last point of the climb on the Machame Route - you will have reached the highest point in all of Africa - congratulations!
• We will descend to Barafu Camp from the summit to rest and enjoy a warm lunch. Then, we will continue to Millennium Camp for the night.

Change in Elevation: Barafu (4,640 m) - Uhuru Peak (5,895 m)

Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) - Millennium Camp (3,950 m)

Hiking distance: 5 km ascent / 10 km descent

Hiking time: 7-8 hours ascent / 3-4 hours descent

• The final day is a short hike through the dense montane rainforest from Millennium Camp (3,950 meters) to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters). At the gate, you must sign out with the authorities, who will also provide you with your official certificate - a green certificate for those who made it to Gilman's Point and a gold certificate for those who reached Uhuru Peak. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the hotel, where you will debrief with your crew and enjoy a well-deserved rest.

Change in Elevation: Millennium Camp (3,950 m) - Mweka Camp (3,048 m) - Moshi (1,524 m)

Hiking distance: 12 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Day 8 HOTEL CHECKOUT/ DEPARTURE FLIGHT
Hotel checkout is at 11 am. From there, a Majali guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight.

• Hotel checkout is at 11 am. From there, the guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight.