7-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Expedition via the Scenic Machame Route

• Meet your tour guide, who will pick you up from the airport.
• The drive from Moshi to Machame Gate takes about 1 hour. The journey passes through the village of Machame, located on the mountain's lower slopes.
• Leave the park gate and walk through the dense rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge until you reach Machame Camp.

Elevation: 5,380 ft to 9,350 ft
Distance: 11 km/7 miles
Hiking time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Rainforest

• Wake up and have breakfast before proceeding with the second day of hiking. You will trek several uphills, with several viewpoints overlooking the plains and forests below, Kibo Peak above, and Mount Meru, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania.
• As you reach a higher altitude, you will notice changes in vegetation, and the trees diminish in size, giving way to Kilimanjaro's famous high-altitude plants, Scenecio Kilimanjari and Lobelia deckenii.

Elevation: 9,350 ft to 12,500 ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: Heath

Note: This is the shortest day, but it is a steeper one.

• Continue east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower - a tall volcanic rock formation.
• Descend to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at a higher altitude benefits acclimatization.

Elevation: 12,500 ft to 15,190 ft down 13,044 ft
Distance: 10 km/6 miles
Hiking time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

• Begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall.
• Climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. Cross a series of hills and valleys from the top of the Barranco Wall until you descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One steeper climb leads up to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.

Elevation: 13,044 ft to 13,106 ft
Distance: 5 km/3 miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

• Leave Karanga and head to the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail.
• Continue up to the rocky section of Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.
• Make camp, rest, and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.

Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft
Distance: 4 km/2 miles
Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• Begin the summit hike early in the morning, around midnight. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme.
• Ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, short breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak.
• Arrive at Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, descend straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees, so trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft descent to 10,065 ft
Distance: 18 km/10 miles
Hiking Time: 13-14 hours
Habitat: Arctic

• Continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi.

Elevation: 10,065 ft to 5,380 ft
Distance: 10 km/6 miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rainforest