7-Day Kilimanjaro Machame Route Trek to Uhuru Peak at Sunrise

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Experience the breathtaking diversity of Kilimanjaro's landscapes along the Machame Route
• 02 Benefit from the Machame Route's acclimatization profile as you climb to extreme heights early in the trek
• 03 Witness a magnificent sunrise above the clouds on summit day
• 04 Reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa

Embark on a 7-day Kilimanjaro trek via the Machame Route, a rewarding climb through rainforest, heather-covered ridges, high-altitude plateaus, and alpine terrain. Known for its strong acclimatization profile, this route exposes climbers to extreme heights early in the trek to help the body adapt to altitude. Reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and in Africa, and witness an unforgettable sunrise above the clouds.

At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see, weather permitting.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 7 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Hard

Accommodation Included · Budget

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Arusha, Moshi, Mount Kilimanjaro, Machame

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Tanzania and Trek Briefing

• You will be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. There, you will meet your guide, who will brief you on your upcoming trek and carry out an equipment check to ensure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Any missing gear can be rented on this day.

2

Day 02

Machame Gate to Machame Camp Through Rainforest

• The drive from Moshi or Arusha to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park gate passes through the village of Machame, located at the mountain's base. From the park gate, you will walk through the rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery, so gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We then continue walking a short distance until we reach Machame Camp.

3

Day 03

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

• After breakfast, we leave the rainforest glades and continue on an ascending path, crossing a small valley and walking along a steep rocky ridge covered with heather until the ridge ends. The route then turns west onto a river gorge, where we overnight at Shira Camp.

4

Day 04

Shira Camp via Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

• From the Shira Plateau, we continue east up a ridge, passing the junction toward the peak of Kibo. As we proceed, our direction changes to the southeast toward the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after the tower, we arrive at the second junction, which leads up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000 ft. We then continue down to Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000 ft. Here, we rest, enjoy dinner, and stay overnight. Although you end the day at nearly the same height as when you started, this day is significant for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

5

Day 05

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

• After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge, passing the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley campsite. Then we leave Karanga and join the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many angles. Here, we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this position.

6

Day 06

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak and Descent to Mweka Hut

• Very early in the morning, between midnight and 2 am, we continue to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head northwesterly and ascend through heavy scree toward Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
• At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see, weather permitting. You may encounter snow from Stella Point on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you will have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.
• From the summit, we descend straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will need gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel on the way down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

7

Day 07

Descent to Mweka Gate and Return to Moshi

• After breakfast, we descend to Mweka Park Gate to receive your certificates. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka Park Gate and drive you back to your hotel in Moshi.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
• Professional, experienced mountain guides
• Guides, porters, cook salaries, and park fees
• Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents on a twin-sharing basis
• Sleeping mattress
• Emergency oxygen cylinder
• All meals while on the mountain
• Quality mess tents with tables and chairs
• Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
• Clean, purified drinking water
• Conservation fees (part of park fees)
• Camping or hut fees (part of park fees)
• Rescue fees (part of park fees)
• VAT (18% charged by the Government)
• Kilimanjaro summit certificate

What's Not Included

• Tanzania visa
• International and domestic flights
• Hotel (available as an optional add-on)
• Transfers (available as an optional add-on)
• Personal trekking equipment such as sleeping bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc. (available for rent)
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
• Liquors, beers, and bottled beverages

What to bring

• Personal trekking equipment such as sleeping bags, hiking boots, and clothes
• Gaiters
• Trekking poles

Know before you go

• Machame route is considered a challenging route. The reason is that it is a steep trail and has more elevation gain than other routes. A route profile, sometimes called an elevation profile, is a side view of geographical data that focuses on elevation.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Kilimanjaro International Airport, Kilimanjaro Airport Road, Tanzania

Tour start

Kilimanjaro Airport Rd, Tanzania

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.