8 Days Trekking tour itinerary for Mount Kilimanjaro & Moshi: Go Up Africa's Highest Mountain Via Machame Route

You are picked up from the airport and transported to the kili Cottages. Make sure you arrive early on this day as there is a lot to get done. Once you have had a chance to settle in, the guides will arrange a final briefing and gear check to make sure that you are perfectly ready before the start of the climb the next day. The rest of the day will be spent at leisure but make sure you get a good night's rest as the next day starts pretty early!  

After breakfast, you will depart by a private vehicle to Kilimanjaro. At the gate, you will sign in and after the formalities you will start off from Machame gate.    Today's hike is through verdant from montane forests to Machame camp and en route you will stop and have a picnic lunch. Look out for pretty endemic flora and a graduation of forest zones!

Stay overnight in Machame Camp.

 From Machame camp,  hike to Shira Camp. The first section is relatively steep and altitude is gained rapidly. A picnic lunch is taken on trail today if weather and time permits. The zone you pass through today is known as the heath zone where attractive helichrysum and lobelia plants become apparent. Various geologic features can be seen today from lava tubes to glacial valleys.

Stay overnight at Shira Camp. 

Today is a "walk high sleep low day." You ascend into alpine desert and for those feeling strong you can even head up to Lava Tower before descending to Barranco camp. You will have a picnic lunch en route. This is a long day, but note that the next time you head to this altitude in two days time - great acclimatization day!

Stay overnight at Barranco Camp.  

From Barranco camp, famous for it's giant groundsels (Dendrosenecio species), you ascend the Barranco wall and hike glacial valleys to Karanga camp.       Today is a relatively short day and we will have lunch at Karanga camp.

In the afternoon, take a walk with your guides for great views of the southern walls of Kibo and deep glacial valleys. Stay overnight at Karanga Camp. 

Today is another half day ascending to Barafu camp. Once again, we will have lunch an the camp allowing plenty of time to relax before the summit bid. Desolate alpine desert and at times strong winds rip over this camp and yet in the evening, one can enjoy splendid views of Mawenzi peak are the norm. We will eat a relatively early dinner before heading to rest for the evening.

Stay overnight at Barafu Camp.

Most people depart just before midnight for the final summit bid. Patience and persistence is the name of the game to reach the summit and by dawn as the first rays of light start to appear - most arrive near the rim. Ascending via Stella Point affords a relatively short final section to Uhuru peak, the Roof of Africa! What goes up must come down and your goal today is to reach Mweka camp before dusk.

Stay overnight at Mweka Camp. If we are late summiting, then we may camp at the nearby Millenium Camp.

After breakfast, you descend once again through mountain forest and around mid day, after bidding your crew farewell, you are picked up and transferred back to your Kili Cottages hotel for a well-deserved shower! Last of all, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.