Your journey to Uhuru peak on this 7-day Kilimanjaro Hiking Safari will be via the Machame route aka “Whiskey route”. A highly recommended route with beautiful sceneries and a good summit success route. One of the most popular routes on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro Hiking Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Machame gate to Machame camp (1,790 – 3,010m)
- Day 2: Machame camp to Shira 2 camp (3,010 – 3,845m)
- Day 3: Acclimatization Day; Shira 2 camp to Lava tower (4,640m) to Barranco camp (3,960m)
- Day 4: Barranco camp to Karanga camp (3,960 – 4,035m)
- Day 5: Karanga camp to Barafu camp (4,035 – 4,640m)
- Day 6: Summit Day; Barafu camp to Uhuru peak (5,895m) to Mweka camp (3,080m)
- Day 7: Descend from Mweka camp to Mweka gate (3,080 – 1,630m)
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Machame gate to Machame camp (1,790 – 3,010m)
From Moshi drive through Machame village, do some last light shopping (snacks, water) and then continue to the parks gate where you will complete some formalities, meet your guides and porters and off to the mountain you go. Enter from the Machame gate into the lush rainforest whose trail can be slippery, your hiking poles could come in handy. You will have a break for lunch then procced to Machame camp, where you will spend the night.
Hiking time: 5-6 hours
Day 2: Machame camp to Shira 2 camp (3,010 – 3,845m)
After breakfast, continue with your climb out of the rainforest and into the moorland zone. The ascent becomes steeper as you head towards the river gorge and later arrive at Shira 2 camp. Have your dinner and tuck in for the night, be sure to try and keep warm as temperatures start dropping.
Hiking time: 5-6 hours
Day 3: Acclimatization Day; Shira 2 camp to Lava tower (4,640m) to Barranco camp (3,960m)
The most important day of this 7-day Kilimanjaro climb. The acclimatization day helps your body adapt to the high altitude thus combating altitude sickness. You will go across the famous Shira plateau, trek on south eastwards to the Lava tower where you will have a short break and enjoy your afternoon meal. Later on, descend to Barranco camp for your overnight stay.
Hiking time: 6-7 hours
Day 4: Barranco camp to Karanga camp (3,960 – 4,035m)
After breakfast, you shall go up the easy but yet a little bit challenging Barranco wall where at some points during the climb, you will need to use your hands to hold onto something to propel yourself. Enjoy the views as you go up the Barranco wall. Later in the day, we arrive at Karanga camp, our final destination for today.
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Day 5: Karanga camp to Barafu camp (4,035 – 4,640m)
Today we hike to Barafu camp, our last sleepover before our final attempt to reach Uhuru peak. You will have an early dinner once you get to Barafu camp so that you can have enough time to prepare you mind and gear for summit night. Go to bed early and get enough sleep for you will be woken up in the night to start your last ascent to the summit at 12:00 hrs. (midnight)
Hiking camp: 3-4 hours
Day 6: Summit Day; Barafu camp to Uhuru peak (5,895m) to Mweka camp (3,080m)
At midnight, you hit the trails and hike up towards the Uhuru peak (5,895m). Give it all you have got, one last push through the harsh cold conditions of summit night. At the end of the ascent when you are at the top of Kilimanjaro, the warm sunrise and feeling excitement of the great accomplishment will be your greatest reward. Stand still, take a deep breath and take it all in, reflecting on the journey that brought you to the highest point in Africa. You have about 15-30 minutes at the peak before you start your descent to Mweka camp where you will spend your last night on the mountain.
Hiking time: 5-7 hours (ascent) 5-6 hours (descent)
Day 7: Descend from Mweka camp to Mweka gate (3,080 – 1,630m)
Final descent. After breakfast you will continue your descent via the Mweka route to Mweka gate where your tour driver will be waiting to meet you and welcome you back from the summit. Get your certificates and then drive to your hotel in Moshi. Let the celebrations continue after a much needed and deserved hot shower.
Hiking camp: 3-4 hours (descent)
