Explore Kilimanjaro’s Beauty with a 7-Day Machame Route Expedition

Overview

Explore Kilimanjaro’s Beauty with a 7-Day Machame Route Expedition


The Machame Route is well known as the "Whiskey Route" and one of the most popular trails on Mount Kilimanjaro, fondly known as Kili. It is reported that around 50% of trekkers use this route to ascend to the highest point in Africa and for good reason. The trail, whilst challenging, also offers spectacular vistas, ascends the Barranco wall and allows good acclimatisation opportunities.
From lush rainforest, the trail rises steeply towards the Shira Plateau, providing trekkers with scenic mountain views and varying landscapes. While the ascent does not require any technical climbing, the trails are demanding and a sound level of fitness are essential pre-requisites. With seven days on the mountain, there is excellent opportunity for a safe and successful climb, with a sound sense of achievement more than reward for your effort.

Duration 7 Days 6 Night
Tour Type Hiking
Group Size No size Limit
Guides Languages English
Package Includes Private Transportation to and from your selected Route
Airport pick up
2:Two nights’ accommodation in the hotel; first night includes BB Bed & breakfast, last night includes BB
Quality, Waterproof, four-season private mountain sleeping tent for camp route
Certified, experienced, English speaking mountain guides
All Kilimanjaro National Park Fees
Government Climbing Taxes
Climbing permits
All hot Meals prepared by our cook while on Mountain
Guides, Porters and Cook Salaries
Fair and ethical treatment of Porters
Enough porters to carry your luggage
Personal Summit Certificate signed by the National Park and your Guide
Excluded Personal items and toiletries
Hotel (available as an optional addon)
Transfers (available as an optional addon)
Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
Tips for guides, porters and cook
International airfares and departure taxes
All items of person nature such as telephone call, fax, email etc
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Visa and International flight tickets fees.


Itinerary

  • Hiking time: 7 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 18 kilometers
  • Habitat: Montane forest
The Kilimanjaro National Park gate is only a 45-minute drive from your hotel. You will be picked up after breakfast and make your way there for the start of your climb. Once you have arrived your guide will get started with the formalities (entrance forms) while you observe all the different teams and mountain crew getting ready for their expedition. It’s always a fascinating experience for clients to watch them load all the different items for the trip. As soon as everything is prepared your adventure will begin. The destination for today will be the Machame Camp which you should reach in about 5 – 6 hours. On route you will experience a wonderful rainforest with ancient trees, primeval ferns, liana & lichen to mention but a few. Another favourite to look out for on this day is the black and white thumbless colobus monkeys. Once you arrive at your campsite for the night you have time to relax before enjoying a well deserve dinner prepared by our own cook.

  • Hiking time: 6 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 9 kilometers
  • Habitat: Moorland
Although today is a shorter stretch then yesterday you will still have an early start which will allow you to reach today’s destination around mid-afternoon. The landscape changes dramatically from the green mountain rainforest into moor and heath land. You will have a beautiful view of the mountain range from your campsite which is situated at the Shira Plateau. The glacier of Kibo also lights up as the sun sets for the evening.

  • Hiking time: 7 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
  • Habitat: Semi-desert
Today is a good day for the body to acclimatise for the days to follow. You will climb roughly 700m but will sleep on a level not much higher than the night before. We will start at Shira Plateau and make our way up to Lava Tower at around 4640m, after a rest we will continue through the Barranco Valley until we reach our destination for the day the beautiful Barranco Camp. Today’s trek will be approximately 6 – 7 hours, during which time you will experience the alpine desert as well as the Barranco Valley with its small lobelia plants and giant senecio’s. You will sit down for a well-deserved dinner before it’s time to rest in preparation for the next day.

  • Hiking time: 4-5 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 5 kilometers
  • Habitat: Alpine desert
Just after breakfast we concur the famous Barranco Wall. You might need your hands once in a while for better grip, but with that being said, there are no climbing passages, and as safety is very important please listen to our guides who will ensure you get to the top safely. There will be a lot of ascents and descents today followed by a walk along the mountain ridge. This will reward you will a great view of the glacier of Kibo. Walking time today will be 3 – 4 hours with the Kibo summit all the time on your left accompanying you to your camp for the night.

  • Hiking time: 2-3 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers
  • Habitat: Alpine desert
Barafu Camp is our destination for today and will be reach after 3-4 hours. Most of this time you will be walking through the moon-like alpine dessert. After a satisfying dinner you will have an early night and a good rest. The highlight of your trip is now only some hours away.

  • Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
  • Distance: Approximately 7 kilometer ascent and 23 kilometer descent
  • Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
This will be the toughest but also the most rewarding day. We will wake up very very early, during the night, in order to arrive to the peak at sunrise. This will just be a 5 kilometers hike but due to the altitude and steepness (1186 meters ascent) it will take 6 to 7 hours to do. When you reach the summit, you will be at 5986 meters and have the best views of your entire life. You will never in your life forget this moment and it will make you a better person. After some time at the summit, we’ll start our descent to Mweka. Again, we’ll walk for 5 to 7 hours, for a total of 12 kilometers, in order to sleep at a much more comfortable altitude of 3096 meters. Dinner/Overnight at Mweka Camp.

  • Hiking time: 3 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
  • Habitat: Montane forest
A sustained descent on a well constructed path through lovely tropical forest alive with birdsong and boasting lush undergrowth with considerable botanical interest.
Our route winds down to the National Park gate at Mweka (1650m). Here we sign out from the National Park before walking on for a further 15 minutes through coffee and banana farms to Mweka village where our vehicle awaits.
The shower, the beer, and the swimming pool are tantalisingly close!

7 Days Machame Route Price

Solo = $1,900 USD
Group of 2 = $1,854 USD
Group of 3 = $1,800 USD
Group of 4+ = $1,750 USD
Kilimanjaro Trekkings

Suggested Safari Itineraries

kilimanjaro-climb-6days-marangu-route

6 Days Kilimanjaro Climbing Marangu Route

From $1,600 See Details
kilimanjaro-climb-8days-lemosho-route

8 Days Kilimanjaro Climb Lemosho Route

From $2,180 See Details
6days-machame

Kilimanjaro Climb Machame Route 6days

From $1,800 See Details


Our Partners

Category
Category
Category
Category
Category
Category
Category