This document outlines a 6-day itinerary to summit Mount Kilimanjaro via the Machame route. Key details include: - Accommodation is in 3-person tents at campsites along the route. The ascent is via the Machame route and descent is via the Mweka route. - The itinerary involves trekking to different elevation camps each day, with acclimatization being important. An optional extra day is recommended. - Day 5 involves an early morning summit attempt to reach Uhuru Peak (5,985m), the highest point in Africa, then descending to the last campsite. - Day 6 is the descent to the park gate, with a

1. MACHAME ROUTE.
Importantinformation:
AccommodationisonlyincampsitesinK-waybasecamp3persontents.AscentisviaMachame route
and descentisviaMwekaroute.Thisroute can be trekkedwithinminimumof 6 days,howeveran
additional dayforacclimatizationishighlyrecommended.
Successrate ishigh.Trafficisveryhigh.
ITINERARY 6 DAYS 5 NIGHTS(1355$/ person)
Day 1-Machame gate (1800m) – Machame Camp(3000m) 5-7 hourstrek – 9km Montane forest,
heather& moorlandzone
The drive fromMoshi to the Mount KilimanjaroNational ParkGate takesabout50 minutes.The journey
passesthroughthe village of Machame,whichislocatedonthe lowerslopesof the mountain.Once we
reach the park gate,climbersare requestedtomake theirfinal preparationsforthe climb.Porterswill
be seenarrangingtheirpackscontainingthe food,water,firewood,andotherequipment.Make sure
that youhave all your daypackitemswithyouas the porterstravel veryquickly.The guideswill be
pleasedtoassistwithanyadditional information.We now leave the parkgate andwalkthroughthe rain
forestona windingtrail tothe firstcamp,whichislocatedat an altitude of 3,048 meters.Lowerdown,
the trail can be muddyand slippery.Gaitersandtrekkingpolesare a goodideahere.We continue a
short distance until we reachthe Machame Hut. Here we make camp, rest,enjoyourdinner,and
overnight.e have nowreachedanaltitude of 3,000 meters.
Day 2- Machame Camp (3000m) – ShiraCamp (3845m) 5-7 hours trek – 7km Heather& Moorlandzone
Afterbreakfast,we leave the gladesof the rainforestandcontinue onan ascendingpath,crossingthe
little valleywalkingalongasteeprockyridge,coveredwithheather,untilthe ridge ends.The route now
turns westontoa rivergorge at 3,658 meters.Time forrest,dinner,andovernightatthe Shiracampsite.
For acclimatizationpurposes,some partiesstayhere anextranight.
Day 3 – Shira (3845m) – Lava Tower(4630m)-Barranco Camp (3960m) 6-8 hours trek – 10km Heather&
Moorlandzone
From the ShiraPlateau,we continue tothe east,passingthe junctiontowardsthe peakof Kibo.Aswe
continue,ourdirectionchangestothe SouthEast towardsthe Lava Tower,calledthe “Shark’sTooth.”
Shortlyafterthe tower, we come to the secondjunction,whichbringsusupto the Arrow Glacierat an
altitude of 4,876 meters.We nowcontinue downtothe Barranco camp at an altitude of 3,860 meters.
Here we rest,enjoydinner,andovernight.Althoughyouendthe dayat the same elevation,aswhenyou
started,thisdayis veryimportantforacclimatizationandwill helpyourbodyprepare forsummitday.
Day 4 – Barranco Camp (3960m) – Barafu (4600m) 7-8 hourstrek – 8km Heather,Moorland& Alpine
desertzone

2. Afterbreakfast,we leave Barrancoandcontinue ona steepridge passingthe BarrancoWall,throughthe
Karanga Valley(4200m),andthe junctionthat connectswiththe MwekaTrail.We continue tothe
Barafu Hut,whichis locatedatan altitude of 4,600 meters.Youhave completedthe SouthCircuit,which
offersviewsof the summitfrommanydifferentangles.Here we make camp,rest,enjoydinner,and
prepare forthe summitday.The twopeaksof Mawenzi andKiboare to be seenfromthisposition.This
sectioncan alsobe dividedinto2separate days,where aninbetweencampwill be made inornear the
Karanga valley.Thismakesthe summitdayaloteasier…
Day 5 – Barafu Camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak(5895m) – Mweka Camp(3100m) 13-15 hours trek – 19km
Alpine desert,snow,heather &moorlandzone
Early morning,we continue ourwaytothe summitof Uhuru Peakat 5,985 meters.Thispart of the climb
takesabout6 hours.It can be verycoldat nightat these elevations,butitwill be quite warmbythe end
of the hikingday.Youwill wantclothingforbothextremeswithyou.AtUhuruPeak,we have reached
the highestpointonMount Kilimanjaroandthe continentof Africa.Fasterhikerswill see the sunrise
fromthe summit.Fromthe summit,we now make ourdescentcontinuingstraightdowntothe Mweka
Hut campsite at 3,100 meters.Thispart of the descenttakesabout5 hours.You will wantgaitersand
trekkingpolesforthe loose gravel goingdown.Laterinthe evening,we enjoyourlastdinneronthe
mountainanda well-earnedsleep.
Day 6 – Mweka camp (3100m) – Mwekagate (1800m) 3-4 hours trek – 10km Heather,Moorland&
Montane forestzone
Afterbreakfast,we continue the descentdowntothe MwekaParkGate. At lowerelevations,itcanbe
wetand muddy.Gaitersandtrekkingpoleswill help.Shortsandt-shirtswill probablybe plentytowear
(keepraingearandwarmerclothinghandy).A vehicle will meetyouatMwekavillage todrive youback
to hotel inMoshi and celebrations.
Recommendedadditional day for acclimatizationKaranga Camp 4035m $ 260 per personis on day 4
of the 6 days climb.Crater camp can be visitedas an additional to those trekkers who want to explore
the ash pit.