Duration
7 Days Trekking Machame Route
Tour Overview
The 7 Days Trekking Machame Route is perfect for adventurers seeking a challenging yet rewarding path to the summit of Kilimanjaro. With its scenic views, diverse ecosystems, and excellent acclimatization profile, this route offers an unforgettable trekking experience. Book now and prepare to conquer Africa’s highest peak!
Key Highlights:
Machame Route: Known as the “Whiskey Route,” it is more challenging than Marangu but offers more rewarding scenery and acclimatization opportunities.
Summit Day: Reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, for an unforgettable sunrise.
Diverse Ecosystems: Experience the changing landscapes from lush rainforests to alpine deserts.
Tour Itinerary
After breakfast, your guide will brief you. At 8 am, our team will transport you from your hotel to Machame Village, where your guides and porters will organize your gear and provisions. Here, you'll also receive your lunch pack and have the chance to buy bottled water for the day. If the road is dry, we'll drive you to Machame Gate; if it's too muddy, the 3 km walk will take about an hour. Once registered at the Kilimanjaro Park Office, you'll start your ascent into the rainforest. Ensure you have sturdy footwear, trekking poles, and gaiters, especially for muddy trails. Lunch will be halfway up, and you'll reach Machame Camp in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Machame Camp
Meals: Lunch & Dinner included
You'll rise early to enjoy breakfast and prepare for the day's trek. The journey kicks off with a scenic hour-long hike through the lush rainforest glades. Following this, you'll ascend into the vast moorlands, characterized by sparse vegetation and small shrubs. After trekking for about 2 hours through the moorland, you'll pause for a well-deserved lunch and a brief rest. Then, you'll push forward, ascending onto the Shira Plateau, where the magnificent Western Breach and its glaciers will come into view for the first time. Heading westward, you'll make your way to the Shira Campsite. Here, the porters will ensure there's drinking and washing water available before serving dinner. Expect the Shira Camp to be quite exposed and considerably colder, with temperatures dipping below freezing.
Overnight: Shira Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
After breakfast and packing, you'll start your trek east up a steep path above the last bit of Kilimanjaro’s vegetation. After 5-6 hours, you'll reach the well-known landmark Lava Tower (15,190 ft/ 3,950 m). You will stop here for lunch and some bonus acclimatization before you descend for 2 hours below the Western Breach into the Barranco Camp. Day 3’s hike offers multiple terrific opportunities for photos, especially if the walls are covered with ice. While you wait for your dinner, you will have a chance to experience one of the most memorable sunsets you have ever seen as the sun drops through the valley. Pay attention to your body and keep your guide informed of any signs of altitude sickness.
Overnight: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
Following a rest beneath the imposing Great Barranco Wall, you'll face this challenge head-on. Fear not, it's simpler than it appears. Your journey will ascend until you're positioned just shy of the Heim Glacier. From there, you'll descend into the Karanga Valley, the final water-gathering point for your porters. They'll secure all necessary water for the remainder of the climb here. Settle into the Karanga Camp upon arrival. After lunch, indulge in some light exploration or simply relax, soaking in the breathtaking vistas of Mawenzi's majestic spires during the afternoon.
Overnight: Karanga Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
After breakfast, you’ll head east, crossing over multiple ridges and valleys until you join up with the Mweka Route and turn left to continue up the ridge for an hour to reach the Barafu Hut. You will arrive at camp to find your tent pitched on a rocky ridge with high winds. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the camp before dark to be safe. Also, have your headlamp/torch handy if you need to leave the tent after dark. You will prepare your equipment (replace batteries for headlamp and camera) before you go to bed by 7 pm and try to catch a few hours of shut-eye before your summit attempt!
Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
Barafu on your bid for the peak. You will climb 6 hours through thick scree following multiple switchbacks between the Ratzel and Rebmann glaciers until you reach Stella Point (18,650 ft/5,685 m). You have just completed what most climbers consider to be the most challenging part of their trek. Depending on your pace to this point, you may get the chance to enjoy the majestic sunrise during your short rest here. Although you will be fatigued, it is important to keep moving due to the extreme cold. At Stella Point, you have joined up with the last bit of the Marangu Route. You will hike along the rim for another 1-2 hours until you reach your ultimate goal of Uhuru Peak. Congratulations, you are now standing on the Roof of Africa! You will have time to take pictures with the world-famous Uhuru Peak sign, but it is important to begin your descent soon to allow yourself enough time to rest at the Barafu Camp.
Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi | Arusha, where you can treat yourself to a welcome hot shower.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included
Included
- Airport pick-up and dropoff
- Mountain sleeping tent
- Mess tents with tables and chairs
- Certified, experienced, English-speaking mountain guides:
- Climbing permits
- All hot Meals are prepared by our cook
- Guides, Porters, and Cook Salaries
- Enough porters to carry your luggage
- Safety Equipment
- Emergency Oxygen
- Mineral water
- Emergency rescue fees
- Personal Summit Certificate
Excluded
- Insurance
- International | Local flights
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Personal items (Souvenirs, Toiletries)
- Travel Insurance | Visa
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry services
- Tipping NB: Our Guides, cooks, and Porters are always satisfied with the Thanksgiving (tip) you have and not beyond your ability.
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The Extra mile Alex Baridi was our exzellent driver and Guido and did the Extra mile for us to enjoy a great holiday. Thanks again. To a very nice guy![]()
Christof M2024-10-01Verified
Tansania - what a very nice place It was our first time in East Africa and it was a great trip. The organization, food and accommodation left nothing to be desired. Alex, our German- and English-speaking guide during the safari, drove us safely along the Tanzanian roads. He imparted a lot of knowledge about the country, the people and the animals and made sure we had a lot of fun. Thanks to him in particular and to the whole team, it was a great experience.![]()
Volker S2024-09-21Verified
Alex you are great Alex Baridi was our driver who was excellent and very trustworthy. The trip with him was really great and he is an really great Organizer.We would always travel with him again Thanks very much![]()
Christoph P2024-09-15Verified
Unforgetable experience Thank you, Alex,for an unforgetable experience. We always felt safe and welcome. And sooo much Gnus...;) We appreciated all the hints and explanations.![]()
Susi S2024-08-28Verified
Unpublished Safari in Tanzania with SunDown African Advantures Limited I did this safari in March 2023. It was very great, with a very welcoming and very professional team, led by Mr. Alex.In addition to Safari, we had the opportunity to be close to Tanzanian culture through the tribes....![]()
Abdelhamid Z2024-08-23Verified
Excellent safari with Alex We had the pleasure of having Alex from Sundown as our guide and driver for a 4 day safari in Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti. We stayed in fabulous accommodation, saw so much amazing wildlife, and met many warm, friendly and kind people. We can’t recommend a safari holiday highly enough for fun, adventure and learning. Alex was an excellent guide and by the time he dropped us at Seronera airport for our flight to Zanzibar, we had become friends. We hope to be back to beautiful Tanzania.![]()
Jade S2024-08-22Verified
Great experience We had a great time. Our guide Alex was a good driver and his knowledge about the animals was really impressive. Apart from that, the whole tour is well organized.![]()
Jan W2024-08-21Verified
Highly recommend! We had a great trip and the wonderful experience with the sundown Africa Adventure travel Agency. Our tourist guide, Alex, is a funny and friendly person. He knows the area well to find animals. He always asks us what we would like to see tomorrow and tries his best to satisfy our preferences. Alex comes highly recommended.![]()
Excursion484387113992024-04-14Verified
1,000 times more amazing than what I had guessed If you’re thinking that going on an African Safari will be wonderful, let me share with you that my trip with Sundown African Adventures was seriously 1,000 times more incredible than I had guessed. The lodgings that Sundown African Adventures chose were all top-notch and the places they took us to were all magnificent. We received excellent service from our Guide-Driver, “Alex”. He was very professional, kind, and always aware of our safety. His extraordinary knowledge of the animals and the environment were remarkable. Alex had a sixth-sense about what the animals were actually thinking. I’m planning on sending my daughter and son-in-law for their honeymoon on tour with Sundown.![]()
Companion4647512024-02-06Verified
SunDown - Wonderful place that is definitely worth visiting! Wonderful place that is definitely worth visiting! The service is great, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. Everything is worth every penny. Highly recommended!Tanzania is a country that has something for everyone. From the stunning beaches of Zanzibar to the breathtaking wildlife in the Serengeti, Tanzania is a destination that will leave you in awe. The country is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, which is a must-visit for adventure enthusiasts. Tanzania is also known for its rich cultural heritage and friendly people. The country is home to over 120 ethnic groups, each with their own unique customs and traditions. The people of Tanzania are warm and welcoming, and they will make you feel right at home![]()
Katarzyna B2024-01-19