7 Days Machame Route

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Tour Highlights

The Marangu route is perhaps the easiest and most comfortable way to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. The route is popular, well-developed and the climb is constant and moderate. The approach to the summit is the exception, however, and demands more from the body and mind. Accommodation is in dormitory style rustic huts that are more comfortable and sheltered from the elements on cold nights. This is the only route on the mountain where you do not sleep in tents.

Tour Itinerary

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be met by our representative from John adventures and transferred to Moshi for overnight accommodation.
After long journey refresh and Relax then later on your head guide will meet you for briefing.

After breakfast, you will be collected from your lodge and taken to the Kilimanjaro National Park. While your guide is registering, you can watch the mountain team preparing – it is always impressive ‘what’ and particularly ‘how’ everything is carried up the mountain. Once this is all packed up, your adventure will begin; after a few minutes you will be deep within the forest with ancient trees, ferns, mosses and black and white colobus monkeys frolicking in the treetops. After 5 – 6 hours you will reach – Machame Camp –situated just above the forest line at 3000 m. Arriving here, the porters have already set up your tents and warm water for washing is ready.

After an early morning start, the path steepens and the vegetation changes into a moorland with shrubs such as hardy Ericas. Today’s stage is shorter than the previous day and by mid-afternoon, you will arrive at the campsite at the Shira Plateau. From the camp you will have breath-taking views of the mountain and evening light on the rock face and glacier of Kibo as the sun sets.

Today will be a day for ups and downs. You will ascend almost 700 m but descend again after reaching the imposing Lava Tower (4640 m). This will help with acclimatisation as you will reach a height of over 4500 m. You will move through different vegetation zones. After reaching Lava Tower the path traverses Barranco Valley dotted with the weird-looking senecios. Barranco Camp is reached after 6 – 7 hours. Considered the most beautiful camp on the mountain, the camp is situated just below the imposing Barranco Wall. Rest and refuel tonight.

Our day starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3963m. For those feeling strong we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.

After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.

We start off at around midnight, and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest.

A gentle trek takes us down through the rain forest 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, where you can treat yourself to a welcome hot shower.

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KIWI PLANET
18:39 18 Jun 24
It was a great adventure to make that trip in a nice team with excellent guides. Everything was well prepared. Unforgettable moments
Emanueli Saidi profile picture
Emanueli Saidi
16:52 28 May 24
My friend and I booked a private climb on the Lemosho route with John Adventures and had an excellent experience. We highly recommend John Adventures for anyone planning to climb Kilimanjaro.
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    included:

    • Trekking tour according to the itinerary
    • Accommodation in tents and hotels as indicated in the itinerary
    • Professional English-speaking guide
    • Crew wages 
    • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
    • Transfers to/from the gate 
    • Camping equipment – tents, sleeping mattress and camping furniture
    • 18 % VAT for the services and operations 
    • Rescue fees
    • 1 Night before hiking 

    excluded:

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    • Sleeping bag (can be rented, please ask us at the time of the booking)