Machame Route

A member of Jerry Tanzania Tours hospitality team greets you upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). He will drive you to Chanya Lodge, where you will have all the essentials for a comfortable stay after a long flight, such as: pleasant rooms with hot showers, a restaurant with delicious choices, genial service team and access to the Internet. Your briefing, in the course of which your guides will provide all the details of the forthcoming trek, takes place at the appointed time. They will answer your questions and make sure you are properly equipped for the trek, providing rental gear when necessary.

Journey time and Distance: 77 minutes’ drive, from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Chanya Lodge

This morning you take a leisurely breakfast at your Chanya Lodge, before setting out in your vehicle at around 08.00hrs to allow for a scheduled arrival at the Machame Gate (1,800 metres) at 09.30hrs. Your first job will be to complete the registration formalities, before you start your trek. You will also enjoy the introduction to your mountain team: your guides, porters and everyone else who will accompany you as you make your ascent.

Today’s walk is a long one: in pure numbers, you will gain around 1,035 metres of altitude over a distance of just under 11 km/7 miles and can expect to be walking for between 4.5 and 5 hours.

The beginning of the walk today is characterized by a wide track that winds its way up through dense forest, beautiful tall trees laden with green moss. As the route becomes steeper and narrower, so the vegetation changes and the appearance of flowers such as impatiens kilimanjari and impatiens pseudoviola introduce some bright colours to the scenery. You will also be able to get your first glimpse of Kibo peak, away to the east. The birdlife around the camp is surprisingly rich, so look out for species such as olive thrush and stonechat. You hope to reach camp at around 17.00hrs, giving you a couple of hours of welcome rest before dinner is served.

Hiking time and Elevation: 4.5 – 5 hours’ walking, from Machame Gate at 1,800 m to Machame Camp at 2,835 m

You will begin your day with breakfast at the camp before you start trekking up to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp. Today you will emerge from the rainforest and for the first time be able to marvel stunning views of the Shira Plateau laid out in front of you. Technically speaking, trekking is not very difficult, but you may feel the changes in altitude, so pay attention to your body and remember that choosing the proper pace is extremely important for good trekking. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and some rest, after which the group will go on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 400 metres gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp, you will be served a hot dinner.

Hiking time and Elevation: 6 hours’ walking, from Machame Camp at 2,835 m to Shira Camp at 3,750 m

After breakfast, your party will depart Shira Camp and head towards Lava Tower. The rise-and-fall nature of this trek may present some difficulties. However, reaching the 4,600 metres altitude at the Lava Tower is key for proper acclimatization, which is why we encourage our groups to eat lunch at the top of the Lava Tower. This allows you some additional time at a high altitude before descending approximately 700 metres to Baranco Camp, which is the next overnight stop on this route.

Here you can see the famous Baranco Wall, majestic in both its massive size and steepness! The next day you will be climbing it, but don't worry: it features a very simple hiking trail and is not intimidating at all.

Hiking time and Elevation:6.5 –7 hours’ walking, from Shira Cave Camp at 3,750 m to Baranco Camp at 3,900 m

This day you will wake up early and enjoy a warm and hearty breakfast at the same time as yesterday before starting to climb Baranco Wall. We recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups, which can slow you down. Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can have a rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.

Then you will start a more difficult hike to Karanga Camp at 3,995 metres, which features a lot of ascents and descents during the route, but don't worry: your guides are experts at choosing an optimal pace for the party. After leaving Karanga, today’s stage continues steadily upwards, passing through barren, rocky landscape, with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible away to your left. At the top of the climb, the landscape remains bleak as you descend into a valley and you get your first sight of another glacier, Rebmann. At the end of this valley is today’s goal, the Barafu Summit Camp, at which you arrive after a short, steep scramble and a walk.

Hiking time and Elevation:7.5 – 8 hours’ walking, from 3,900 m at Baranco Camp, up to Karanga Camp at 3,995 m, then up to Barafu Camp at 4,673 m

Today is the most challenging day, but hopefully with the great sense of achievement of reaching your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro! Your schedule for your ‘Summit Day’ is necessarily very different to your other days on the mountain. Rising at 23.00hrs, you take your tea and biscuits at 23.30hrs before a midnight departure.

The day starts with the long, tough climb from Barafu at 4,673 metres to Stella Point at 5,756 metres; for some of this you will be walking on scree, making your trek more difficult. From Stella Point, there is still another 139 metres of ascent and 45 minutes’ walk to the summit. Your goal is to reach the summit by around 07.00hrs then celebrate reaching the top, take your precious photos and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the summit at 5,895 metres above sea level, you return to Barafu Camp at 4,673 metres, where you rest for a couple of hours, take a brunch and then leave again at 13.30hrs to continue to descend to Mweka Camp at 3,100 metres where you will spend the night. You would expect to arrive there at 17.00hrs and take your dinner at 19.00hrs. (In total, you will cover around 17 km/10 miles today with about 11-14 hours of walking – tough going, but with your objective hopefully achieved!)

Hiking time and Elevation: 11-14 hours’ walking, from 4,673 m at Barafu Camp to the summit at 5,895 m, then down to 3,100 m at Mweka Camp

Still thrilled by your achievement, breakfast is taken at 07.00hrs and at 08.00hrs you can take the chance to reward your trekking team at the ‘Tipping Celebration.’

Although you will still have 10 km/6 miles to walk, departure is at a leisurely 09.00hrs and you will descend down to the Mweka Gate which sits at an altitude of 1,640 metres. There, you will be served a cooked lunch at midday and be presented with your hard-earned certificate. Your driver will be waiting to bring you back to Chanya Lodge, where you can choose to relax – or, if you have any energy left, to celebrate!

Hiking time and Elevation: 3 hours’ walking, from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, descending from 3,100 m to 1,640 m

After a good night’s rest at Chanya Lodge, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00hrs. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, there is the option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee.

A member of Jerry Tanzania Tours hospitality team greets you upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). He will drive you to Chanya Lodge, where you will have all the essentials for a comfortable stay after a long flight, such as: pleasant rooms with hot showers, a restaurant with delicious choices, genial service team and access to the Internet. Your briefing, in the course of which your guides will provide all the details of the forthcoming trek, takes place at the appointed time. They will answer your questions and make sure you are properly equipped for the trek, providing rental gear when necessary.

Journey time and Distance: 77 minutes’ drive, from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Chanya Lodge

This morning you take a leisurely breakfast at your Chanya Lodge, before setting out in your vehicle at around 08.00hrs to allow for a scheduled arrival at the Machame Gate (1,800 metres) at 09.30hrs. Your first job will be to complete the registration formalities, before you start your trek. You will also enjoy the introduction to your mountain team: your guides, porters and everyone else who will accompany you as you make your ascent.

Today’s walk is a long one: in pure numbers, you will gain around 1,035 metres of altitude over a distance of just under 11 km/7 miles and can expect to be walking for between 4.5 and 5 hours

The beginning of the walk today is characterized by a wide track that winds its way up through dense forest, beautiful tall trees laden with green moss. As the route becomes steeper and narrower, so the vegetation changes and the appearance of flowers such as impatiens kilimanjari and impatiens pseudoviola introduce some bright colours to the scenery. You will also be able to get your first glimpse of Kibo peak, away to the east. The birdlife around the camp is surprisingly rich, so look out for species such as olive thrush and stonechat. You hope to reach camp at around 17.00hrs, giving you a couple of hours of welcome rest before dinner is served.

Hiking time and Elevation: 4.5 – 5 hours’ walking, from Machame Gate at 1,800 m to Machame Camp at 2,835 m

You will begin your day with breakfast at the camp before you start trekking up to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp. Today you will emerge from the rainforest and for the first time be able to marvel stunning views of the Shira Plateau laid out in front of you. Technically speaking, trekking is not very difficult, but you may feel the changes in altitude, so pay attention to your body and remember that choosing the proper pace is extremely important for good trekking. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and some rest, after which the group will go on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 400 metres gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp, you will be served a hot dinner.

Hiking time and Elevation:6 hours’ walking, from Machame Camp at 2,835 m to Shira Camp at 3,750 m

After breakfast, your party will depart Shira Camp and head towards Lava Tower. The rise-and-fall nature of this trek may present some difficulties. However, reaching the 4,600 metres altitude at the Lava Tower is key for proper acclimatization, which is why we encourage our groups to eat lunch at the top of the Lava Tower. This allows you some additional time at a high altitude before descending approximately 700 metres to Baranco Camp, which is the next overnight stop on this route.

Here you can see the famous Baranco Wall, majestic in both its massive size and steepness! The next day you will be climbing it, but don't worry: it features a very simple hiking trail and is not intimidating at all.

Hiking time and Elevation: 6.5 –7 hours’ walking, from Shira Cave Camp at 3,750 m to Baranco Camp at 3,900 m

This day you will wake up early and enjoy a warm and hearty breakfast at the same time as yesterday before starting to climb Baranco Wall. We recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups, which can slow you down. Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can have a rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.

This day you will wake up early and enjoy a warm and hearty breakfast at the same time as yesterday before starting to climb Baranco Wall. We recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups, which can slow you down. Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can have a rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.

Hiking time and Elevation:3.5 – 4 hours’ walking, from Baranco Camp at 3,900 m to Karanga Camp at 3,995 m

Another short day -in terms of distance – begins with your breakfast at the camp at 07.30hrs and another 08.30hrs departure. Today you will ascend about 670 metres in a distance of around 5 km/3 miles and walking time once again is between 3.5 and 4 hours.

You will be aiming to arrive at the Barafu Camp at 4,673 metres by 13.00hrs, when you will be rewarded with a cooked lunch. (With tomorrow being the summit day, it will be important to relax and prepare for the hard work ahead.) Dinner tonight is served at 17.30hrs, giving you time to get to bed early. After leaving Karanga, today’s stage climbs steadily, passing through barren, rocky landscape, with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible away to your left. At the top of the climb, the landscape remains bleak as you descend into a valley and you get your first sight of another glacier, Rebmann. At the end of this valley is today’s goal, the Barafu Summit Camp, at which you arrive after a short, steep scramble and a walk.

Hiking time and Elevation:3.5 – 4 hours’ walking, from Karanga Camp at 3,995 m to Barafu Camp at 4,673 m

Today is the most challenging day, but hopefully with the great sense of achievement of reaching your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro! Your schedule for your ‘Summit Day’ is necessarily very different to your other days on the mountain. Rising at 23.00hrs, you take your tea and biscuits at 23.30hrs before a midnight departure.

The day starts with the long, tough climb from Barafu at 4,673 metres to Stella Point at 5,756 metres; for some of this you will be walking on scree, making your trek more difficult. From Stella Point, there is still another 139 metres of ascent and 45 minutes’ walk to the summit. Your goal is to reach the summit by around 07.00hrs then celebrate reaching the top, take your precious photos and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the summit at 5,895 metres above sea level, you return to Barafu Camp at 4,673 metres, where you rest for a couple of hours, take a brunch and then leave again at 13.30hrs to continue to descend to Mweka Camp at 3,100 metres where you will spend the night. You would expect to arrive there at 17.00hrs and take your dinner at 19.00hrs. (In total, you will cover around 17 km/10 miles today with about 11-14 hours of walking – tough going, but with your objective hopefully achieved!)

Hiking time and Elevation:11-14 hours’ walking, from 4,673 m at Barafu Camp to the summit at 5,895 m, then down to 3,100 m at Mweka Camp

Still thrilled by your achievement, breakfast is taken at 07.00hrs and at 08.00hrs you can take the chance to reward your trekking team at the ‘Tipping Celebration.’

Although you will still have 10 km/6 miles to walk, departure is at a leisurely 09.00hrs and you will descend down to the Mweka Gate which sits at an altitude of 1,640 metres. There, you will be served a cooked lunch at midday and be presented with your hard-earned certificate. Your driver will be waiting to bring you back to Chanya Lodge, where you can choose to relax – or, if you have any energy left, to celebrate!

3 hours’ walking, from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, descending from 3,100 m to 1,640 m

After a good night’s rest at your hotel, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00hrs.(If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for a ‘day room’ which allows you to stay until 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.)

As the transfer services have been already included in this package, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travellers who have booked to go on safari, our Jerry Tanzania Tours guide will be meeting you in the afternoon to provide you with a pre-safari briefing.