Mount Kilimanjaro Trek | 7 Day Machame Route

Fitness level

This is an extreme challenge and you will find yourself in remote environments with limited facilities with the added test of altitude. It is for those looking for the ultimate adventure.

Training is essential as you will face extremely difficult terrains, long trekking days and often adverse weather conditions.

Mountaineering skills

One of the huge benefits of the Kilimanjaro challenge is that you do not need any specialist mountaineering skills, experience or equipment to reach the summit.

This non-technical climb will be a real test of your mental and physical resilience - but it does not require you to be a seasoned mountain climber.

Accommodation

• 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Moshi
• 1 night in multi share accommodation such as a mountain hut
• The majority of nights will be spent in tented accommodation which will all be set up and ready for your arrival each day - views included

The campsites are very basic yet comfortable. You will be housed in good-quality 3-person tents on a twin-share basis. There will also be kitchen and dining tents, and your food will be served communally in the dining tent by the cooks each night.

Toilets on the mountain are ‘long drops’ rather than the Western facilities you are used to, and on the mountain there is infrequent access to running water. There are no washing facilities at the campsites, but the staff will provide bowls of hot water daily for washing.

Season

• Jan
• Feb
• Mar
• Apr
• May
• Jun
• Jul
• Aug
• Sep
• Oct
• Nov
• Dec

Meeting point

Kilimanjaro International Airport - KIA (JRO)
Kilimanjaro Airport Road
Makao Mapya
Tanzania

Itinerary

• Day 1 | Depart

  After weeks of preparation and excitement, you will board your flight(s) to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

• Day 2 | orientation

  You will be met by a local representative at your hotel in Moshi where you will have some time to relax and explore Moshi town before your challenge briefing with the team (please arrive at your hotel before 5pm). You will be given a detailed plan for the days ahead and have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have before having dinner and getting a good night's sleep.

• Day 3 | Machame Gate

  You will wake for an early breakfast and transfer to Machame Gate, set deep in the forests that surround Mount Kilimanjaro. After signing into the National Park, you will begin a slow and steady walk from Machame Gate (1,800m) to Machame Hut (2,980m), trekking for approximately 4-5 hours through thick cloud forest. Once you arrive in camp, you will have some time to relax and enjoy the incredible views of Kibo Peak in the distance.

• Day 4 | Shira Plateau

  After breakfast at Machame Hut, a steep ascent takes you along the Machame ridge line, which gradually works its way up the Shira Plateau. Lunch will be taken en route before arriving onto the Shira Plateau in the early afternoon and onwards to Shira Hut at 3,840m. After 5-6 hours of trekking you will be rewarded with views of both Kibo Peak and out west towards Mount Meru and the Maasai Highlands. In the afternoon you will have the opportunity to rest or go on an optional short acclimatisation trek.

• Day 5 | Barranco Campsite

  After breakfast at Shira Hut, you will head east across the plateau on a gradual incline. You will reach new heights as the ascent over the Shira Plateau to Lava Tower takes you to an altitude of 4,600m, helping your body to acclimatise. After lunch by Lava Tower you will descend to Barranco Campsite, set at the base of Barranco Wall at 3,950m. Having completed roughly 8-9 hours of trekking, you will enjoy a well-deserved dinner and retire for the night.

• Day 6 | Barranco Wall

  You will have a very early wake-up call and head east up the Barranco Wall, climbing a further 200m. From here, you will continue over ridges and valleys to the Karanga Valley where you will stop for tonight’s camp.

• Day 7 | Barafu Camp

  From Karanga, you will ascend to Barafu Camp, the base camp for Kilimanjaro at a height of 4,600m. Today’s trekking will be particularly challenging due to the very high altitude. An early dinner will ensure that you have plenty of time to sleep before you make your attempt at the summit.

• Day 8 | Kilimnjaro summit

  Snacks and hot drinks will be provided before you begin your slow ascent around midnight. First light comes at roughly 5.30am; by sunrise, you will reach Stella Point. From here, there is a gentle ascent for the final push to Uhuru Peak - the Roof of Africa. You will have a small amount of time to admire the stunning view and take some photos before descending back to Stella Point and further down to Barafu Camp. At camp you will rest have lunch and then descend down to Mweka Hut, arriving in the late afternoon/early evening for dinner and a well-earned night’s rest.

• Day 9 | Travel or Safari and Zanzibar Trip begins

  If you’ve chosen to go home early you will depart today, arriving the following day. If you're joining the Safari and Zanzibar extension, you will depart on the extension trip today.

Included

• Accommodation
• Meals - breakfasts, lunches and dinners
• All National Park fees, entrance fees, taxes, and permits
• English-speaking professional guides
• Safe drinking water during the trek
• Communal camping equipment including tents and crockery
• Porter service on the trek
• Comprehensive pre-departure support and advice
• 24-hour emergency line for use during your trip

Not Included

• Flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Airport transfers
• Tips and gratuities
• Visas
• Travel insurance
• Medical expenses in case of emergency on your trip
• Any necessary vaccinations or medications 
• Additional food and drink
• Optional excursions
• Personal camping equipment and clothing
• Other items of a personal nature
• Equipment hire is available if required

Carbon offsetting

This challenge follows a carbon offsetting programme in partnership with WeForest, a European non-profit organisation who work tirelessly with local people and projects around the globe to fight climate change by planting trees across the world.

A proportion of your trip costs go towards a tree-planting project in Zambia, where WeForest works with hundreds of small-scale farmers to plant trees to sequester the carbon emissions that your trip produces.

The project also assists the local community by providing these farmers with training and tools to diversify their sources of income while they plant and protect local forests. As a result, they receive a higher income, diversify their economic activities and learn new skills. This allows the local farmers to become self-sufficient.

A responsible challenge

This challenge is operated in a sustainable, ethical and transparent manner - from the initial booking, to your return home, there is a commitment to ethical and sustainable practices in all areas.

• Local impact and welfare

  This challenge is locally led, made up of local people with expert local knowledge and a genuine passion for the sites and communities in which they are based. All guides and support staff are paid a fair wage.

• Integrity and transparency

  This challenge is operated with members of multiple accreditation agencies and the organisers are always working towards new schemes to ensure they remain the most informed, transparent, sustainable, safe and inspiring travel company around. Currently members of multiple standards agencies, including ABTA and ATOL, and accredited by Travellers Against Plastic (TAP) and Tourism Concern as an Ethical Tour Operator.

  Commercial partners are granted access to risk assessments, as well as all up-to-date licences and certificates, providing reassurance that they are collaborating with a professional tour operator.

• Single-use plastics

  The Travellers Against Plastic (TAP) pledge was established in 2018 to help fight the harmful consumption of single-use plastics through challenge operations. In all destinations, water is purified from local sources for challenge participants.

  In remote areas where this is not possible, the team prioritise large, decantable cooler bottles which are later recycled. Where the provision of safe drinking water is not possible, teams adhere to a ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra.

• Animal welfare

  Animal welfare is taken extremely seriously, so itineraries which facilitate or encourage the mistreatment of animals are not produced or promoted. Animal welfare policies are strongly influenced by industry-standard ABTA guidelines on the treatment of animals. When sourcing ground agents, there would be no partnership with non-compliant agents and the opportunity is taken to help to educate non-compliant agents in best practice.

  As an active member of ABTA’s Animal Welfare Working Group, the organisers are up to date with all animal welfare issues the world over.

You will be required to pay the registration fee at the time of booking and the final balance 10 weeks before departure.

Once your final balance has been settled at or before 10 weeks prior to departure, your place on the trip will be confirmed and you'll be ready to take on the challenge of a lifetime!

Costs

You arrive in Barranco Camp and you can see the summit of the Roof of Africa peaking out of the clouds in the moonlight. You turn 180 degrees round and you can see Moshi town where you started from - the entire experience is absolutely breathtaking. Kieren Kershaw