6 days Kilimanjaro by the Marangu Route
The only route with huts rather than tents, and the shortest on the mountain. We build in the acclimatisation day, because without it the summit rate drops.
Climbing
Kilimanjaro by the Machame Route
The most varied route on the mountain: rainforest, then heather and moorland, then high desert, with a climb-high sleep-low profile built in.
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At a glance
- Destinations
- Kilimanjaro National Park
- Best for
- Climbing
- Travel style
- Camping trek · On foot, with road transfers
- Activity level
- Demanding — long days on foot at altitude
- Best time to travel
- Choose January to February or June to October for generally drier conditions on Machame. The rainforest approach and Barranco Wall can be wet in any season, with heavier rain usually in April and May.
- Start and end
- Starts and ends in Arusha
Why this journey
- All five of Kilimanjaro’s climate zones, from rainforest to arctic summit
- The Lava Tower day, which takes you to 4,600 m and back down to sleep
- The Barranco Wall on the fourth morning
- Camps positioned for the shortest possible summit night
- One less day on the mountain than Lemosho, at a lower cost
Day by day
Machame is the busiest of the routes, and for good reason — it passes through every one of the mountain’s vegetation zones in six walking days and its profile helps you acclimatise. Nights are in dome tents, with a cook travelling with the group.
Day 1 — Transfer to Moshi Town
Early arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha Bus Station and transport to Moshi accommodation. Optional lodging can be arranged, or climbers may pre-book independently. Those already in Arusha or Moshi are collected from an agreed point on the morning of Day 2.
Stay Kaliwa Lodge Meals Lunch & Dinner
Day 2 — Machame Gate to Machame Camp (5–7 hrs)
After early breakfast, drive to Machame Gate. The trek begins through rainforest on a winding path, passing the first hut before arriving at Machame Hut campsite (3,100 m) for the evening meal and rest.
Stay Machame Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 — Machame Camp to Shira Camp (5–7 hrs)
Ascend from rainforest glades along a steep, rocky ridge covered with heather. The route crosses a small valley and turns west toward a river gorge at 3,658 m, concluding at Shira Hut campsite (3,800 m).
Stay Shira Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 — Shira Camp to Barranco Camp (5–7 hrs)
Trek east across the Shira Plateau toward the lava tower (Shark's Tooth). Beyond the tower lies the junction to Arrow Glacier. Continue to Barranco Hut campsite (3,950 m).
Stay Barranco Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5 — Barranco Camp to Karanga Valley Camp (4–5 hrs)
Descend into the gorge, then climb the eastern wall where views of Kilimanjaro's ice fields open up. Continue to Karanga Valley camp (13,900 ft).
Stay Karanga Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 — Karanga Valley to Barafu Camp (6–7 hrs)
Hike through Karanga Valley as the trail ascends the lava ridge toward Barafu. Temperatures drop and the landscape becomes increasingly sparse. Barafu Camp (15,200 ft) is the base for the midnight summit attempt.
Stay Barafu Camp Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 — Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak, the Roof of Africa
Trekking starts just after midnight toward Stella Point (5,745 m) and the summit — roughly 8 hours to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), Africa's highest point. Descent follows to Mweka Hut campsite (3,100 m), about 5 hours.
Stay Mweka Camp Meals Breakfast & Lunch
Day 8 — Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (3–4 hrs)
Descend to Mweka park gate to register and receive summit certificates — green for Stella Point, gold for Uhuru Peak. Continue 3 km (about 1 hour) into Mweka village for transport back to Arusha.
Stay Pamoja Expedition Lodge Meals Breakfast & Lunch
Stay and travel
Dome tents at the Machame mountain camps, with meals prepared by the camp cooks. Accommodation before and after the trek is as listed in the programme.
Walk the Machame route with a mountain guide and crew. A vehicle takes you to the gate and collects you after the descent.
Camps fill, and roads change with the rains. Where something has to change we substitute at the same level and tell you before you travel, not after.
Included and excluded
What is included
- Every activity named in the day-by-day
- Accommodation as listed, or a similar alternative if a camp is full
- Meals as noted against each day
- Transfers between the agreed pick-up and drop-off points
- Park, reserve and conservation area fees
- An English-speaking Tanzanian driver-guide
- A 4×4 with a roof hatch, or the vehicle the route calls for
- Drinking water through the day
- Government taxes
- Mountain crew, including porters
- Bottled oxygen and a pulse oximeter
- Summit certificate
Not included
- International flights, airport taxes and visa fees
- Travel, medical and baggage insurance
- Personal spending — drinks, laundry, telephone
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Anything not listed as included
Practical information
- Fitness and altitude
- No technical climbing, but long days on your feet and real altitude. Come with hill-walking fitness and take the acclimatisation days seriously.
- Mountain equipment
- Layers, a four-season sleeping bag and broken-in boots. Anything you would rather not buy can be hired in Moshi — tell us and we will arrange it.
- Visas, insurance and tipping
- A visa is arranged before travel or on arrival. Travel and medical insurance is a condition of booking. Tipping is customary and we will suggest a range rather than set one.
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Every route here can be changed
Tell us what you would keep, what you would drop and how long you have. We will send back a version that is yours.