Itinerary

1. Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) to Machame Camp (2980m)

   • Start your day early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minutes drive from Moshi (910m) to the Machame village(1490m). Receive packed lunch and buy mineral water in the village.

   • Depending on the condition of the road, it is possible to drive from the village to the Machame gate, but if not, the muddy 3km walk will take about 1 hour to complete.

   • After registering at the gate office, start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately. There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, transforming the trail into a very soggy, muddy and slippery experience.

   • Have a welcome lunch stop about halfway and then reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. Be prepared for night temperatures which can drop to freezing point at this campsite.

2. Day 2: Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira Camp (3840m)

   • Rise early at Machame Camp and after breakfast, climb for an hour or so to the top of the forest and then, for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone.

   • After a short lunch and rest, continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira Plateau. By now, you will be able to see in an eastern direction the western breach dinner.

   • Experience the night at this exposed camp, which will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

3. Day 3: Shira (3840m) to Lava Tower (4630m) to Barranco Camp (3950)

   • Route turns east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5-hour walk.

   • Eat lunch served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scream path to Lava Tower (4630m). Definitely the toughest day so far.

   • After lunch, descend again by almost 680m to the Barranco Camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation benefit of this day becomes clear.

   • Descent to Barranco Camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to lay below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, providing you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner.

4. Day 4: Barranco Camp (3950) to Barafu Camp (4550m)

   • After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall, make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated, topping out just below the hem glacier,  appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is.

   • Route heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys and then joins up with the Mweka Route. This is the preferred route down from the summit.

   • Turn left up the ridge and, after another hour or so, reach Barafu Hut. The last water stop on the route is the Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu Camp. The summit is now further 1345m up, and you will make the final ascent the same night.

   • Prepare your equipment, walking stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt.

   • Go to bed at around about 7 pm and try to get some rest and sleep.

5. Day 5: Barafu Camp (4550m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) to Mweka (3100m)

   • Wake up at around 11:30 pm and after some tea and biscuits, shuffle off into the night. Head a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 8-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the out.

   • At Stella point (5685), stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue.

   • Enjoy your accomplishment, then walk back to Barafu from the summit for 3 hours.

   • Here, you will have a well earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka camp (3100m). The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scream path into the moorland and eventually into the forest.  The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon camp overnight.

6. Day 6: Mweka Camp (3100m) to Mweka Gate (1980m)

   • After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. 

   • At Mweka Gate, sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

   • From the Mweka village, you will be served a delicious hot lunch.

   • Drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower, dinner sparkling wine and celebrations.

   • Transfer to hotel for overnight B/B.