6-Day Trek To Kilimanjaro From Machame Route
Highlights
Enjoy the challenging but rewarding trek from the Machame Route
Make your way to the summit of Africa's highest mountain
See the famous "Whiskey Route," known for its stunning views and challenging terrain
Witness the stunning sunrise over the summit of Kilimanjaro
Moshi
nature, trekking, camping
Group Tour
6 Days
Easy
English
Description
Embark on a 6-Day trek to Kilimanjaro from the Machame Route. Start your journey in the lush rainforests of the Machame Gate, where you'll be greeted by various exotic flora and fauna, including monkeys, elephants and exotic birds. Along the way, see the famous "Whiskey Route," a steep and challenging trek section known for its stunning views and challenging terrain.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp
- Check into your hotel in Moshi or Arusha for overnight and a briefing from your guide. The drive from Moshi to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame, located on the mountain's lower slopes.
- Leave the park gate and walk through the rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down; the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here.
- Continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.
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Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
- After breakfast, we leave the rainforest glades and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley and walking along a steep rocky ridge covered with heather until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge.
Dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite.
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Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
- From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo.
- As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower called the "Shark's Tooth."
- Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction, which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 4876m / 15,997 ft.
- Head down to the Barranco Hut at 3860m 12,664 ft.
- Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
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Day 4: Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
- After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall through the Karanga Valley (lunch at 4200m / 13,779 ft) and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.
- Continue up to the Barafu Hut. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many angles.
- Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.
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Day 5: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
- Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head northwesterly and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
- At Stella Point (5685m/ 18,652 ft), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting).
- From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit.
- At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. It can be very cold at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day. You will want a clothing for both extremes with you.
- From the summit, we now descend, continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going d0'M1. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon.
- Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
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Day 6: Mweka Camp to Moshi
- After breakfast, we will descend to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summa certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gatten and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts probably are ideal clothes to wear.
- From the gate, continue another hour to Vitiage. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka Village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha.
What's Included
National parks gate fee
Transport from Moshi to starting point on the mountain and return to Moshi
Hut or camping fees
All 3 meals a day while on the mountain
Two nights accommodations in Moshi bed and breakfast, double or triple occupancy
Certified, experienced, English-speaking guides for all routes
Rescue fees (required by the park)
First aid kit
Cooking equipment and eating utensils
What's Excluded
Extras at the lodges, i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc
International and internal flight
Tips (guides and porters) – recommended
Extra activities
Know Before You Go
HIKING AT ALTITUDE
Always remember to maintain a slow, steady pace from beginning to end. Going slowly allows the body to acclimatise while hiking. Those who start too quickly will have troubles higher up the mountain as the body will be over-exerted. This still holds if you spend an extra day on the mountain. Breathe only through your nose for the first two days of the trek.
After 15,000 feet, breathe through your mouth.
Use a controlled, deep, regular breathing pattern.
Hard candy and menthol lozenges can help keep the throat moist and clear sinuses.
Keep in touch with what your body is doing, and watch out for your friends overexerting themselves. Focus on your daily goal of reaching the next camp by nightfall -- not your ultimate goal of summiting.
Read about Acute Mountain Sickness.
Drink often. Energy bars or Gu may help alleviate fatigue but require more water intake. Focus on your breathing. Use the "mountaineer's step." This technique involves stepping, leaning on that leg, and moving the back leg up. Use the mechanical aspects of your body to support your weight instead of using your muscles.
Instead of sitting at a rest stop, lean against your walking stick. This will keep your muscles active.
TREKKERS CARE:
Altitude Sickness
Different people under similar conditions will respond quite differently to altitude. There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility to altitude sickness. The response to altitude will depend on the ascent rate, the ascent's magnitude and individual susceptibility (genetics). The effects can be mild or severe and are caused by the lack of oxygen to the muscles and the brain. As altitude increases, oxygen concentration stays the same, but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced as the barometric pressure drops. At 18,000 ft (5500 m), half the oxygen is available at sea level.
In some cases, altitude sickness can turn highly severe, even fatal. For reasons not entirely understood, high altitude and lower air pressures can cause fluid to leak from the capillaries and build up in the brain and lungs. Continuing an ascent without proper acclimation can lead to a life-threatening illness.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Mild symptoms of acute mountain sickness will occur in 75% of people who travel over 10,000 feet and can affect some people at lower altitudes. These symptoms include:
Fatigue
Dizziness
Headaches
Nausea
Disturbed sleep
Indigestion
Loss of Appetite
Vomiting
These symptoms typically begin immediately after arrival and tend to worsen at night. Mild AMS does not interfere with regular activity, and symptoms generally subside within 2-4 days as the body acclimatises. As long as symptoms are mild and only a nuisance, ascent can continue moderately.
Prevention of AMS
Altitude sickness is preventable! Pay close attention to your body and the health of individuals in your group. Immediately communicate any symptoms of illness to others on your trip. Oxygen deprivation of the brain may cause individuals to deny or not recognise their symptoms.
STAY HYDRATED — urine output should be copious and clear. Try to drink at least 4-6 litres per day.
AVOID tobacco, alcohol, and other depressant drugs, including barbiturates, tranquillisers, and sleeping pills. They further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep, worsening symptoms. In addition, avoid diuretics such as coffee and tea.
DON'T GO UP UNTIL SYMPTOMS GO DOWN" - people acclimatise at different rates, so make sure your entire party is properly acclimatised before going higher. Rest at the same altitude is efficient for mild symptoms, but you must descend immediately if they do not go away within a day or two.
DIAMOX (acetazolamide) is a drug that effectively minimises the symptoms caused by poor oxygenation by helping you breathe deeper and faster. This drug is not used in treatment; it should only be used as a preventative method. The recommended dose is 125 mg twice a day, and it is advisable to start taking it 24 hours before you go to altitude and continue for at least five days at a higher altitude. Side effects include tingling of the lips and fingertips, blurring vision, and taste alteration. If you are allergic to sulfa drugs, you should not take Diamox. The use of this drug is controversial, so it is advisable to research its effects before seeking a prescription.
EAT high-carbohydrate foods while avoiding fatty foods.
BEFORE your trip, maintain a good work/rest cycle, and avoid excessive work hours and last-minute packing. Listen to your body. Do not overdo things the first day or two. Avoid heavy exercise.
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) -HAPE results from fluid buildup in the lungs, which prevents effective oxygen exchange from the lungs to the bloodstream.
This serious condition can lead to death if not treated immediately. Symptoms of HAPE include:
Irritating Cough (can produce frothy, often blood-tinged sputum)
Mental confusion, staggering drunken walking, quick, shallow breathing, difficulty breathing
Exhaustion
Chest Pain
Gurgling Noise in the chest
Debilitating headaches and severe fatigue
Disruption of Vision, Bladder, and Bowel Functions
Loss of Coordination of Trunk muscles (test by walking a straight line)
Although rare, HAPE frequently strikes young and fit climbers and trekkers. If you notice these signs in yourself or your group, you must descend immediately, even at night. HAPE can be fatal within a few hours if left untreated. However, if diagnosed early, recovery is rapid, with a descent of only 500-1000 meters. Besides descent, the treatment also includes rest, oxygen administration, and portable hyperbaric chambers.
High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
HACE occurs when fluid leakage in the brain causes swelling, affecting the central nervous system. This is considered the most severe altitude-related illness. If left untreated, it will lead to coma and death. HACE is thought to occur in 1% of reasons above 4000 m and 3% of those with AMS and usually occurs after a week or two at high altitudes. Symptoms of XCE can be similar to AMS and HACE and include:
Staggered Gait (unable to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line)
Severe weakness fatigue
Impaired mental processing, confusion
Drowsiness
Headache
Decreasing Levels of Consciousness(loss of memory, hallucinations, psychotic behaviour, and coma)
Changes in Behavior
Difficulty Speaking
Blindness
Vomiting
Paralysis of Limb
Seizures
Immediate descent is the best treatment for HACE. This is urgent, and I cannot wait until morning. The moment HACE is recognised is the moment to start organising an effort to get this person down the mountain, usually to the point where they last slept with no symptoms. It is essential to recognise that persons with this illness are often confused and may not recognise that they are ill.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Many people will experience the effects of high altitude. Take precautions to avoid altitude sickness if you are prone to it. Be sure to try a hot tea or an infusion of coca leaves on arrival at altitude. During your first day, slowly eat lightly, resting for the first few hours.
Travel to high altitudes is generally not recommended for those with a history of heart, lung, or sickle cell disease.
DRINKING WATER
We recommend that you always drink bottled or filtered water.
TREKKING
Trekking is a strenuous adventure and should not be undertaken if you have any health conditions which may put you at risk. You are strongly advised to consult your physician for a thorough medical check-up and clearance before attempting a trek in the mountain. If you are over SO years old, talk to your doctor about doing a "stress EKG".
What To Bring
CLOTHING
Lightweight, breathable, hand washable, and quick-drying clothes
Shorts, mid-thigh or longer
Long pants (zip-off pants are very useful)
Short-sleeved shirts
Long-sleeved shirts
Undergarments, socks
Spon bras for women (roads can be bumpy)
Sweater, jacket, windbreaker Rain racket and pants or rain poncho
Sun hat with a brim and chin strap
Bandana (for dust, washing, etc.)
Belt
Pyjamas
Swimsuit
FOOTWEAR
Sturdy, comfortable shoes, preferably waterproof
Tennis shoes or sandals
Comfortable, breathable socks
BAGGAGE
Suitcase or duffel (20 kg max for internal flights)
Day pack for daily activities and easy access (rain cover is nice)
Waterproof plastic bags for storing clothing and gear (zip-locks are great)
ELECTRONICS
Store electronics in sealed water-proof bags (double bagged if possible)
Headlamp or flashlight
Camera, lenses, filters, memory disks (you will not be able to download)
Video camera, tapes
Tripod
Batteries
GPS (for Geocaching)
Alarm clock
Calculator (for currency conversion)
Battery chargers, an electricity adapter
FIRST AID
You really only need one first aid kit in your travel group, so coordinate with your travel companions
Ibuprofin, Aceteminophen, or Aspirin
Bandaids/plasters
Disinfectant, antiseptic cream, antibiotic ointment
Gauze bandages and tape
Throat lozenges
Vitamins
Diarrhoea medicine
Antihistamines
Ace bandage
Melatonin or other sleep aid
Malaria pills (talk to a doctor)
Antibiotics (talk to a doctor)
Prescription drugs (talk to a doctor)
DOCUMENTS
Passport
Visas for all countries as necessary
Medical insurance card
Address book
Business cards
Yellow fever certificate and vaccination records
Airline tickets, e-tickets
Copy of African Holiday Safari itinerary
Make copies of passports, visas, airline tickets/schedules, and traveller's cheque numbers. Leave a copy with someone at home and put a copy in a separate place in your luggage
Meeting Point
Kilimanjaro International Airport - KIA (JRO), Kilimanjaro Airport Road, Tanzania
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -
Refund of 80% of the tour price.