Itinerary

1. Day 1: Moshi Town to Machame Gate then Machame Camp

   • Your day starts early with breakfast, followed by a 1-hour drive from Moshi (910m) to the Machame Gate (1828m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment at the gate. 
   • After registering at the gate office, you immediately start your ascent and enter the rainforest. Rain is a strong possibility in the forest, transforming the trail into a very soggy, muddy, and slippery experience. 
   • You will have a welcome lunch stop about halfway and will reach the Machame camp (3020m) in the late afternoon. Your porters (arriving at the campsite long before you) will have erected your tent on arrival. 
   • In the evening, the porters will bring a small bowl of washing water to your tent, and the cook will prepare dinner before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite.

2. Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Cave

   • You rise early at Machame camp, and after breakfast, you 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, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. By now, you will be able to see, in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. 
   • You are now due west of Kibo, and after a short hike, you will reach the Shira campsite at 3750m. The porters will again supply you with a small bowl of washing water before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to below freezing.

3. Day 3: Shira Cave to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp Acclimatization

   • The route now turns east into a semi-desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4642m after about a 5-hour trek. Lunch is served at a designated area. This is the toughest day so far. Around this point, some climbers normally start experiencing symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches for the first time.
   • After lunch, you descend again by almost 658m to the Barranco camping area. After reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. 
   • This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide a memorable sunset while you prepare your dinner.

4. Day 4: Barranco Camp (3984m) to Barafu Camp (4681m)

   • After spending a night at the great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome-looking obstacle, which, in the end, usually turns out to be easier than anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you will now appreciate how beautiful Mount Kilimanjaro is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys and joins the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. 
   • Turn left up the ridge, and after another hour or so, you should reach Barafu Hut. The last water stop on the route is the Karranga Valley, as there is no water available at Barafu camp. The summit is now 1214 m higher, and you will commence your final ascent attempt the same night. 
   • Prepare your equipment, hiking poles, and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. Go to bed at around about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and sleep.

5. Day 5: Barafu camp (4681m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m)-Mweka (3090m)

   • You will get up around 23h30, head northwesterly, and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. For many climbers, the 6-hour walk to Stella Point is mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. 
   • At Stella Point 5739m, 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 typically encounter snow on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. Please do not stop here too long, as it will be tough to get going again due to cold and fatigue. The walk back to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. 
   • Here, you will have a well-earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear before heading down to Mweka hut 3090m. The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest.

6. Day 6: Mweka Camp (3090m) - Mweka Gate (1641m) to Moshi to Airport

   • After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 4—to 6-hour scenic hike back to the Park gate. Some hikers experience knee problems, which could make the descent longer than planned.
     It is strongly recommended that you do not pay your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely. Visit the tips page for more info.
   • At Mweka gate, you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those who reached Stella Point (5739m) were issued green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) received gold certificates.
   • From the Mweka Gate, you will continue into the Mweka village, which is normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. In the Mweka village, you will be served a delicious hot lunch. 
   • After lunch, you drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower, dinner, and celebrations.

7. Day 7: Moshi Town to Zanzibar

   • A professional guide will pick you up from a hotel or Airport for an excursion to various historical sites, including Stone Town, where history appears to stand still. 
   • You will visit the House of Wonders, the Palace Museum, Dr. Livingston's House, the Freddie Mercury House, and the Arab Fort, among others. This tour is a fascinating look at the essence of Zanzibar.
   • You will see Zanzibar's bustling market, ornately carved, studded doors, Anglican cathedrals, and mosques.
   • Your overnight and dinner will be at Tembo Hotel Zanzibar.