The Machame route is nicknamed the ‘Whiskey Route’ as it is considered more difficult than the ‘Coca Cola Route’, the nickname for the Marangu route. In reality, it is not more technically difficult, but is longer and in places steeper. The longer distance and the opportunity to ‘walk high, sleep low’ offer much better acclimatisation and as a result a very high success rate.
Park fees (For non-residents) |
All activities (Unless labeled as optional) |
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade) |
A professional driver/guide |
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional) |
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional) |
Roundtrip airport transfer |
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section) |
Drinks (As specified in the day-by-day section) |
International flights (From/to home) |
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour |
Tips (Tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day) |
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.) |
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees |
After breakfast, you will be collected from your lodge and taken to the Kilimanjaro National Park. While your guide is registering, you can watch the mountain team preparing – it is always impressive ‘what’ and particularly ‘how’ everything is carried up the mountain.
After an early morning start, the path steepens and the vegetation changes into a moorland with shrubs such as hardy Ericas. Today’s stage is shorter than the previous day and by mid-afternoon, you will arrive at the campsite at the Shira Plateau. From the camp, you will have breath-taking views of the mountain and evening light on the rock face and glacier of Kibo as the sunset.
Today will be a day for ups and downs. You will ascend almost 700 m but descend again after reaching the imposing Lava Tower (4640 m). This will help with acclimatization as you will reach a height of over 4500 m. You will move through different vegetation zones. After reaching Lava Tower the path traverses Barranco Valley dotted with the weird-looking senecios. Barranco Camp is reached after 6 – 7 hours.
The first section of today’s route is to scale the ‘Barranco Wall’. Use your hands and feet. Safety is paramount and you will be secured if necessary, but it looks more daunting than it actually is. After lunch, there will be another 2 – 3 hours climb before you reach Barafu Camp (4640 m). Tonight, drink a lot of fluids, try to eat, and go to bed early to rest enough before tomorrow’s summit trek.
You will be woken in the midnight hours with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Dressed warmly and geared with a headlight and your daypack you will set off in the darkness. After 5 – 7 hours of ‘pole pole’, you will reach the rim of the crater, Stella Point. Another one to two hours of going slowly along the crater’s edge and you will arrive at the summit – Uhuru Peak (5895 m Returning on the same route you should arrive at Barafu Camp within a few hours where the porters are waiting with food and tea. Resting for an hour or two, you will continue down to reach Mweka Camp (3080 m) for your overnight stay.
Last day on the mountain. After breakfast, the crew will celebrate your achievement with a traditional song as part of their farewell ceremony. You will present them with their tips. Setting off and descending into the moist green forest, it should take about three hours to reach the gate. Back at your hotel. There you can revive yourself and celebrate your achievement.
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Starting from
Per person
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Starting from
Per person
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