KILIMANJARO CLIMB – MACHAME ROUTE

Day 1: Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi

Pick up from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Moshi town at the hotel. Depending the time of arrival, you will meet the Bujo Tours operation team. They will tell you more about the trip, share tips and safety information and thoroughly check your gear to see if you have everything you need.

Meals: BLD (Half board accommodation)

Day 2: Hotel to Machame Gate to Machame Campsite

Elevation: 1200m to 1830 to 3050, Distance: 13km, Hiking Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Montana forest

After breakfast our vehicle will transport you from the hotel to Machame gate. Here you will do the required registration procedures then you will start the trek through the rainforest to Machame camp where you will find the tents are already setup for you. Dinner and overnight at the Machame campsite.

Day 3: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Elevetion: 3050m to 3850m, Distance: 5km, Hiking Time: 4-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast leave the glades of rainforest and continue ascending by crossing little valleys and steep rocky ridge covering with heather plants to the western side of the mountain where the camp is situated. At this camp you will able get the spectacular views of Mount Meru, Shira Plateau, Kibo Peak and sunset. Then dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

Elevation: 3850m to 4000m, Distance: 13km, Hiking time: 5-7, Habitat: Moorland

This long and important acclimatization day, so you are required to take your breakfast earlier and start trekking east to a junction leading to Lava tower rock 4600m. Then after you would have to continue down to the Barranco camp. The camp location is in bottom valley of Barranco wall where you will stop for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Barranco Campsite to Karanga Campsite

Elevation: 4000m to 4035m, Distance: 6km, Hiking Time: 4-5 hours, Habitat: Moorland

Today is short day walk. In the morning you will start climbing Barranco wall and reach 4200m for acclimatization and continue crossing ridges and valleys to Karanga campsite for lunch. After lunch you will have a bit of rest and get acclimatization by trekking up the scree slopes towards the southern ice field. You will then return to the camp for supper and overnight.

On the 6 day itinerary, after lunch on day 4 the itinerary omits the afternoon acclimatization trek and continues to include the day 5 trek, with dinner and overnight at Barafu Camp.

Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Elevation: 4035m to 4620m, Distance: 8km, Hiking Time: 3- 4 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert

On this day, the trek up to the Barafu ridge campsite is tough because of altitude. Remember, it is a short distance and it will take a few hours but is a steeping route so it is always recommended to trek slowly to avoid fatigue. While crossing the alpine desert, there are chances that you may be haunting with the cold wind blowing from the ice of the Kibo peak. You will have an early dinner at 1700hrs then rest until midnight when you will attack the summit.

Day 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Campsite the Mweka Camp

Elevation: 4620m to 5895m to 3090, Distance: 5km up, 13km down, Time: 10- 12 hours: Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Wake at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that can reach Uhuru peak shortly before or after sunrise. The trail is a series of switchbacks up steep scree or possibly snow, and reaches stella point on the crater rim at 5861m between 4 and 5 am. This is the point where you can enjoy the best views of the fabled crater and its glaciers, which would take about an hour for you to reach the true summit of Kilimanjaro, the “Uhuru”. Here you will spend some times for taking photo’s but it will depend on how you feel. After you are summit activities done, you will descend bsck to the Barafu campsite, for lunch and rest, then you will collect your equipments and continue down through moorland and heath zone to Mweka campsite. Dinner and overnight at Mweka campsite.

Day 8: Mweka campsite to Mweka gate

Elevaton: 3090m to 1680m to 1200m, Distance: 10km down, Time 3-4 hours descent, Habitat: Forest

Today is your last day on the mountain. After breakfast you will descend down to Mweka park gate walking across Montana forest. This descent will take 3 -4 hours. Here at the gate you will sign out and get ready to board the vehicle ready for the transfer back to Moshi (about 30 minutes) at the hotel for your certificate presentation and a well deserved celebration.

Day 9: Moshi to Kilimanjaro International Airport

After breakfast at your lodge, you will be picked up and transfer to Airport to catch your flight back home or proceeding with wildlife safari or beach holiday in Zanzibar.