Machame Route - Special Interest Kilimanjaro

This is one of the most beautiful and less-utilised routes up the mountain. Since the huts are in very poor condition they are used by the porters, so for this trip you will sleep in tents. All your supplies and camping equipment are portered and your meals are prepared. Your baggage limit is 12 kg for the climb. The guides are excellent and the food plain and wholesome, including plenty of carbohydrates and fresh vegetables.

Day 1:

On arrival at Kilimanjaro airport you will be met and transferred to the Keys Hotel where your accommodation has been booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. This evening you will be briefed on the climb in preparation for the following day. Please note that a baggage limit of 12 kg will be carried by your porter so please ensure that your personal gear does not exceed this.

Keys Hotel

We use a base hotel, Keys Hotel, which is moderate by South African standards, but by far the best hotel in Moshi! It has a pool, hot water, good sized rooms with en-suite bathrooms, excellent pub, restaurant and patio areas.

Day 2:

After being driven to the park gate, a five-hour walk through the spectacular forest will bring you to Machame hut at 3 000 m, where you will camp overnight.

Day 3:

From Machame Hut, you will climb for an hour or so to the top of the forest, then take two hours at a more gentle angle through the lower moorlands, which will bring you to the top of a rocky buff. From here you traverse westwards, up towards Shira Cathedral. Total walking time is approximately six hours. You will camp overnight near Shira Hut.

Day 4:

From Shira Hut, you will climb slowly for about 5 km, through increasingly barren terrain, straight towards the cone of Kibo, then traverse across to Barranco Hut. This will be a fairly long and strenuous day as the altitude is now beginning to be felt. Overnight camping.

Day 5:

This will be another arduous day as you continue across to Barafu Hut, where you will camp for the night.

Day 6:

Today you will be woken up at approximately 01:00 for your final ascent so you must dress warmly. Your guide will lead you pole pole (slowly slowly) to Stella Point on the crater ridge, and then along the top to Uhuru Peak, It’s a very long day - reaching the peak in the early morning light and then descending during the day, arriving at Mweka in the late afternoon. Overnight camping at Mweka.

Day 7:

After approximately four hours of steady downhill walking you will reach the park gate, where you will be met and transferred to the Keys Hotel. Here you will overnight on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

COST: On request, depending on the time of year and duration of the climb.

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