MACHAME CLIMB

6 day private camping trekking tour + 2 nights hotel stay

Considered by the majority of our guides as the most beautiful route to Mt Kilimanjaro’s summit, Machame starts in the forest and has on a clear day views of the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro – Kibo peak. Machame is a camping route and is tougher than Rongai and Marangu routes as it is steeper. Machame route can be chosen as a scheduled departure (every Friday) or as a private departure (any day, with your choice of team mates).

Highlights

Day 1

Start: Machame Gate (1790 m)
Finish: Machame Camp (3020 m)
Altitude: ↑ 1230 m
Walking time: 5-6h

A long day, but great views of the cool forest.


Day 2

Start: Machame Camp (3020 m)
Finish:  New Shira Camp (3845 m)
Altitude: ↑ 825 m
Walking time: 4-6h

A shorter section than yesterday with great views of Shira and the summit.


Day 3

Start:  New Shira Camp (3845 m)
Finish: Barranco Camp (3960 m)
Altitude: ↑ 815 m  ↓ 680 m
Walking time: 6-7h

A long day with changing vegetation along the way.


Day 4

Start: Barranco Camp (3960 m)
Finish: Barafu Camp (4640 m)
Altitude: ↑ 680m  ↓ 50 m
Walking time: 5-6h

Conquer the Barranco Wall before more ups and downs. You will start to feel the altitude, drink lots of water.


Day 5

Start: Barafu Camp (4640 m)
Finish: Uhuru Peak (5895 m) – Mweka Camp (3080 m)
Altitude: ↑ 1255 m  ↓ 2815 m
Walking time: 10-14h

Summit day starts at midnight. Cold and steep climb to Stella Point and onwards to Uhuru Peak. Long, steep and dusty descent. .


Day 6

Start: Mweka Camp (3080 m)
Finish: Mweka Gate (1630 m)
Altitude: ↓ 1450 m
Walking time: 2-3h

Short day with gentler descent through moist forest.

Itinerary

Kilimanjaro Airport – Usa River

After arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport, our friendly transfer driver will meet you and bring you to the charming Meru View Lodge in Usa River. Rest in the afternoon or relax at the pool. Later you will have a meeting with our operations team who will give you all the safety and logistical information about the trip. They will share tips and safety information and check your gear to see if everything is ready. You will have supper at the lodge.

Dinner


Day 1 Usa River – Machame Gate (1790 m) – Machame Camp (3020 m)

After breakfast at the Meru View Lodge, our driver will take you and your group to the Kilimanjaro National Park. After your team is registered with the park authorities, you will set off and enter the forest. Surrounded by huge trees, you will hear birds and monkeys as you continue upwards towards Machame camp. It should take about six hours to exit the forest and reach the site at 3 010m. Warm washing water, tea and snacks will be waiting and soon supper will be ready. Enjoy your first night camping on Kilimanjaro.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


Day 2 Machame Camp (3020 m) – New Shira Camp (3845 m)

After a breakfast of hot porridge, eggs and fruit you will start off into a new vegetation zone – the moorland zone. Less trees, more views – you will see more of the mountain today. By mid afternoon you will reach New Shira camp, the campsite for the night.
The site has great views – especially at sunset, when Kibo peak is bathed in afternoon light. Make sure to eat well tonight and drink enough fluids.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


Day 3 New Shira Camp (3845 m) – Lava Tower Hut (4640 m) – Barranco Camp (3960 m)

What goes up will come down. So it will be today. In order for your body to get adapted to higher altitude, you will ascend 700 m and return to a much lower elevation for the night. Today’s section will take you up over 4500 m to the Lava Tower and will return you to overnight at the beautiful Barranco Camp at just under 4000 m. The day will start with a long walk uphill to the Shira Plateau. The vegetation will change to a rock-strewn moon landscape at the Lava Tower but will change again as you descend into the Barranco valley. Here you will see the weird-looking senecios and giant lobelias again. After a hike of about seven hours, you should arrive at Barranco camp where hot tea and snacks will be ready.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


Day 4 Barranco Camp (3960 m) – Barafu Camp (4640 m)

Today’s stretch starts with the scaling of the Barranco Wall. It looks daunting and is one of the steepest sections of the trail, but can be managed easier than expected. Safety is vital – use you hands for extra grip and listen to your guide. At the top, you will admire the breathtaking views. You will continue along the edge while admiring the views of Kibo peak’s glacier. You will break for lunch in the Karanga Valley. Here you can rest a while before another three hours’ hike to Barafu Camp at 4640 m. Arriving in the afternoon, there is time to rest, explore the camp or enjoy tea or coffee. Tonight will be an early night as you will wake up at midnight to start the climb to Kilimanjaro’s highest point Uhuru.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


Day 5 Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak (5895 m) – Mweka Camp (3080 m)

Rise and shine! You will wake up just before midnight, have a tea and a bite to eat before setting off towards Stella Point. It is a cold climb in the dark towards the highest point on the crater rim, but pole pole (slowly slowly) will get you there. After between five to seven hours, you will stand on the crater’s edge. Continue for another hour or two to stand at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Uhuru peak. You will have a few minutes for hugs, photos and admiring the view of the sun’s rays on the landscape below, before starting the return. The descent is on the same path with which you came and will be dusty when the volcanic ash has started to defrost. You should reach Barafu Camp at around noon for lunch and a well-deserved rest. Continue downhill to Mweka Camp at 3080 m. Here is your stop for the night. Enjoy a hearty supper before you go to rest.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


Day 6 Mweka Camp (3080 m) – Mweka Gate (1630 m) – Usa River

Your last day on the mountain. The last section follows a trail through the forest – it might be very slippery and muddy. After three hours you should arrive at Mweka Gate where you will say farewell to the crew. Our driver will be there to meet you and return you to civilisation. Back at the Meru View Lodge in Usa River, there are a pool, hot showers, clean clothes and cold drinks waiting for you. Tonight you will celebrate your success with supper at the lodge.

Breakfast, Dinner


Usa River – Kilimanjaro Airport

You will be transferred to the airport after breakfast. From here you can fly home or continue to Zanzibar for a beach break. Alternatively you can extend your holiday with a safari in Tanzania.

Breakfast

Price includes:

  • Trekking tour according to the itinerary
  • Accommodation in tents and hotels as indicated in the itinerary
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Personal porter
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Drinking water
  • Transfers as indicated in the itinerary
  • Camping equipment – tents, sleeping mattress and camping furniture
  • Portable toilet and toilet tent
  • National park fees
  • Rescue fees

Price excludes:

  • Flights (international and domestic)
  • Meals not indicated in the itinerary
  • Beverages other than water (alcohol and soft drinks)
  • Visa, tips, personal expenses, travel insurance
  • Sleeping bag (can be rented, please ask us at the time of the booking)

 

FAQ

  • The group size is the client’s decision and can vary from a solo hiker to a group of over 50 guests.
  • On a private climb, you choose you hiking partners. You will not be teamed up with strangers.
  • As per the national park authorities, the minimum age for climbing Kilimanjaro is 10 years but seeing that children are more prone to altitude sickness than adults, we recommend a minimum age of 14 to 16 years. There is no maximum age restriction, but a medical check-up is advisable for people over the age of 60.
  • Kilimanjaro is one of the few mountains of its height, than can be summited without mountaineering skills or experience. You should, however, be healthy and fit enough to manage the 4-6 hour hike each day, as well as the 12-14 hour hike on the day of the summit. For the last stretch, much endurance and willpower is needed.

Generally yes. We do, however, discourage any attempts during the main rainy season (end of March to beginning of June). During the short rainy season (November), daily short rainfalls and cloudy views can be expected. From December until the end of February, temperatures are at their highest and rainfall is at its minimum. The best time to travel is between the end of June and the middle of October, when temperatures are a little lower and there is almost no rain.

The Machame route also known as the ‘Whiskey route’ is the most picturesque route and offers hikers spectacular views of the summit. However this is also the route with the most exposure to unpleasant weather conditions such as rain, clouds and fog. On the other hand, this is the reason why the vegetation here is so beautiful and dense. Seeing that the Machame route is steeper and because of all the ups and downs, this route is physically more demanding than the Marangu and the Rongai routes. The descent follows the Mweka route.

Overnight accommodation will be in two-man tents and sleeping mats are provided. Single travellers usually share a tent with another group member of the same gender. Single tents can be provided on request at additional cost.

There are no ablution facilities except for basic long-drops (very simple latrines), but on private climbs mobile chemical toilets are included.

  • Fresh water will be collected from the available sources on the mountain and is boiled before it’s served. Porters will carry water in canisters for the higher areas, where no more fresh water is available. All meals are freshly prepared by your cook.
  • Meals are included as indicated in the itinerary.
  • Breakfast usually consists of fruit, scrambled eggs, porridge, toast and jam, hot chocolate, coffee or tea. For lunch you are usually provided with a lunch box that contains sandwiches, boiled eggs, chicken etc.
  • For dinner you will be served a soup and bread followed by the main course that either consists of red meat or poultry served with some sort of starch (chips, mashed potatoes, pasta or rice) and vegetables. For dessert you will get fresh fruit, hot chocolate, coffee or tea and milk.
  • Breakfast and dinner are served in a mess tent that is equipped with a table and chairs while lunch is enjoyed en-route.
  • We are able to provide meals for vegetarians or people with other dietary requirements or food allergies but we need to know in advance in order to cater for special requests.

Almost every hiker attempting Kilimanjaro will notice the altitude and the thinner air. Fitness fanatics are just as likely to suffer from it as couch potatoes. Symptoms include headaches that are often accompanied by fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea. More often than not, symptoms are mild, allowing you to continue to ascend. Occasionally the symptoms are more severe and a rapid descent is required, after which your body tends to recover quite quickly. Please however always keep in mind, that severe altitude sickness can be life threatening and it may even lead to death. We do not recommend the use of medication, as it suppresses the symptoms of altitude sickness. We do however encourage you to drink enough water to replace the fluids lost from the physical activity. Two to four litres per day are recommended, as well as mineral supplements (magnesium) to help replace lost minerals and to prevent muscle cramps.

  •  Unfortunately there are no state of the art mountain rescue services like the ones to be found in the European Alps for example. If you no longer have the ability to walk, you will either be carried or transported on a wheeled stretcher. This is by no means a pleasant experience which is why we encourage you not to overstrain your body and to travel safe. Helicopters can only land at a lower altitude and are therefore rarely used.
  • Please ensure that you are covered by your health insurance while travelling. If you do not have sufficient coverage, we highly recommend taking out appropriate travel insurance. Your insurance should cover all your medical expenses including costs for rescue and repatriation.
  •  It is common practice to tip the members of your mountain crew after the climb. Tips make up a large portion of their income and are therefore highly appreciated. Below are some guidelines based on a group (not per person)
  • Guide: 15-18 USD / day
  • Assistant Guide: 12-15 USD / day
  • Cook:   8-10 USD / day
  • Waiter: 7-9 USD / day
  • Porter:   6-7 USD / day
  • Of course the above is just a guideline. If you are happy with the service received, you are welcome to show this when it comes to tipping.
  • If you plan to tip in USD, please make sure the notes have been printed after 2004 as any earlier dated bank notes are not valid and can therefore not be used in Tanzania.
  • Travel bag, backpack or kitbag, weighing no more than 12kg. Please do not bring a suitcase or trolley bag, as this type of luggage cannot be carried by the porters.
  • Day backpack with rain protection.
  • High quality sleeping bag for harsh conditions (at night temperatures can drop to -20°C).
  • Different layers of clothing including thermal base layers, fleece clothing, trekking pants, warm jacket and water-resistant top layers as well as a warm headgear.
  • Water-resistant and comfortable hiking boots and a variety of trekking socks.
  • Please note that the above list is not complete and these are just a few things that you will have to bring with you. Once we have confirmed your booking, you will receive a more detailed list.
  • Citizens of all nationalities need to contact the embassies of their travel destination to check the visa regulations.
  • In general, European citizens can apply for a Tanzanian Tourism Visa upon arrival in Tanzania.
  • It is the sole responsibility of every traveller to be in possession of the required documents and visa that allows them to enter their holiday destination.
  • The trekking tour starts and ends in Tanzania, a yellow fever region, which is why we recommend a yellow fever vaccination.
  • Although there are no mosquitoes at high altitude, Tanzania is within a malaria region. It is up to you if you wish to take medication, but we suggest that you speak to your doctor or travel clinic about the different prophylaxis and their effects and side-effects.
  • Although Tanzania does not require proof of immunization against tetanus, diphtheria, polio and hepatitis A and B, we nevertheless recommend those vaccinations.

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