The 8 Days Kilimanjaro climb, the Machame route, or (Whiskey Route) at a total length of 65km, is one of the most popular for Kilimanjaro climbers. We, at Kilimanjaro Gorilla Trek Africa, would recommend the short 6-day program only to those with climbing experience, a reasonable level of fitness, and a yearning for a challenge.
The main difficulty lies in an altitude gain of over 2,000m (6,600 feet) in 24hrs including summiting, resulting in a 7% drop in success rates. If you are planning to take Machame Route in November, April, or May, the path may be eroded by rain making the climb more difficult. The 7-day program, on the other hand, offers success rates of 85% due to gradual acclimatization and will suit anyone aspiring to climb Kilimanjaro.
Itinerary highlights
Day 1: Arrival at the airport and transfer to Moshi
Day 2: Drive to Machame gate (1490m) with a hike Machame camp (2980m)
Day 3: Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira Camp (3840m)
Day 4: Shira Camp (3840m) to Lava tower (4630m) to Barranco camp (3950m)
Day 5: Barranco camp (3950m) to Karanga camp (4034m)
Day 6: Karanga camp (4034m) to Barafu camp (4600m)
Day 7: Summit attempt from Barafu camp (4600m) to Uhuru peak (5895m) then down to Mweka (3100m)
Day 8: Mweka camp (3100m) to Mweka gate (1633m).
Day 9: Transfer to the Airport for the flight back home
8 Days Kilimanjaro Safari detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at the international airport and transfer to Moshi:
Upon arrival time, you will meet greet at arrival point by our professional guide who will escort you to the waiting vehicle for loading your luggage then drive you to the Hotel in Moshi town. After checking in the hotel you will get a briefing about your next day’s trek then your mountain guide will check your gears. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing at the pool or exploring the town of Moshi.
Day 2: Drive to Machame gate (1490m) with a hike Machame camp (2980m)
After a hearty breakfast, prepare for the drive to Machame gate, upon reaching here, porters will organize and pack your belongings for a hike while you are waiting at the lounge to register with park authority (TANAPA). You will then begin ascending to rainforest. On this hiking section you should expect rain and also be ready to have a glance at some of the wildlife species such as colobus monkeys and later have a lunch break and relaxation with a bit of leg stretching after proceed with the hike to Machame camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira Camp (3840m)
Wakeup early morning for breakfast and later prepare to ascend leaving the rainforest and entering the heath moorland vegetation as you cross many streams and walk over a rocky ridge on to the Shira plateau that leads to Shira camp. At this camp site you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the western breach and its glaciers in the East. On reaching the camp go refresh for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Shira Camp (3840m) to Lava tower (4630m) to Barranco camp (3950m)
After breakfast, get ready for the departure from the forest environment and enter in to a semi desert and rocky land scape. After 5 hours of walking East, you will reach at the Lava tower here you can have a little bit of relaxation for lunch at the tower. Hikers have an option of climbing the massive Lava tower and its weather permitting. After lunch break descend to Barranco Camp. This descent gives hikers a huge opportunity to allow their bodies adapt to the conditions of high altitude. This mostly takes around 2hrs to reach the valley where Breach and Great Barranco wall is for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Barranco camp (3950m) to Karanga camp (4034m)
After early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the Wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. This is an ideal hiking day for acclimatization.
Day 6: Karanga camp (4034m) to Barafu camp (4600m)
Following breakfast, you will leave Karanga Camp (3959m). The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4550m). The word “Barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!
Day 7: Summit attempt from Barafu camp (4600m) to Uhuru peak (5895m) then down to Mweka (3100m)
Your guide will wake you up around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about 6 hours, you will reach Stella Point (5685m), located on the crater rim. After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will continue ascending for about 2 hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.
At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Mweka Hut (3100m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rain forest. Mweka Camp (3100m) is located in the upper rain forest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.
Day 8: Mweka camp (3100m) to Mweka gate (1633m).
Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The Kilimanjaro National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Moshi for long overdue showers and more celebrations.
Day 9: Transfer to the Airport for the flight back home.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to your departure point for your flight back home.