Climb Kilimanjaro via Machame Route
6-7 days + 2 nights hotel | From $1,730
The Machame Route is known for its stunning scenery, gradual acclimatization, and high success rate, making it one of the most popular options for climbing Kilimanjaro.
What you can expect on the Machame Route
RAINFOREST
The Machame Route begins with a lush rainforest hike that provides a cool and humid environment to begin the climb.
SCENIC HIKES
The Machame Route offers scenic hikes through towering peaks and stunning alpine meadows, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
ACCLIMATIZATION
The Machame Route is designed for optimal acclimatization, allowing climbers to adjust to the altitude gradually over several days.
SUMMIT NIGHT
The Machame Route offers a challenging summit night hike, culminating in a sunrise summit of Kilimanjaro's highest peak.
HIGH SUCCESS RATE
With its focus on acclimatization and flexible itinerary, the Machame Route has a high success rate, making it a popular option for those who want to reach the summit.
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About MACHAME ROUTE
The Machame Route is a challenging trek that offers stunning scenery. On average, hikers can expect to walk for 6–8 hours per day, covering a distance of about 8–15 kilometers. The route includes a maximum daily vertical gain of about 1,000 meters, with an average of 500–600 meters per day.
This makes it ideal for experienced hikers and adventure seekers who are in good physical condition and want a more strenuous experience. However, the Machame Route may not be suitable for elderly people or young children, as the physical demands and high altitude can be challenging. It is also not recommended for those looking for a leisurely climb, as the daily walking distances and vertical gains are demanding.
Machame Route Itinerary
The itinerary below describes the 6 nights/7 day Kilimanjaro climb via the Machame route. To shorten the below itinerary to 6 days you skip the night in the Karanga Valley and instead walk straight from the Barranco Huts to the Barafu Huts in one day.
Day 0
Arrival in Tanzania
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your arranged hotel in Moshi town. You will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Gear which is missing can be rented on this day.
- Driving distance: 55 km
- Driving Time: 1 hour
Day 1
Machame Gate to Machame Hut Camp
The drive starts from Moshi to Machame gate by passing through the Machame village which is located on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. After gate formalities and permits we start the hiking in the montane rainforests through mossy trails until we reach Machame hut camp.
- Distance: 11km/7miles
- Hiking Time: 5-7hours
- Elevation: 5,380ft to 9,350ft
- Habitat: Rain Forest
Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp
The trail starts with a gentle climb through the moorland, featuring open grasslands, low shrubs, and alpine flowers. The rocky, volcanic terrain provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. You’ll see unique and diverse flora and fauna along the way. Upon reaching Shira 2 Camp, you’ll set up for the night, preparing for the next day’s hike.
- Distance: 5km/3miles
- Hiking Time: 5-6hours
- Elevation: 9,350ft to 12,500ft
- Habitat: Heath
Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp
The trail starts with a gentle climb through the moorland, featuring open grasslands, low shrubs, and alpine flowers. The rocky, volcanic terrain provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. You’ll see unique and diverse flora and fauna along the way. Upon reaching Shira 2 Camp, you’ll set up for the night, preparing for the next day’s hike.
- Distance: 5km/3miles
- Hiking Time: 5-6hours
- Elevation: 9,350ft to 12,500ft
- Habitat: Heath
Day 3
Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Today’s hike goes from Shira Cave Camp (12,500 ft) to Lava Tower (15,000 ft), then down to Barranco Camp (13,000 ft). The trail starts with a gentle climb through high-altitude moorland, offering breathtaking views of the peaks and valleys. After a few hours, you’ll reach Lava Tower, a towering rock formation. You’ll rest there before heading to Barranco Camp. Though you’ll reach up to 15,000 ft, following the ‘walk high, sleep low’ rule will help with acclimatization.
- Distance: 10km/6miles
- Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
- Elevation: 12,500ft to 15,190ft to 13,044ft
- Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Day 4
Baranco Camp – Karanga Camp
Our day begins with a descent into the Great Barranco, a vast ravine. We then climb the Great Barranco Wall, a long and tiring ascent, though not technical. Passing under the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head to the Karanga valley. After a steep climb from the valley, we reach Karanga camp at 3963m. For those feeling strong, there will be an afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before returning to camp for the night.
- Distance: 5km/3miles
- Hiking Time: 4-5hours
- Elevation:13,044 ft – 13,106 ft
- Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Day 5
Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.
- Distance: 4km/2miles
- Hiking Time: 4-5hours
- Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft
- Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Day 4
Baranco Camp – Karanga Camp
Our day begins with a descent into the Great Barranco, a vast ravine. We then climb the Great Barranco Wall, a long and tiring ascent, though not technical. Passing under the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head to the Karanga valley. After a steep climb from the valley, we reach Karanga camp at 3963m. For those feeling strong, there will be an afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before returning to camp for the night.
- Distance: 5km/3miles
- Hiking Time: 4-5hours
- Elevation:13,044 ft – 13,106 ft
- Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Day 5
Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.
- Distance: 4km/2miles
- Hiking Time: 4-5hours
- Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft
- Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Day 6
Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
We start around midnight and climb steeply to the summit glaciers. The ascent on scree takes 4 to 5 hours, gaining incredible height quickly, with spectacular views. We should reach Stella Point (5739m) at sunrise, surrounded by ice cliffs and breathtaking views of Mawenzi peak. Another hour’s walk brings us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We then descend back to Stella Point, continue down the scree slope to Barafu Camp for breakfast, and finally head to Millennium Camp for a well-earned rest.
- Distance: 5km/3miles and 7km/4miles
- Hiking Time: 6-8 hours and 2-4 hoursur
- Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341ft and 12,434 ft
- Vegetation: Arctic to Heath
Day 7
Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome shower then celebrate with cold drinks. Overnight at your arranged hotel.
- Distance: 12km/7miles
- Hiking Time: 5-7hours
- Elevation: 12,434 ft – 5,380 ft
- Vegetation: Rain forest
Machame Route Prices
We do no compromise on safety and quality, so our prices are not the cheapest. However, they are also not unreasonably high like some other companies. We take a lot of pride in the value for money we provide to each and every client. The per person prices below are based on how many people are booking the trek together.
7-DAY ROUTE PRICE
1 person – $2,425
2-5 persons – $2,135
6-10 persons – $2,085
11+ persons – $2,035
6-DAY ROUTE PRICE
1 person – $2,080
2-5 persons – $1,830
6-10 persons – $1,780
11+ persons – $1,730
FAQs for Machame Route
HOW DIFFICULT IS THE MACHAME ROUTE?
The Machame Route is designed to provide ample time for acclimatization, with a slower pace and lower daily altitude gain compared to some of the other routes. This gradual pace helps reduce the risk of altitude sickness, making it a popular choice. However it still includes the challenging ascent up the Barranco Wall and a steep climb to the summit on the final night.
HOW LONG IS THE MACHAME ROUTE?
The Machame Route on Kilimanjaro is approximately 63 kms (39 miles) in length from start to finish. It is usually done over 7 days, but a shorter 6-day itinerary is also possible. The average daily altitude gain is about 700m per day, with the summit day climb of 1200m.
WHAT IS MACHAME ROUTE'S SUMMIT SUCCESS RATE?
Due to it’s "climb high, sleep low" profile, summit success rates on the Machame route are very high. Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all operators is 85% for the 7 day trek and a 73% success rate for the 6 day trek. However, we have a 95% summit success rate for the Machame route.
HOW IS THE SCENERY ON THE MACHAME ROUTE?
The scenery is extremely varied and you will pass through 5 climatic zones on your way to the summit. The trek begins in rain forest on the lower slopes before continuing up into the low alpine zone of wild grasslands and moorlands.
From there you trek into the high alpine zone before reaching the glacial zone. You will encounter many incredible vistas and visit stunning places such as Shira Plateau, Barranco and Lava Tower.
