8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro
8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro hike via Machame Route Trekking
Overview
8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro hike via Machame Route is one of the most popular routes on Mount Kilimanjaro. According to statistics from Kilimanjaro National Park approximately 53% of trekkers use the Machame Route to ascend Kilimanjaro. The route is very scenic, providing hikers with incredible views and varying landscapes. The Machame route is relatively difficult as climbers need to be able to ascend the Barranco wall on day four and contend with a steep incline up Kibo on summit night.
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
Upon arrival at the airport (Kilimanjaro International Airport-JRO or Arusha Airport-ARK), you will be met by your personal driver guide or representative. You will be transferred to your accommodation in Arusha for an overnight stay waiting for your adventures to start on the following day.
Main Destination: Arusha (City)
Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge (Mid-range lodge located in or near Arusha)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
Day 2: Arusha – Machame Gate (1790 m) – Machame Camp (3020 m) approx 6 hours hike
After breakfast, you will be driven together with the crew to the entrance gate of Kilimanjaro National Park, Machame Gate. While our guide is busy with the registration forms, you can watch the mountain team/ crew preparing and packing their bags. As soon as the registration is done and the team is prepared, the Kilimanjaro adventure begins. In a very short time, you are deep in the beautiful rainforest with old trees, ancient ferns, lianas, lichens and mosses that gently cover the ground and hang down from the trees.
With a bit of luck, you will even be able to admire the beautiful black and white Colobus monkeys in the treetops. After 5 to 6 hours, we reach today’s destination – the Machame Camp, which is located just above the tree line at 3,020 m. Here, at the foot of Kilimanjaro, you will have your first dinner, followed by an overnight stay in tents.
- Distance: ~11km / 7 miles
- Trekking time: 5-7 hours
- Zone: Rain forest.
Main Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)
Accommodation: Machame Camp (In or near Mt Kilimanjaro)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
Day 3: Machame Camp (3010 m) to Shira Camp (3845 m) – approx 6 hours hike
After an early morning start, the path steepens and the vegetation changes into a moorland with shrubs such as hardy Ericas. Today’s stage is shorter than the previous day and by mid-afternoon, you will arrive at the campsite at the Shira Plateau. From the camp you will have breath-taking views of the mountain and evening light on the rock face and glacier of Kibo as the sun sets. It is believed that the first volcanic activity began around 1 million years ago.
- Distance: ~5km / 3 miles
- Trekking time: 4-6 hours
- Zone: Rainforest / Low Alpine Zone.
Main Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)
Accommodation: Shira Camp (In or near Mt Kilimanjaro)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
Day 4: New Shira Camp (3845 m) – Lava Tower (4640 m) – Barranco Camp (3960 m) – approx 7 hours
Day 3 is a long and tough trek East off the Shira Plateau through the ‘Garden of the Senecios’, up to Lava Tower and the Shark’s Tooth rock formation at 4,600 meters and then back down via the Southern Circuit to Barranco Camp (3,900 meters).
The route is approximately 11km / 7 miles in length and takes 5-7 hours to complete.
Although you end the day at a very similar elevation to when you started from Shira Camp, it is arguably one of the most important days on your trek as it gives you a chance to climb high and sleep low which is important for proper acclimatization.
- Distance: ~11km / 7 miles
- Trekking time: 5-7 hours
- Zone: Low alpine zone / High alpine zone.
Main Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)
Accommodation: Barranco Camp (Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Kilimanjaro)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro
Day 5: Barranco Camp (3960 m) to Barafu (4035 m) – approx 4 hours hike
The first section of today’s route is to scale the ‘Barranco Wall’. Use your hands and feet. Safety is paramount and you will be secured, if necessary, but it looks more daunting than it actually is. The trail continues with many up and down sections, crossing a few streams, winding and climbing stopping for lunch in the Karanga Valley. After lunch there will be another 2 – 3 hours hike before you reach Barafu Camp (4640 m). Tonight, drink a lot of fluids, try to eat and go to bed early to rest enough before tomorrow’s summit trek.
- Distance: ~7km / 5 miles
- Trekking time: 5-6 hours
- Zone: High alpine zone.
Main Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)
Accommodation: Barafu Camp (Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Kilimanjaro)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
Book here
Day 6: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak (5895 m) – Mweka Camp (3080 m)
You will be woken up in the midnight hours with a cup of tea and a biscuit. After 5 – 7 hours of ‘pole pole’, you will reach the rim of the crater, Stella Point. Another one to two hours of going slowly along the crater’s edge and you will arrive at the summit – Uhuru Peak (5895 m). Looking down over the surrounding landscape below in the early morning light, will make you feel on top of the world. You have now reached the ‘Roof of Africa’.
The descent should be easy but dusty, as the volcanic ash will now have defrosted. Returning on the same route you should arrive at Barafu Camp within a few hours where the porters are waiting with food and tea. Resting for an hour or two, you will continue down to reach Mweka Camp (3080 m) where you will finally rest for your overnight stay.
- Distance: ~4.5km / 3 miles ascent and then 11km / 7 mile descent
- Trekking time: 6-8 hours to the summit and then 5-8 hours to Mweka
- Zone: Glacial zone and all preceding zones.
Main Destination: Uhuru Peak (Mt Kilimanjaro)
Accommodation: Mweka Camp (Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Kilimanjaro)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
Day 7: Mweka Camp (3080 m) to Mweka Gate and drive to Arusha – approx 3 hours hike and 2 hours drive
The final stage of our amazing adventure begins after breakfast with a traditional farewell ceremony from our mountain crew. Then it goes gently downhill for 2 to 3 hours through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where our driver is waiting for us. He brings us back to our hotel in Arusha. After a wonderfully warm shower, you will then relax by the hotel pool for the rest of the day.
Main Destination: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)
Accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge (Mid-range lodge located in or near Arusha)
Meal plan: All meal and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro
Day 8: Arusha to the airport
Early morning after breakfast and further relaxation at the hotel, you will then drive straight to the airport in time of your flight to your next destination or back home.
Main Destination: Arusha (City)
Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and Drinking water (exclude extra drinks)
End of your 8 days Kilimanjaro Trek
Inclusives and Exclusives
Includes
- Porterage
- Rescue fee
- Park fees (For non-residents)
- All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Airport transfer
- Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water (On all days)
Excludes
- Climbing gear
- International flights (From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
