Climbing Kilimanjaro (5895m) – Machame Route

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel in Moshi.
You’ll have some free time to rest, followed by a briefing session covering the details of the climb, safety guidelines, and the necessary equipment. This session will be led by your guide or trip leader.
The day will end with a group dinner.

Elevation gain: +1220m, Distance: 11.5km, Hiking time: 5h-6h, Accommodation: Tente

In the morning, we’ll meet with our guide to start the day. From there, we’ll leave the hotel and drive about one hour to Machame Gate, the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. This is where our climb begins.

After completing some registration formalities at the park gate, we’ll begin our hike through a tropical rainforest. As we go higher, the vegetation will gradually become less dense, and above 2,800 meters, the trees will disappear completely.

After about 5 hours of walking, we’ll reach our first campsite: Machame Camp. Nestled in still-dense vegetation, this is where we’ll settle in for the night.

Elevation gain: +800m, Distance: 6km, Hiking time: 4h-5h, Accommodation: Tente

After breakfast, we leave the rainforest and continue our journey on an uphill trail.
We cross a valley and follow a steep rocky ridge. If the weather is clear, we’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of Uhuru Peak. We keep a slow and steady pace for about two hours to help with acclimatization.

Our route then turns west, passing through a river gorge. The landscape becomes almost otherworldly, with old lava flows, small caves, and trickling streams all around.
We’ll reach Shira Camp, located at 3,850 meters, where we’ll spend the night. You can either rest or explore the area to enjoy the panoramic view of Mount Meru.

Elevation gain: +800m/-720m, Distance: 11km, Hiking time 6h-7h, Accommodation: Tente

From the Shira Plateau, we continue heading east, crossing the junction that leads toward the Kibo summit.
As we hike on, the trail turns southeast toward Lava Tower, also known as the "Shark’s Tooth." This spot, located at 4,640 meters, is where we’ll stop for lunch — a good opportunity for our bodies to adjust to the higher altitude.

Shortly after Lava Tower, we reach a junction that leads us down toward the Arrow Glacier.

We then continue to Barranco Camp, where we’ll spend the night.
This campsite, located at the base of the Great Barranco Wall and the Breach, offers stunning views. Even though we finish the day at a similar altitude to where we started, this stage is very important for acclimatization. It helps your body prepare for the final push to the summit.

Elevation gain: +700m, Distance: 9km, Hiking time: 6h-7h, Accommodation: Tente

The day begins with the climb up the Barranco Wall — a steep rock face about 200 meters high.
This part of the hike is challenging and requires careful attention, as there are a few exposed sections. After about 1.5 hours of effort, we continue with a series of ups and downs until we reach Karanga Camp at 4,030 meters. Here, we stop for lunch.

We then continue with a gradual uphill hike to Barafu Camp, located at 4,650 meters. This camp offers stunning views of the Mawenzi Crater, which rises to 5,149 meters.

Later, you’ll have a short briefing and prepare your backpack for the final ascent. After dinner, you’ll rest before the midnight departure to reach the summit.

Elevation gain: +1250m/-2800, Distance: 16km, Hiking time: 12h-13h, Accommodation: Tente

Very early in the morning, around midnight, we begin our ascent — a 6-hour climb aiming to conquer the remaining 1,250 meters to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro: Uhuru Peak, standing at 5,895 meters.
Our route takes us via Stella Point at 5,685 meters, where we take a well-deserved break to admire and contemplate the sunrise — a moment that will be forever etched in your memory.

After another hour of hiking along the ridge, we will set foot on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 meters.
It’s the perfect time to soak in the panoramic views and capture photos to commemorate this extraordinary achievement.

The descent then begins toward Barafu Camp, following a rocky trail.
There, you’ll have time to rest and enjoy a well-earned lunch before continuing on to Mweka Camp, located at 3,100 meters, where you will spend your final night of this exceptional journey.

Elevation gain: -1300m, Distance: 10km, Hiking time: 3h-4h, Accommodation: Hôtel

We start our final day of trekking by walking through a tropical rainforest, eventually joining a trail that leads us to the Mweka Gate, where you will receive your summit certificates.
This is the moment to say goodbye to our team of porters, who have been invaluable companions throughout the journey. We then drive back to Moshi, which takes about an hour.

Once we’ve checked into our rooms, we’ll gather for lunch. After that, you’ll have free time to explore the town before ending the day with a festive celebration dinner.

After having breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight.