Description
10 Days Kilimanjaro hike machame Route
Hiking the Machame Route on Mount Kilimanjaro is a popular choice for those seeking a challenging and rewarding adventure. The Machame Route is known for its scenic beauty and diverse landscapes, but it is also one of the more difficult routes due to its steep inclines and high altitude. A typical 6-10-day itinerary for the Machame Route looks something like this:
Safari Highlights
If you are flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and planning to hike the Machame Route on Mount Kilimanjaro, your itinerary may look something like this:
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to hotel Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by a representative from your tour operator and transferred to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha. You will have a pre-climb briefing with your guide to discuss the details of the hike and make any necessary preparations.
Day 2: Machame Gate to Machame Camp After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the Machame Gate (1,640 meters / 5,380 feet). After completing the necessary registration formalities, you will begin the hike to Machame Camp (2,835 meters / 9,300 feet). The hike takes about 5-7 hours through dense rainforest.
Day 3: Machame Camp to Shira Camp After breakfast, you will continue your hike through the rainforest and into the heather and moorland zone. The trail steepens as you climb up a steep ridge, with stunning views of the Shira Plateau below. You will reach Shira Camp (3,750 meters / 12,300 feet) after about 4-6 hours of hiking.
Day 4: Shira Camp to Lava Tower and Barranco Camp Today is a relatively short day, but you will be hiking to higher altitudes to help with acclimatization. After breakfast, you will hike to Lava Tower (4,640 meters / 15,200 feet), where you will have lunch and enjoy the views. You will then descend to Barranco Camp (3,950 meters / 12,960 feet) for the night. This hike takes about 6-8 hours.
Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp Today’s hike is a relatively short one, but it is also quite challenging. You will hike up the Barranco Wall, which involves some steep scrambling and climbing. After reaching the top of the wall, you will continue on to Karanga Camp (3,995 meters / 13,106 feet), where you will spend the night. This hike takes about 4-5 hours.
Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp After breakfast, you will continue on to Barafu Camp (4,673 meters / 15,331 feet). This hike takes about 4-5 hours and is relatively steep, but the views of the surrounding landscape are spectacular. Once you arrive at Barafu Camp, you will have an early dinner and go to bed early in preparation for your summit attempt.
Day 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp You will wake up in the middle of the night (around midnight) to begin your summit attempt. You will climb in the dark for several hours, using headlamps to light the way. The trail becomes progressively steeper as you climb higher, and the altitude can make the hike challenging. You will reach Stella Point (5,739 meters / 18,831 feet) just before sunrise. From there, it is a short (about 1-2 hour) hike to the summit of Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters / 19,341 feet). After enjoying the views and taking some photos, you will begin your descent back to Barafu Camp for a short rest and lunch. You will then continue on to Mweka Camp (3,100 meters / 10,170 feet), where you will spend your last night on the mountain.
Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
After breakfast, you will continue your descent to the Mweka Gate (1,640 meters / 5,380 feet
Day 9: Return Journey Starts
Day 10: Drop to Airport.
The approximately trekking distance for the Machame Route is 62 km or 37 miles the entire climb from trail head up to the summit and all the way down to Mweka gate. The shortest number of days required for Machame Route is 6 days, but by the time you have added on arrival and departure days it is 10.
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