Machame Route — 6 Days
Overview
Machame is Kilimanjaro's most popular route for good reason — varied scenery, dramatic ridgelines and a sociable trail. It's steeper than Lemosho, so it's best for travellers with prior multi-day trekking experience.
Quick facts
- Start point
- Machame Gate (1,640 m)
- End point
- Mweka Gate (1,640 m)
- Distance
- ≈ 62 km round trip
- Highest point
- Uhuru Peak · 5,895 m
- Group size
- Private, 1–12 climbers
- Best season
- Jan–Mar, Jun–Oct
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Traffic
- Low to moderate
- Scenery
- Exceptional
- Accommodation
- Mountain tents
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1Day 1
Moshi → Machame Gate → Machame Camp
Today's StatusHiking Time: 5–6 hoursTotal Distance: 11 kmStarting Altitude: 1,800 m (5,905 ft)Final Altitude: 3,010 m (9,875 ft)Elevation Change: +1,210 mHabitat: Montane rainforestMorning briefing and gear check in Moshi, then a 45-minute drive to Machame Gate (1,800 m) for park registration and porter weighing. Picnic lunch, then a steady climb through dense montane rainforest — often muddy underfoot, so gaiters help — with hanging moss, giant ferns and blue monkeys overhead. Camp sits right on the forest edge; hot washing water and dinner are ready on arrival.
Meals: Lunch, DinnerMachame Camp · 3,010 m - 2Day 2
Machame Camp → Shira Camp
Today's StatusHiking Time: 4–6 hoursTotal Distance: 5 kmStarting Altitude: 3,010 m (9,875 ft)Final Altitude: 3,845 m (12,615 ft)Elevation Change: +835 mHabitat: Heather & moorlandA short but demanding day: the trail leaves the forest within the hour and climbs a steep rocky ridge with occasional hands-on steps. As you top out on the Shira Plateau — the caldera of Kilimanjaro's oldest cone — Kibo's glaciers fill the view ahead and Mt. Meru rises above the clouds behind. Afternoon rest, health check and an optional short walk on the plateau.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerShira Camp · 3,845 m - 3Day 3
Shira → Lava Tower → Barranco Camp
Today's StatusHiking Time: 6–7 hoursTotal Distance: 10 kmStarting Altitude: 3,845 m (12,615 ft)Final Altitude: 3,960 m (12,995 ft)Elevation Change: +785 m / −670 m (via Lava Tower)Habitat: Alpine desertThe most important acclimatisation day of the trek. Head east across alpine desert to the 300 m volcanic plug of Lava Tower (4,630 m) for lunch — mild headaches at this height are common and ease as you descend. Drop 670 m into the strange, lush Barranco Valley among forests of giant groundsel and camp beneath the Western Breach and the Heim Glacier.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerBarranco Camp · 3,960 m - 4Day 4
Barranco → Karanga Valley → Barafu Camp
Today's StatusHiking Time: 8–9 hoursTotal Distance: 9 kmStarting Altitude: 3,960 m (12,995 ft)Final Altitude: 4,673 m (15,331 ft)Elevation Change: +713 mHabitat: Alpine desertThe longest approach day. Start early to scramble the Barranco Wall — a hands-on rock scramble past the famous 'Kissing Rock', no technical climbing — then descend and re-ascend into Karanga Valley, the last water source on the route. Continue up the exposed rocky ridge across barren alpine desert to Barafu ('ice'), summit base camp. Early dinner at 17:00, kit prepared, sleeping bag by 19:00.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerBarafu Camp · 4,673 m - 5Day 5
Summit Day · Barafu → Uhuru Peak → Mweka Camp
Today's StatusHiking Time: 12–14 hoursTotal Distance: 17 kmStarting Altitude: 4,673 m (15,331 ft)Final Altitude: 3,068 m (10,065 ft) via Uhuru Peak 5,895 mElevation Change: +1,222 m / −2,827 mHabitat: Arctic → moorlandWake at 23:30 for tea and biscuits and set off by headtorch at midnight, climbing frozen scree switchbacks at a slow pole-pole pace. Sunrise arrives near Stella Point (5,756 m) on the crater rim, Mawenzi glowing below. A further 45–60 minutes along the rim past the Rebmann Glacier brings you to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Descend to Barafu for brunch and rest, then down to Mweka Camp in the moorland.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerMweka Camp · 3,068 m - 6Day 6
Mweka Camp → Mweka Gate → Moshi
Today's StatusHiking Time: 3–4 hoursTotal Distance: 10 kmStarting Altitude: 3,068 m (10,065 ft)Final Altitude: 1,640 m (5,380 ft)Elevation Change: −1,428 mHabitat: Montane rainforestA final descent on soft forest trail back into the rainforest and down to Mweka Gate. Sign out of the park and collect your summit certificate — gold for Uhuru Peak, green for Stella Point — followed by the crew's farewell song and tipping ceremony over a celebratory lunch. Transfer to your Moshi hotel by mid-afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Pricing per person
All-inclusive on the ground. Price per person decreases with group size.
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $2,300 |
| 2 people | $1,880 |
| 3 people | $1,840 |
| 4 people | $1,820 |
| 5 people | $1,800 |
| 6 people | $1,780 |
| 7 people | $1,750 |
| 8 people | $1,700 |
| 9 people | $1,680 |
| 10 people | $1,650 |
| Prices valid for current season bookings | |
What's included
Everything covered on the ground, and what's not.
The Trip Cost Includes
- All transportation in destination location
- Hotel accommodations, before and after the trek
- All government taxes and park entrance fees
- All meals while on the mountain
The Trip Cost Excludes
- Personal gear rentals
- Tanzania visa fee
- Tipping to the trekking crew
- Travel insurance
Trail map
A stylised overview of the Machame Route — camps, elevations and summit approach.
Elevation profile
Night-by-night altitude on the Machame Route — the shape of the climb, camp by camp.
Route FAQs
The questions climbers ask most.
Do I need previous climbing experience?+
No technical climbing is required on any of the standard routes. Good general fitness and prior multi-day hiking experience are strongly recommended — you'll be trekking 5–7 hours per day for a week at high altitude.
How cold does it get on the summit?+
Summit night temperatures typically range from −7 °C to −20 °C with wind chill. Daytime at lower camps is much milder (10–20 °C). We provide a detailed packing list and can rent quality cold-weather gear locally.
What is the summit success rate?+
Our overall summit success across all routes is 96 %. On the 8-day Lemosho itinerary it climbs to 99 %. Success comes down to route length (more acclimatisation days = more oxygen in your blood at 5,895 m) and guide quality.
Is travel insurance required?+
Yes — mandatory. Your policy must cover trekking to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation. We recommend World Nomads or Global Rescue.
How much should I tip the crew?+
The KPAP guideline is about USD 20–25 per climber per day, pooled and split among guides, cook and porters. We hand out a detailed tipping breakdown at the pre-climb briefing.
How long are the treks?+
Our Kilimanjaro treks run from five to eight days, and we recommend a minimum of six for proper acclimatisation. Total trekking distance is roughly 53–73 km depending on the route. Adding extra days significantly improves your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak — which is why we usually extend Marangu from five days to six.
How many hours will I trek each day?+
Expect 4–7 hours of hiking on a typical day. Summit day is the longest at 10–15 hours including the ascent and initial descent, and some descent days can run 8–10 hours. Actual times depend on your pace, the weather and the route.
Can children climb Kilimanjaro?+
Yes. Kilimanjaro National Park sets a minimum age of 10 years for children trekking to Uhuru Peak.
What kind of food will I eat?+
Our mountain chefs prepare three hot, nutritious meals a day plus trail snacks and afternoon tea, served in the dining tent. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, diabetic-friendly and other special diets are catered for with advance notice — ask us for a sample menu.
Are there charging points on the mountain?+
There are no charging stations on Kilimanjaro. Bring power banks and spare batteries; our vehicles have charging ports for transfer days.
What travel documents do I need?+
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, with a valid entry or re-entry visa for Tanzania.
Have a question about Machame Route?
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