6 Days Machame Route - Kilimanjaro Trekking Tour
Experience the ultimate Kilimanjaro trekking adventure with our professional 6 Days Machame Route tour. Expert guides, quality equipment, and guaranteed summit success.
6 Days Machame Route - Tour Overview
6 Days
12+
Shared tour
Budget Accommodation
6 Days Machame Route - Detailed Overview
Climb Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route also known as the Whiskey route by far the most popular route and has a very high success
rate of making it to the top. It starts with a nice day of walking through the rainforest
and has a nice steady altitude increase each day. Curling around the mountain
gives you a variety of different views and beautiful landscapes. For Juhudi
Expedition this is our most popular route and enjoyed by a high percentage of
our clients.
The trek begins in the south-west area of the mountain at
Machame Gate. The route takes six days minimum to complete, although seven days
is recommended. The descent is down Mweka, on the south-east side of
the mountain. Because of the ascent in the west and descent down the
north, Machame route offers great vistas of Kilimanjaro. Additionally, Machame
visits stunning places such as Shira Plateau, Barranco, and Lava Tower.
Machame route is ideal for those who want a more difficult
climb, and are confident in their ability to hike over extended periods of time
on sometimes steep terrain. Climbers using Machame place a premium of varied
scenery, but also accept heavy traffic.
6 Days Machame Route - What's Included
6 Days Machame Route - Daily Itinerary
You will be picked up
from the airport. From there you will go to the hotel in Moshi for an
orientation on your trek. Your guides will be there to provide you with details
on your trek and will also check your trekking gear.
Drive
from Moshi to Machame Gate takes about 45 minutes. The journey passes through
the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain.
We depart the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up
a ridge. At lower elevations the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and
trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we
reach the Machame Camp.
- Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft
- Distance: 11km/7mi
- Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
After
breakfast we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending
path, crossing the valley along a steep rocky ridge. The route now turns west
onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira campsite.
- Elevation: 3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft
- Distance: 5km/3mi
- Walking Time: 4-5 hours
From
the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction
towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South
East towards the Lava Tower, called the Sharks Tooth (elevation 4650m/15,250ft).
Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow
Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day
around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for
acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
- Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
- Distance: 10km/6mi
- Walking Time: 5-6 hours
After
breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall
(elev 4250m/13,900ft), through the Karanga Valley (elev 4050m/13,250ft) to the
junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu
Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit
from many different angles. Here we make camp with views of the summit in the
distance.
- Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4700m/15,350ft
- Distance: 9km/6mi
- Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Very
early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit
between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction
and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is
the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella
Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most
magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the
sunrise from the summit.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to
the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount
Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka
Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for
the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening
on the mountain.
- Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
- Down to 3090m/10,150ft
- Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
- Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
After
breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your
summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and
trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear
(keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
Focus Mission Safaris car will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you
back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).
- Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
- Distance: 10km/6mi
- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
6 Days Machame Route - Pricing per Person
| Season | Solo | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons | 6 Persons | 6+ Persons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
February to December |
$1870 | $1850 | $1820 | $1780 | $1740 | $1720 | $1700 |
