7 Days Mt.Kilimanjaro - Tanzania - Machame Route Tour

Shira Camp Two – (3,810m or 12,500ft)
Trekking – 5 to 6 hours
Distance – 5km or 3 miles
Zone – Low alpine

After breakfast, you leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest with dinner and overnight at the Shira campsite.

Trekking – 8 to 9 hours
Distance – 10km or 6 miles
Zone – Low to high alpine

From the Shira Plateau, you continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As you continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.” Shortly after the tower, you come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 4,876m (15,997 feet). You now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 3860m (12,664 feet). Here you rest, enjoy dinner and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Elevation – 13,000 to 13,100ft
Trekking – 4 to 5 hours
Distance – 5km
Zone – Alpine desert

After breakfast, you leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization. A steep climb up the Barranco Wall leads us to an undulating trail on the south-eastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the Southern Icefields. The terrain changes to scree, with pockets of lush vegetation in sheltered hollows, and there is only a short distance to our camp at Karanga Camp (13,100 feet), the last water point on the way to the summit.

Elevation – 13,100 to 15,300ft
Trekking – 4 to 5 hours
Distance – 4km
Zone – Alpine desert

After breakfast, you leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. You continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here you camp, rest, enjoy dinner and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this position. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the early morning final ascent.

Elevation – 15,300 to 19,345ft
Trekking – 7 to 8 hours ascent / 4 to 6 hours descent
Distance – 5km ascent / 12km descents
Zone – Arctic

You start the ascent by torchlight at about midnight so that you can be up on the crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well grazed zig zags and a slow but steady pace will take us to stella point (18,800 feet),in about five or six hours.You will rest for a short time to enjoy sunrise over mawenzi. If you're still feeling strong you can make two hour round trip from here along the crater rim to uhuru peak (19,345 feet),passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that will occupy most of the summit area.The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast from the summit as you now descend continuing straight down to the Mweka hut campsite.Mweka camp is situated inthe upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in late afternoon.Laterin the evening,you enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well earned sleep.

Elevation – 10,000 to 5,400ft
Trekking – 3 to 4 hours
Distance – 10km
Zone – Rain forest

After breakfast continue to 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).From the gate a private vehicle will transfer you back to the hotel in moshi marking the end of your 7 days Mount Kilimanjaro summiting.