8 DAY MACHAME (DAYTIME SUMMIT) ITINERARY

DAY 1 – Machame Gate to Machame Camp

The drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. As we leave the park gate, we walk through the dense rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge until we reach the Machame Camp.

DAY 2 – Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp

We leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path up to a steep, rocky ridge. On the Shira Plateau, we pass through heather and open moorlands, then cross a large river gorge to Shira 2 Camp.

DAY 3 – Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

We continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation. We descend down to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.

DAY 4 – Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.

DAY 5 – Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy dinner while preparing for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.

DAY 6 – Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Barafu Camp

In the morning light, we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. We ascend for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Upon reaching the crater rim, you arrive at Stella Point (18,900 ft), with the summit within striking distance. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak – the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

From the summit, we return back to Barafu Camp, where we celebrate our achievement and enjoy a well-earned sleep.

DAY 7 – Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp

We make our descent going straight down to Mweka Camp, which is situated in the upper forest. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Later in the evening, we have our last dinner on the mountain.

DAY 8 – Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. A vehicle takes us back to the hotel in Moshi, where we receive our summit certificates.