6 Days The Best Machame Route Trekking Tour

As you begin your ascent, you'll pass by subsistence farms and the town of Machame. At the gate, you'll meet your trekking crew, including guides, porters, and a cook. The porters will prepare the gear while ensuring each pack doesn't exceed 20 kilograms. Meanwhile, you and your team will enter the breathtaking rainforest that blankets the southwestern part of the mountain. This leg of the Machame Route covers approximately 13 kilometers and takes around 5-6 hours to complete. Along the way, you'll be provided with a packed lunch and three liters of bottled water. However, this will be the only bottled water provided, as the porters will collect water from mountain streams for the remainder of the journey. The day concludes at Machame Camp (2,800m), located near the edge of the rainforest zone. Upon arrival, your porters will have already set up your camp and tents, and dinner will be served. You will spend the night at Machame Camp

Destination: Machame Gate To Machame Camp

Accommodation: Machame Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

It covers a distance of approximately 5km over 4-5 hours. The trail takes you through the rainforest and moorland zones, with a relatively steep ascent. At Shira Cave, located at an altitude of 3,750 meters above sea level, you'll be rewarded with stunning views of Kibo and Mount Meru. Overnight stay at Shira Cave.

Destination: Machame Camp To Shira Cave

Accommodation: Shira Cave Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

The route spans around 10km and takes approximately 7 hours to complete. You'll pass through the alpine zone and moorland zone, including the remarkable Shark's Tooth rock formation. Despite ending the day at a similar elevation to the starting point, this day is crucial for acclimatization. Sleeping at a lower altitude after trekking higher helps your body adjust. Overnight stay at Barranco Camp

Destination: Shira Cave To Lava Tower To Barranco Camp

Accommodation: Barranco Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

On day four, the Machame Route continues with a challenging trek up the Barranco Wall, a 4,200m rock face. After conquering the wall, the path leads to the Karanga Valley, with several inclines and declines along the way. If you're on a six-day trek, you'll have lunch at Karanga Camp before proceeding on the Southern Circuit, which joins the Mweka Trail to Barafu Camp. This day's trek covers approximately 12km and takes around 8 hours. At Barafu Camp, an early dinner is served, and you're encouraged to rest as the summit trek begins around midnight

Destination: Karanga Camp To Barafu Camp

Accommodation: Barafu Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Day five is summit night! You'll be awakened at around 23:30 with hot tea and biscuits. After a brief rest, you'll start on the steep and slow trek up Kibo. It takes about 6 hours to reach the crater rim at Stella Point (5,739m). From there, you still have around 200m of altitude to cover, walking along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m). Most trekkers rest briefly at Stella Point and then push themselves to reach the summit. While many stop at Stella Point, most can make it to the summit with mental strength and determination. If you experience severe symptoms of acute mountain sickness, descending immediately is advised.After reaching the summit, you'll face an 8km descent to Mweka Camp (3,100m). The descent can be tough on your joints, so using trekking poles and wearing gaiters is recommended to prevent scree from entering your boots. Mweka Camp is located in the upper part of the rainforest zone, where the air is rich in oxygen and moisture, providing a refreshing atmosphere

Destination: Barafu Camp To Uhuru Peak To Mweka Camp

Accommodation: Mweka Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

It's a 6km journey through the lush rainforest, lasting approximately 3 hours. Once you reach mweka gate, you'll receive official certificates a green one for Stella Point and a gold one for Uhuru Peak. Remember to tip your trekking crew before being transported back to your hotel in moshi.