7 Days Machame Route Climbing

Tour Overview

7 Days Machame Route Climbing

7 Days Machame Route Climbing, Also known as the “Whiskey” route, the Machame route is now the most popular ascent route on Mt Kilimanjaro. Compared with the Marangu route, the walking days on the Machame route are longer and the walks are steeper. However, the scenery is spectacular and landscape interesting. The Machame route is considered a difficult route, and is better suited for more adventurous trekkers and those with some hiking or backpacking experience.

The Machame route is scenically beautiful and varied. However, due to its popularity there are increased numbers of trekkers, it loses some of its splendour. The Machame route approaches the summit from the southwest and descends using the Mweka route, rewarding climbers with views of the expansive Shira Plateau, an optional scramble up Lava Tower, a climb up the Great Barranco wall, and a traverse underneath Kilimanjaro’s southern ice field.

After arrival at your hotel in Moshi, you will rest. And later there will be a meeting with the your guide for briefing about your trek and Mt Kilimanjaro. After finish to the briefing he will check all your mountain gears to see if you have all equipment, and if you will miss some of them he will take you to rent the missing gears.

Machame ROUTE ELEVATIONS

Tour Itinerary

Arrive in Tanzania

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your arranged hotel in Moshi town. You will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Gear which is missing can be rented on this day.
- Driving distance: 55 km/miles,
- Driving Time: 1hour
- Habitat: Cultivated zone
- Hotel: Bed and Breakfast

Day 1: Drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Machame Gate, Hike to Machame Camp

7 Days Machame Route Climbing start for driving you from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate it takes about 45 minutes. After paper work the journey start passing 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

Habitat: Montane Forest

Meals: LD

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Day two of 7 Days Machame Route Climbing, 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

Habitat: Moorland

Meals: BLD

Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Day three of 7 Days Machame Route Climbing, 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 “Shark’s Tooth” (elev 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

Habitat: Semi-desert

Meals: BLD

Day 4: Climb Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Day 4 of 7 Days Machame Route Climbing, After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft

Distance: 5km/3mi

Climbing Time: 34 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals: BLD

Day 5: Climb Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Day five of 7 Days Machame Route Climbing, 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, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft

Distance: 4km/2mi

Climbing Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Meals: BLD

Day 6: Climb Barafu Camp to Summit, down to Mweka Camp

Day six of 7 Days Machame Route Climbing, 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

Climbing Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Day 7: Climb Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate and then drive to Moshi

After breakfast we continue descending 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).

Tanzania Joy Tours vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes). End of your 7 day machame route climbing.
=> This day you can be transfered to your hotel for overnight (to be transfered to airport next day) or transfered to Kilimanjaro Airport for departure or we can arrange for other adventures in Tanzania!

Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft

Distance: 10km/6mi

Climbing Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Forest

Print this Tour

Itinerary Map

KILIMANJARO CLIMBING PRICE

GROUP EXPEDITIONS

The price per person for group expeditions are fixed based on a group size. However, we have optional arrangements for individual private and tailor-made preferences best suited for you, your family and friends.

SEE GROUP BOOKING DISCOUNT

7 days Machame route (Joining group price 1650$)

Number of People	Price per person ($)
1	1,961
2	1,816
3	1,781
4	1,753
5	1,731
6	1,718
7	1,711
8	1,706
9	1,699
10+	1,691

Includes

2 night’s accommodation in Moshi or Arusha is included
Private transport to & from Kilimanjaro International Airport to your Accommodations in Moshi.
Park entry fees
Camping fees
Transportation to & from the Kilimanjaro gate
Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
18% VAT on tour fees & services
4 Season mountain tents
Friendly and professional mountain guides, cook and porters
3 hot meals daily while on the mountain
Enough treated & filtered drinking water throughout the trek
Hot water for washing
Fair wages for the mountain crew as approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
Government taxes
Ox meter
Sleeping Mattress
Quality Mess tents with table and chairs
Emergency first-aid kit

Excludes

Airfare
Tips for porters, Guide, Cook and Assistant Guide
Flights
Meals other than breakfast while in Arusha or Moshi
Additional nights beyond the two standard hotel nights included
Hotel upgrade costs if you decide to request an alternative hotel to the standard
Items considered to be non-essential, such as alcohol, beverages, cigarettes, snacks, etc

traveler photos from this trip

Why Tanzania Joy Tours?

INQUIRE THIS TOUR

TANZANIA TRAVEL GUIDE

Free Tanzania Safari Guide Gets You To The Adventure Of Tanzania. Complete Guide To Tanzania Safari Tours Includes Tanzania Safari Cost, Best Time To Visit Tanzania, Tanzania Safari Experience Etc. Must Read Before The Adventure Safari To Tanzania!

READ TESTIMONIES FROM OUR HAPPY TRAVELERS

     Excellent  
     Based on 281 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Maryam E 
 2023-08-06
 
 
 Verified Serious company and friendly people
Tanzania Joy tours is really a serious company. They were here whenever we had any question when preparing our trip to Kilimanjaro. We did lemosho route in 8 days. Our guides Calvin and Levin and their team of porters was incredible. We spent memorable days. The whole trip was exceptional. The guides are amazing persons, very friendly and this is important since we spent a lot of time together. At the final ascension to the summit they were very motivating and never let us out. The team of porter are also very nice and helpful. Really amazing people that we will never forget on this incredible experience.
  
 
       
   Solène L 
 2023-08-01
 
 
 Verified What an amazing experience
So an amazing experience with this local agency to climb the Kilimandjaro. It was initially planed to make it in 7 days by the Machame route but after some days, our chef guide Patrick propose us to make it on 6 days without risk of bad acclimatization and it was successfully ! He is a very professional guide, attentive, with a big knowledge of the mountain. We were also accompagnied by Maiko, also an incredible guide, always here to encourage us, discuss about Tanzania, life, everything. Jeremiah, the cook, made us so good meals during this 6 days. And to finish, a dream team of porters was here to help us, of course to relieve us physically but also with good attentions on the camps and some of them to the top, always in an incredible atmosphere. Nothing would have been possible without this team. I really recommand this agency if you want to success your climb, in security, with a dream team.
  
 
       
   Camille M 
 2023-08-01
 
 
 Verified Un immense merci à toute l’équipe pour cette expérience inoubliable!
Un immense merci à toute l’équipe pour cette expérience inoubliable! Nous avons emprunté la route Machame en 6 jours (initialement prévu en 7 jours mais après proposition et discussion avec notre guide nous avons finalement condensé deux journées en une) Nos guides Patrick et Maiko nous ont permit d’atteindre le sommet grâce à leur professionnalisme, leur gentillesse et leur motivation. Ils étaient accompagnés d’une équipe incroyable avec un cuisinier, un serveur, des porteurs dont deux sont venus avec nous jusqu’au sommet, un responsable des tentes : rien n’aurait été possible sans eux. La nourriture était excellente, nous avons été dorlotées par toute l’équipe pendant ces 6 jours. Encore merci pour ces souvenirs gravés à jamais!
  
 
       
   Maggie A 
 2023-07-23
 
 
 Verified worth more that 10 stars!
It was a second time I went with this agency and experience is just unbelievable! Guides, hotel, food organisation - top notch. Emmanuel is just great and very responsive and adaptive to all the needs of the group. Our guide - Patrick and his team - did everything for us to succeed and to make an experience unforgettable. Big thanks to everyone. If I could give 10 stars I would!
  
 
       
   Misty T 
 2023-07-14
 
 
 Verified Two day to Horambo Hut
Guide Ringo was amazing. He had local knowledge of the mountain habitats and terrain. This was a two day overnight from base to Horambo Hut. 19 km each way. Our crew prepared great meals and were amazing supports on such an extensive hike. I would ask for this crew again if hiking over more days.
  
 
       
   Martin V 
 2023-07-06
 
 
 Verified Succesfull Kilimanjaro climbing - Lemosho route with TJ Tours
Just completed Kilimanjaro climbing 7 days Lemosho trek with Tanzanie Joy Tours, the successful summit. Our lead guide Patrick has helped us a lot. Incredible staff - guides, cooks, porters, etc. Everything came off without a hitch. Clients well being/safety is foremost as well as exceeding expectations. Always a great equipments tents,campsite, friendly staff and eager to make your climb the best possible experience. I would strongly recommend this local company Tanzania Joy Tours as a highly professional, quality services and supportive team.
  
 
       
   Steffi F 
 2023-07-06
 
 
 Verified Unforgettable experience
Very good experience with Patrick and his team. They were professionals and very helpful. We reach our goal and they contribute to it. I recommend TJ Tours to everybody!
  
 
       
   Cian L 
 2023-07-02
 
 
 Verified An incredible experience
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with Tanzania Joy was a wonderful experience. Ringo and the team were fantastic, every day they went above and beyond to provide a world class experience and make the trip feel like a balance of adventure and fun. I chose the Lemosho Route as a solo trip, and felt like I was travelling with a group of friends once I met the team. From the first day I emailed Emmanuel, I received quick, detailed replies that made planning the trip a breeze. Once I arrived in Tanzania, my guide Ringo made sure I had the right equipment and prepared for the trip ahead. The entire team worked extremely hard every day to make camp lodgings feel comfortable, providing all the necessities and then some. On the trail Ringo was an amazing guide, providing encouragement and insight at every step. I ended the trip due to a bad bought of altitude sickness and struggled to breathe, and Ringo and the entire team went above and beyond to help me get to safety. Ringo even came and visited me once I got back to Moshi to make sure I was okay, and made sure I was able to get home safely. This is a genuinely great organisation with a fantastic team. Happy to recommend this group to anyone, Tanzania Joy is a very professional
  
 
       
   Monika Va 
 2023-06-27
 
 
 Verified We recommend this company 100 percent
We had a great experience with TJ Tours. Our team leader Kelvin and his assistant Hassan were knowledgeable, patient and very encouraging. Our cook made us wonderful meals and Leavy catered to all our needs. Everyone on our team did their best to help us reach the Uhuru peak!
  
 
       
   Elżbieta W 
 2023-06-11
 
 
 Verified Great experience with professionel company❤️
Very professional and friendly team. They always help you when you need help. They always think positivley and believe in you. They take care of you. They explaine everythink and are very patient with you. With whole heart i recommend this company ❤️