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Compare 6 days Machame route by Tanzania Joy Tours vs 6 Days-Kilimanjaro- the Peak of Africa Machame route by Lights on Africa Safaris

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Duration 6 days 6 days
Price From $ 1,630 $ 1,999
Price Per Day $ 272 $ 333
Highlights

All climbers sleep in tents (tents are included) and meals are served in a dinner tent or on a blanket outside

  • Climb the highest mountain in the World Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Trek via Machame Route
Trip Style Small group tour Small group tour
Lodging Level Basic Camping
Physical Level
  • 3- Moderate
  • 4- Strenuous
Travel Themes
  • Hiking & Walking
  • Trekking & Expeditions
  • Climbing & Mountaineering
  • Trekking & Expeditions
  • Climbing & Mountaineering
Countries Visited
Cities and Attractions
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro
Flights & Transport Ground transport included Internal airfare and ground transport included
Activities
  • Adventure & Adrenaline
  • Hiking
  • History
  • Mountain Biking
  • Mountaineering
  • Nature
  • Trekking
  • Educational/ learning
  • Hiking
  • History
  • Mountaineering
  • Nature
  • Trekking
Meals Included

Breakfasts 6, Lunch 6 and Dinner 6

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Description

It is done over 6 days, so acclimatization is easier, and the success rate is fairly high. It is for physically fit people with some hiking experience. Descent is down the Mweka trail staying at the Mweka or Millennium camp the final night on the mountain.

The Machame Route is a beautiful route up Kilimanjaro that allows you to experience the southwest and south sides of the mountain, since you go up one way and down another. All your equipment and supplies are carried by porters and a cook prepares all your meals. Unlike the Marangu Route where you sleep in huts, on the Machame you sleep in tents (tents are included), and the porters will pitch your tent for you. Meals are served in a dinner tent or on blanket outside. This makes the machame, which is referred to as the “Whiskey Route”, better suited to more adventurous hikers, and it is also rewards you with better views than the Marangu Route. From Late afternoon sunsets at Shira, to the misty revelations of Kibo’s great Barrance Wall, the Machame Route offers the spunky hiker a continous scenic slide show. The Machame route is normally completed in 6 days, and this greatly helps your acclimatization. The Machame Route takes you high to Lava Tower (4,630 m/15,190 ft) on day 3 then brings you down for an overnight at Barranco Camp (3,950 m/12,960 ft). This intermediate ascent and descent is the secret to a successful acclimatization, and is the reason that this route has a high success rate.

Itinerary: 6 days Machame route

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

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft

Distance: 11km/7mi

Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: Montane Forest

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.

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Elevation: 3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft

Distance: 5km/3mi

Walking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Moorland

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.

Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft

Distance: 10km/6mi

Walking Time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: Semi-desert

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.

Day 4: Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4700m/15,350ft

Distance: 9km/6mi

Hiking Time: 6-8 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

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.

Day 5: Barafu Camp to Summit, down to Mweka Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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

Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

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.

Day 6: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, drive to Moshi

Meals: Breakfast

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

Distance: 10km/6mi

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Forest

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).

Tanzania Joy Tours vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes).

Itinerary: 6 Days-Kilimanjaro- the Peak of Africa Machame route

Arrival Day:

Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport. You will be met at the Airport and transferred to the hotel in Arusha or in Moshi for your overnight and briefing by our mountain guide.

Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Elevation (m): 1,490m to 2,980m

Elevation (ft): 4,890ft to 9,780ft

Distance: 18km

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Montane Forest

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 50-minute drive from Moshi or a one and half hours’ drive from Arusha to the Machame Village (1,490 m/4,890 ft) where your guides and porters prepare and pack your equipment and supplies. You will receive a lunch pack, and you can also buy mineral water in the village. If the road is very muddy, it may be impossible to drive from the village to the Machame Gate, and in this case, it will take you an hour to complete the muddy 3 km walk to the gate. After registering at the park office, you start your ascent and enter the rain forest immediately. Heavy rains on this side of the mountain often transform the trail into a soggy, slippery experience, so good footgear, trekking poles, and gaiters are useful. You will enjoy a welcome lunch stop halfway up and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. Your porters will arrive at camp before you and will erect your tent before you arrive. In the evening, the porters boil drinking and washing water while the cook prepares your dinner. Night temperaturs can drop to freezing at the Machame Camp.

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Elevation (m): 2,980m to 3,840m

Elevation (ft): 9,780ft to 12,600ft

Distance: 9km

Walking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Moorland

You rise early at Machame camp, and after breakfast, climb for an hour to the top of the forest, then for 2 hours through a gentle moorland. After a short lunch and rest, you continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira Plateau where you will be able to see Kilimanjaro’s great Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. Sometimes, the walls of the Western Breach are draped with extensive ice curtains. You are now west of Kibo on the opposite side of the mountain from the Marangu Route. After a short hike west, you reach the shira campsite. The porters will boil drinking and washing water before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will be colder, with temperatures dropping below freezing.

Day 3: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Elevation (m): 3,840m to 4,630m to 3,950m

Elevation (ft): 12,600ft to 15,190ft to 12,960ft

Distance: 15 km

Walking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Semi-desert

After breakfast, you will walk up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro’s looming mass. After several hours, you walk thorough a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark called Lava Tower, also called the “Shark’s Tooth.” at 4,630 m/15,190ft. This chunky remnant of Kilimanjaro’s earlier volcanic activity is several hundred feet high, and the trail passes right below it. For extra credit, the sure-footed can scramble to the top of the tower. After a lunch stop near Lava Tower, descend for 2 hours belowthe lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco Camp at 3,950 m/12,960 ft. There are numerous photo opportunities on this hike, especially if the walls are festooned with ice. Barranco Camp is in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. On this day, be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness. Although you end the day at almost the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Day 4: Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp

Elevation (m): 3,950m to 4,550m

Elevation (ft): 12,960ft to 14,930ft

Distance: 13km

Hiking Time: 8 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

After spending a night under the imposing Great Barranco Wall, you climb this awesome obstacle, which turns out to be easier than it looks. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you can now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley and goes over intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route. You have now completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. For now, all eyes are still on the summit, so turn left and hike up the ridge for another hour to the Barafu Hut. The last water on the route is in the Karanga Valley; there is no water at Barafu Camp, even though Barafu is the Swahili word for “ice.” The famous snows of Kilimanjaro are far above Barafu Camp near the summit of the mountain. Your tent will be pitched on a narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge, so make sure that you familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents. Prepare your equipment and warm clothing for your summit climb. This should include replacing your headlamp and camera batteries, and to prevent freezing, consider carrying your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed by 7 PM, and try to get a few hours of precious sleep.

Day 5: Summit Day! “Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp”

Elevation (m): 4,550m to 5,895m (and down to 3,100m)

Elevation (ft): 14,930ft to 19,340ft (and down to 10,170ft)

Distance: 7km up / 23km down

Hiking Time: 6 – 8 hours up / 7 – 8 hours down

Habitat: Stone scree, seasonal snow and ice-capped summit

You will rise around 11:30 PM, and after some steaming tea and biscuits, you shuffle off into the night. Your 6-hour climb northwest up through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers. At Stella Point (5,685 m/18,650 ft) you stop for a short rest and a chance to see a supremely sanguine sunrise. At Stella Point you join the top part of the Marangu Route, but do not stop here too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Depending on the season and recent storms, you may encounter snow on your remaining hike along the rim to Uhuru Peak. On the summit, you can enjoy your accomplishment and know that you are creating a day that you will remember for the rest of your life. After your 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you will have a well-earned but short rest, collect your gear, and hike down a rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100 m/10,170 ft) “You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down”. This camp is in the upper forest, so you can expect mist or rain in the late afternoon. Dinner, and washing water will be prepared, and the camp office sells drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates, and beer!

Day 6: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi/Arusha

Elevation (m): 3,100m to 1,980m to 890m

Elevation (ft): 10,170ft to 6500ft to 2,920ft

Distance: 15 km

Hiking Time: 3 – 4 hours

Habitat: Forest

After a well-deserved breakfast, it is a short, scenic, 3-hour hike back to the park gate. 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). Don’t give your porters any tips until you and all your gear have reached the gate safely, but do remember to tip your staff at the gate. At Mweka Gate, you can sign your name and add details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Climbers who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate, you will continue down to the Mweka Village, possibly a muddy, 3 km, 1 hour hike if the road is too muddy for vehicles. In the Mweka Village you will be served a delicious hot lunch after which you are driven back to Moshi/Arusha for an overdue hot shower and comfortable night in a hotel.

Arusha/Moshi:

Depart for the airport or other destinations in Tanzania or Kenya. A trip to the beaches at Zanzibar is a good way to recuperate. We can arrange many reasonably priced trips and safaris to the Tanzania Nothern Parks such as trips to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park and to Arusha National Park. Also we can arrange trips to Southern Circuit such as trips to Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park and Ruaha National Park.

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