Climb Kilimanjaro - Machame Route - April 2025
17-27 April 2025
£2,950 (£650 deposit required to reserve your place)
At 5,895m, The peak of Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the Africa continent and is the highest free-standing volcano in the world.
The variety of landscapes encountered each day, the knowledge of the guides and the great company of the porter crew all make for an experience that is truly unforgettable.
There are many different routes used to reach the summit and we have chosen one that provides the group with the greatest chance of successfully summiting this wonderful lump of rock.
The Machame Route is a hiking route and not a technical climbing route - hiking is easy and on defined trails
The beautiful and challenging Machame route approaches the mountain from the west and ascends through lush, fertile rainforest, before climbing up onto the moorlands of the Shira Plateau - one of the three calderas that make up the mountain. From there we pass the great lava tower and circumnavigate part of the southern aspect of Kibo crater, before ascending to the crater rim and then on to the summit.
The Machame trail sees relatively little human traffic, managing to retain a sense of untouched wilderness that can be lost on the more popular trails.
Reserve your place now with a £650 deposit and we'll be in contact with final payment arrangements (installments available)
Friday 18 April
You will be collected from Kilimanjaro airport around midday and transported to your hotel, in Moshi. You will meet your local guides for a trip briefing and kit check before retiring for the night in order to rest for the week ahead.
HIKE - DAY 1 (Saturday) - Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Elevation (ft): 5,400ft to 9,400ft
Distance: 11 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Cloud ForestAfter checking in to the National Park you will leave the park gate and walk through the cloud forest on a winding trail up a ridge to your first camp site of the adventure.
Sat above the forest, the sunsets are spectacular!
HIKE - DAY 2 (Sunday) - Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Elevation (ft): 9,400ft to 12,500ft
Distance: 5 km
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: MoorlandAfter 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 before reaching your second campsite for rest and dinner.
HIKE - DAY 3 (Monday) - Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Elevation (ft): 12,500ft to 13,000ft
Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Habitat: Semi DesertFrom the Shira Plateau, you continue up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo and the famous Lava Tower where you will spend a couple of hours with a cooked lunch.
After lunch you will descend to Barranco camp to rest, enjoy dinner, and relax at camp.
HIKE - DAY 4 (Tuesday) - Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft
Distance: 5 km
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine DesertAfter breakfast, you being your day climbing the mighty Barranco Wall! After the obligatory photos on the plateau at the top of the wall, you will continue on undulating terrain to the Karanga Valley campsite.
HIKE - DAY 5 (Wednesday) - Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft
Distance: 4 km
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine DesertAfter breakfast, you leave Karanga up a gentle slope and across a dusty valleey until you reach the final climb to Barafu Camp. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.
Here you will rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day!
HIKE - DAY 6 (Thursday) - Summit Day!
Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft)
Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent
Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent
Habitat: ArcticVery early in the morning (between midnight and 1am), you will begin your trek to the summit. Following your torchlight, you will ascend nearly 1,000m on mostly rock with some heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim.
This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting).
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all they way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit.
At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.
From the summit, you now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch.
In the evening, you will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
HIKE - DAY 7 (Friday) - Mweka Camp to Moshi
Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft
Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Cloud ForestAfter breakfast, you will continue your descent down through the beautiful cloud forest to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates and a celebratory lemonade!
A vehicle will meet you at the gate to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi.
After a well-needed shower, you will sit down for a celebratory meal, before spending your final night of the trip in a comfy hotel bed.
Saturday 26th April
You will be transferred to Kilimanjaro airport for your return flight back home, or any other arrangements that you may have
