Machame is widely considered the most scenic route up Kilimanjaro, crossing genuinely varied terrain from rainforest to alpine desert. This seven-day version, one day longer than the bare minimum, builds in a full acclimatisation day to meaningfully improve your summit odds.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1
A trek through rainforest from the Machame Gate (1,800m) to Machame Camp (2,835m), roughly 5–6 hours.
Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2
A climb out of the forest onto the Shira Plateau, reaching Shira Camp (3,840m), roughly 4–5 hours.
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3
A “climb high, sleep low” acclimatisation day, ascending to the Lava Tower (4,630m) before descending to Barranco Camp (3,960m), roughly 6–7 hours.
Shira Camp to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4
A climb up the Barranco Wall, a scramble rather than technical climbing, then on to Karanga Camp (4,035m), roughly 4–5 hours.
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
A shorter day to Barafu Camp (4,673m), the final camp before the summit push, with an early dinner and rest before the midnight departure.
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6
A midnight departure for the summit push, reaching Uhuru Peak (5,895m) around sunrise, then a long descent to Mweka Camp (3,100m), roughly 12–14 hours total.
Summit Day: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak, Descend to Mweka Camp
Accommodation
All levelsMountain tent camping, full crew support
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7
A final descent to Mweka Gate, collecting summit certificates, then a transfer back to Arusha or Moshi.
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, Transfer to Arusha
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Permits & Costs
| Kilimanjaro National Park fees, camping & rescue fees | Included in package price |
| Full mountain crew: guides, cook, porters | Included |
Who This Itinerary Suits
Reasonably fit travellers who want Kilimanjaro’s most scenic route with a genuine, not bare-minimum, acclimatisation schedule.Tour Includes
- All park fees, camping fees & rescue fees
- Full mountain crew: guide, assistant guides, cook, porters
- All meals on the mountain
- Mountain tents & camping equipment
- Pre-climb briefing and gear check
Tour Excludes
- International flights
- Personal climbing gear (available for hire locally)
- Visas
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Travel & high-altitude insurance