Tanzania

Kilimanjaro Machame (7 Day Route)

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The Machame route, or 'Whiskey route', is extremely popular despite being steep and long. It allows climbers to "trek high and sleep low", the perfect strategy for summit success!

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kilimanjaro and transfer to Moshi

We pick you up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi town. Your guide will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear.

If you are missing anything, we have options for renting.

Note that lunch and dinner are not included on this first day.

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A 30-minute drive from Moshi gets us to the gate to the Machame route.

After completing park registrations, we begin our trek!

The first section of the route climbs steadily and passes through magnificent, dense rainforest.

This is a lesser-trodden path to the Kilimanjaro summit. In places, it can get somewhat overgrown, and it is often wet and muddy underfoot.

Trekking distance: 10km / 6.2 miles (6–7 hours).

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Our route continues up through the forest with a steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau with rewarding views of the mountain.

Looking back, you will be able to see Mount Meru rising high above Arusha City in the distance.

We spend the night at Shira Camp.

Trekking distance: 4.8km / 3 miles (5–6 hours).

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As we walk on the high moorland, the character of the landscape completely changes. We traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach.

We spend the day hiking at altitude (up to 4,600m) but stay the night at the lower-lying Barranco Camp (3,972m). Sticking to the mountaineering code of "walk high, sleep low" helps your body’s acclimatisation process.

Trekking distance: 10km / 6.2 miles (7–8 hours).

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Our day starts by descending into the Great Barranco ravine. We then exit up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a steep climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring.

Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head toward the Karanga Valley. From here, we have another ascent to our night’s camp at Karanga (3,963m).

For those feeling strong, we go for a mid-afternoon acclimatisation trek up to around 4,200m before descending back to camp for the night.

Trekking distance: 5.5km / 3.4 miles (5–6 hours).

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After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu Camp. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation cover. It’s a tough, steep walk made more difficult by the altitude.

On arrival at camp, we eat and spend the afternoon resting in preparation for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm at camp.

We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep, as we get up between 11:00 PM and midnight to start the climb to the summit.

Trekking distance: 3km / 1.9 miles (3–4 hours).

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We get going around midnight, walking steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We climb scree for 4 to 5 hours, gaining incredible height over a short distance.

We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5,739m) by first light. Spectacular ice cliffs surround us with breathtaking views (weather permitting) of the jagged Mawenzi Peak and beyond.

Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5,895m).

After celebrating our success, we begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending back to Barafu Camp for breakfast.

Finally, we head down to Millennium Camp for a well-earned rest.

Trekking distance: 13.4km / 8.3 miles (12–15 hours).

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A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate.

Here we complete park formalities and (hopefully) receive certificates that you can hang up with pride!

We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a hot shower (and a cold beer or two) before our evening celebration.

Trekking distance: 12.1km / 7.5 miles (6–7 hours).

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You have a free day to wind down after the trek before your flight home.

Depending on flight times, you may want to explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.

If you can spare an hour of your day, we welcome you to plant a tree as part of our environmental conservation efforts in the Kilimanjaro region.

Our guide will arrange an airport drop-off that works best for the group.

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What's Included

Included
  • Professional mountain guides, cooks, and porters.
  • Accommodation: You stay in a hotel before and after the trek. During the trek, you sleep in tents.
  • All tour permits and camp fees.
  • -29°C Extreme Limit sleeping bags and mats.
  • Airport transfers (three available pick-up times depending on your flight).
  • All food during the 7-day trek (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
  • Dinner at the hotel on the first and last nights, as well as breakfast on departure day.
  • Filtered water throughout the trek.
  • Tree donation in support of local environmental conservation projects.
Not Included
  • International and local flights.
  • Lunch on the first and last day.
  • Tips and gratuities.
  • Personal travel/rescue insurance.
  • Visa fees.
  • Single supplement: US$90 per person (optional).
  • Portable toilet: US$150 per group (optional).

Rated 5.0

5 verified reviews

Lisa
Lisa

(Feb 2023)

The Ahsante Team is amazing group of people. Our group hiked the Machame 7 day trek. Daniel stayed in contact with us from the first day. Helping us organize this awesome trip. He was at hotel waiting on us when we arrived, cheered us on the whole trek, was there at hotel waiting on us when we got back. He made sure we was well taken care of. His team of guides Jimmy, Amos and Cece went out of their way to make sure we was taken care of. They was always checking on us to make sure we was ok. We had so much fun with this group!! Jimmy always making us laugh. The guides always cheering us on and making the hike so fun. The Porters we had worked their butts off taking care of us!! Waking us with hot coffee on cold Morning was awesome!! Filling our water bottles with hot water at night was another plus. The food was AMAZINGLY Good! Thank you Ahsante Team for taking great care of us on this journey.

Jessy
Jessy

(Feb 2023)

WOW! Ahsante Tours took incredible care of us on this trip! We took the 7 day hike to Mount Kilimanjaro and we were so taken care of by our wonderful guides (Jimi, Amos and Cele) plus the 20+ porters! Everyone was so kind and excited for us. The food was surprisingly incredible (thanks to chef Daniel). This was an experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait to share memories with family and friends back home. Highly recommend

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Pun
Pun

(Oct 2022)

Incredible experience climbing Kilimanjaro (Machame Route) with Ashante Tours. I salute every single one of the crew that took us up - we couldn’t have done it without you. You’ll be remembered forever. Maximum Respect to you all!! Ahsante!

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Andres
Andres

(Jun 2022)

It’s not always easy to prepare for a trip like climbing Kili or at least that’s what I thought! Let the team sort things out for you and it’s a piece of cake (well not the climb) but they will make sure you have everything you need so that you can just worry about enjoying an incredible experience. 100% recommended.

Mary
Mary

(Jan 2020)

Had an amazing trip, summited Kilimanjaro Xmas morning 2019, 7 day Machame route followed by 2 day safari, 4 days in Zanzibar all organised by Ahsante. Huge thanks to our guides, Michael and Noel for all their support, all of our great porters and Holyfield for looking after all our needs.

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FAQs

Before you go

See inclusions and exclusions above.

The Machame route is considered a moderately difficult route. It involves steep ascents, high altitudes, and long hiking days. While prior hiking experience is beneficial, climbers with a good level of fitness and determination can complete the route successfully. To train, we recommend running or playing sports at least two to three times a week. It's also great to do a few practice hikes with a 5kg rucksack before you arrive for your trek.

The best time to climb the Machame route is during the dry seasons, from January to mid-March and from June to October. These months generally offer better weather conditions and higher visibility, increasing the chances of a successful summit.

When you go above altitudes of 2,500m (as is the case on Kilimanjaro), there is less oxygen which poses a risk of altitude sickness. High altitude sickness can happen to anybody, regardless of age or fitness. Symptoms vary between individuals but commonly include headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, and numbness in fingers and toes. These symptoms can come on unexpectedly and get severe quickly. To decrease the chances of experiencing altitude sickness, you need to allow your body time to acclimatise properly. Although impossible to completely prevent, we've designed our itineraries to give guests the best chance to adjust to the altitude changes. This 7-day route provides an extra day to acclimatise, which is, in our opinion, preferable to the 6-day Machame option. Ahsante guides have years of experience in recognizing and helping guests deal with altitude sickness. Note that oxygen is not used on Kilimanjaro to help guests reach the summit or to 'treat' altitude sickness. The only cure for altitude sickness is to immediately descend to lower ground. In severe cases, oxygen may be given to provide enough temporary relief to allow the affected guest to descend. In extreme cases, altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro can be fatal. We put your safety first. Our guides have years of experience, and their decision on whether or not to continue is final.

The following is a packing list for Kilimanjaro: Documents: • Passport • Travel insurance details • Boarding passes for flights • Two passport photos • Driver’s license (if needed) • Cards and cash Gear and clothing (please make sure that you have non-cotton clothing for trekking): • Sleeping bag liner (optional) • Trekking boots: all-season, lightweight • Two base-layer t-shirts (e.g. running t-shirts) • Fleece/soft-shell jacket • Waterproof jacket • Down jacket for warmth • Travel clothes and city wear • Underwear • Base-layer trousers (optional) • Waterproof trousers • Trekking trousers • Trekking shorts (optional) • Multiple pairs thick wool mountaineering socks • Lightweight and breathable trekking socks • Gloves and wool hat • Small daypack (35l capacity is generally fine) • Duffel or rucksack with straps to go over your back • Dry Liner or Dry Bag • Water bottle/thermos: At least 2L. Nalgene bottles best. • Sunglasses • Suncream • General toiletries, contact lenses, glasses (if needed) • Towel • Electronics (head torch, travel adaptor, phone & charger) • Lip balm • Travel wash • Hand sanitiser, wet wipes • Trekking poles (pptional) Please note that all plastic bags, regardless of their thickness, are prohibited from being brought into Tanzania. This excludes packaging for medical supplies. If you don't want to purchase your own kit or need to travel light, you can hire most of the equipment from our guides in-country. Get in touch for the list and rental prices.

We recommend that you check in with your personal healthcare advisor or travel doctor before your trip to Africa. We have provided a useful link below where you can find information on vaccine requirements.

Yes, If you are travelling solo and would like your own room and tent for the duration of the trip, you can pay for a single supplement. The single supplement is an optional extra with a cost of $90 per traveller. This is payable in-country. Should you not wish to apply the single supplement, we will pair you with another group member to share accommodation during the trek (twin hotel room and shared tent).

Most non-citizens need a Tanzanian tourist visa. This is easily obtained upon arrival. Tanzanian visas are also available online. Beware when purchasing your visa online, as there are many illegitimate companies trying to sell them. Below is a link to the official Tanzanian High Commission UK website. While applying for a visa, you will need the following host company details: Full Name: Ahsante Tours & Safaris Limited Mobile number: +255759690257 Email: info@ahsantetours.com Company name/Registration number: 100817209 Physical address: Plot 29-A, Karanga Drive, Moshi – Kilimanjaro Accommodation (where you will stay): Panama Garden Resort Address: P.O.Box 6907, Lema Road

It is customary in Tanzania to tip guides and porters. The amount that you tip is completely up to you. As a good rule of thumb, generally, participants will tip around US$200 per customer (not per guide). You can give this to the head guide, and they will distribute it amongst the team of guides, porters, and cooks.

On your trip

This is a 7-day version of the popular Machame route up Kilimanjaro. There is a shorter option (6-Day Machame Trek). If you have the time, we strongly recommend this longer option. The extra day is extremely beneficial to the acclimatisation process and gives you the best possible chance of reaching the summit.

Portable toilets are an optional extra. The cost for this extra service is $150, payable at our offices, in-country. The group can decide whether they would like this extra service and split the cost between group members.

You have chefs with you on the hike who can cater to all dietary requirements. During the trek, you will be provided with three nutritious and filling meals each day to keep energy levels high. Please provide full details of any dietary requirements and allergies on your Trip Form. You will receive a link to fill this out shortly after booking. You can also update the form on your Skyhook dashboard. Note that lunch (at the hotel) on your first and final day is not included.

Accommodation during the trek is in campsites in spacious tents shared between two people. The campsites provide basic facilities, such as toilets and dining tents. In Moshi (before and after the trek), you stay in hotel accommodation.

Most groups have 12 people, with a maximum of 14.

Every day on the trek we will provide you with filtered water to fill up your bottles. The water is filtered and boiled by a Katadyn filtration system. We recommend you also bring water purification tablets or a filter bottle.

The start and end point of this tour is Kilimanjaro International Airport. There are three pick-up times (10:00 AM, 5:00 PM or 11:59 PM). On the last date, you can fly at any time. Your guides will arrange transfers that work best for the group. Guests typically fly with BA, Air France, or Qatar. However, we'd recommend comparing a few airlines.

Other FAQs

Yes, of course! Safari in Tanzania is an amazing experience - simply message us after booking and we'll make some recommendations.

The success rate of reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro via the Machame route is approximately 85% to 90%. Proper acclimatisation, physical fitness, and following the guidance of experienced guides significantly increase the chances of reaching the summit.

Climbers must be at least 10 years old to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Any person under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Kilimanjaro is very close to the equator, so the temperatures are very similar year-round. They can range from around 20°C(68°F) at the base to -10°C (14°F) on the summit. The dry season is June-September, and during these times, there is typically just a dusting of snow on the summit. These are also the busiest months. The wet season is Nov-May, where snow depth on the summit can regularly be 20-30cm.

Your head guide is Holyfield

All trips on Skyhook are run by small, hand-picked local guiding companies. For this trip your guides run Ahsante Tours, based in Moshi.

By booking through Skyhook you'll be joining a small-group trip. This can make it nice and sociable (you'll be added to a group chat after booking), and guarantees great value for money!

Holyfield