Machame

Elevation: 1.800m to 3.000m –Distance 11 km –Trekking-Time 6 hours –Rainforest At 9am you will be met by the rest of our guides and porters. Following a final cross-check of equipment and supplies, our staff will drive you to the Machame Gate. Anything you do not want to take with you on the mountain can be left at a lock-up in the hotel. Once at the gate, you will be given a packed lunch and after registration with the Kilimanjaro Park office, your climb will begin with ascending into the rainforest. During the day at about halfway up, we will have a break and you can enjoy your packed lunch. We will reach Machame Camp in the late afternoon. After your arrival and registration at Machame Camp, you will be taken to your camp and tent which has already been set up by the porters who ran ahead, where you will be greeted with boiled drinking water and hot washing water. Once you have freshened up and settled in, a hot dinner will be served in the mess-tent.

Elevation: 3.000m to 3.850m –Distance 9 km –Trekking-Time 6 hours –Moorland You will be woken up after your first night on the mountain with a nice cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate at 6:30am in your tent. After breakfast we leave the rainforest and continue our ascent crossing a small valley into open moorlands where the vegetation is sparse with small shrubs and up to a steep rocky ridge. After a short break, our route turns onto a river gorge and up towards Shira Plateau where you will catch your first glimpse of the Western Breach and its stunning glaciers. Continuing on to Shira Camp, where the cook will welcome you with boiled drinking water and hot washing water.You can then put your feet up with some snacks and a hot lunch. After lunch, there is plenty of time to explore the Shira Caves, take pictures, write your journal or just relax and rest until being served your hot evening meal. Due to the camp being very exposed it can get very cold and sometimes windy.

Elevation: 3.850m to 4.600m to 3.950m – Distance 12 km –Trekking-Time 7 hours – Semi-desert Your daily morning wake up with a hot drink will be followed by a hot breakfast and then we pack up leave Shira Camp for a 4-5 hour trek to the well-known landmark of Lava Tower (4.600m) for acclimatization. Once reaching Lava Tower we will have a short break for lunch for some bonus acclimatization before starting a 2-hour descent by 650m to Barranco Camp. This is following the golden rule of acclimatization „ climb high and sleep low“.This will be our toughest day so far but the climb offers multiple terrific opportunities for photos. As we descend through the valley, the amazing sight of the Giant Groundsels is bound to stop you in your tracks. Barranco Camp gives you a beautiful view of the Western Breach and Breach Wall.

Elevation Gain: 250 meters, 820 feet Distance: 7 Kilometers Leave Barranco Camp after breakfast for Karanga Valley. The day begins with a 1.5-hour scramble up Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day and in some places, you will have to use your hands to pull your body up. After reaching the top make a short descent into the greener Karanga Valley. We generally camp on the ridge above the valley to allow for greater acclimatization.

Kilimanjaro National Park

Elevation Gain: 400 meters, 1,320 feet Distance: 6 kilometers After breakfast, begin the hike to Barafu Camp. On the way to Barafu, view several of Kibo's glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail. 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.

Elevation 4.600m to 5.732 to 5..895m to 3.100m –Distance 7 km ascent 23 km descent –Trekking-Time 6-8 hours ascent and 7-8 hours descent –stone screen and ice field–glaciers The wake-up tea will be served at 11:30pmwith the departure at midnight. Our initial 6-hour climb begins in the dark with only our headlamps and guides to show us the way through the thick screen and winding pathways of Ratzel and Rebmann Glaciers until we reach Stella Point. Many say this is the most challenging part of the entire climb but you will be rewarded with what is perhaps the most emotional and beautiful sunrise you have ever seen nor ever will see in your life. After taking some pictures at the sign, and a short rest we will join the last part of the Marangu route to continue 1 -2more hours to reach your ultimate goal-the summit –the highest peak of Africa –Uhuru Peak at5.985 m. Congratulations!! You are now standing on the “Roof of Africa”.

Kilimanjaro National Park

Elevation 3.100m to 1.800m –Distance 10 km –Trekking-Time 3 -4 hours –Rainforest Once again you will be woken for your final celebratory breakfast where our team will thank and congratulate you in their unique, special way! This is also the opportunity for you to say thank you for their support and encouragement and show your appreciation by giving a tip to each of them or to the team. We will then set off for the final 3-hour scenic descent to Mweka Gate. At the gate, you will get the chance to have a celebratory beer/champagne while the equipment is loaded in the van, and then it is off to a Kilimanjaro Wonders Hotel in Moshi for an overdue hot shower and Lunch. After dinner, you will be presented with your certificate of achievement.