TOUR OVERVIEW.
6 Days Machame Route Kilimanjaro climbing,also known as “Whiskey” route which means challenging route .Climb 
Kilimanjaro 6 day, Machame the best route. It is the second most popular and one of the most scenic routes on the mountain. All climbers sleep in tents (tents are included) and meals are served in a dinner tent or on a blanket outside. 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.
ITINERARY.
6 Days Kilimanjaro – Machame route
Day 0: Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha
Distance: 45 km
Welcome to Tanzania.On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport you will meet you driver who will drive you from Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha city to your hotel- Green Mountain Hotel for dinner and overnight. You will get chance for briefing and introduction about Mountain trekking.
- Meals: Dinner and Overnight.
- Accommodation: Green Mountain Hotel
- Guide: Professional English guide or other requested by the client.
- Difficulties: Low
Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) – Machame Camp (2980m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 18 kilometers
Habitat: Montane forest
After heavy breakfast, we depart from Arusha to your hotel at approximately 8:00 AM for the Machame village. From the park entrance gate (Machame Gate), you will walk for about 2hours to 3hours through a dense forest of fig and rubber trees, begonia flowers, and other tropical vegetation. A stop for picnic lunch will be made halfway to this evening’s campsite. As you continue your ascent, you will find that the tropical forest has given way to tall grasses and giant heather. You will be walking on a ridge, to the left of which is the Semira stream, and on the right, the Weru Weru. Depending on the pace of the climbers, arrival at Machame Camp is usually between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Your camp is set up near some old metal huts, which were once used for shelter.
This initial stage of the climb is tranquil and relatively easy. There is no point in rushing to get to the camp, as there is little to do there. Guides tend to recommend a slow ascent, even at this point, for gradual acclimatization. Do not try to keep up with your porters, who will usually bind ahead. Instead, take time to admire the beauty of the rain forest.
- Overnight: Machame Camp (10, 000 ft)
- Meals: Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Machame camp (2980m) – Shira camp (3840m)
Hiking time: 6hrs
Distance: Approximately 9 kms
Habitat: Moorland
On this and subsequent mornings, wake-up call is at around 6:00 AM. You will be greeted with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, and weather permitting, by a fabulous view of Uhuru peak. Today’s trek takes you up a steep track through a savannah of tall grasses, volcanic rock, and bearded heather. You will encounter giant groundsels as you hike through a ghostly landscape of volcanic lava, caves, and foamy streams.
Lunch will be taken just below the Shira Plateau, about three to four hours from Shira Camp. The hike to the next campsite takes approximately six hours and you should arrive between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Most climbers tend to pace themselves, walking slowly and resting about every half-hour.
- Overnight: Shira Camp (12,500 ft)
- Meals: Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Shira (at 3840m) to Lava Tower (at 4630m) to Barranco camp (at 3950m)
Hiking time: 6hrs/7hrs
Distance: Approximately 15 kms
Habitat: Semi-desert
The entire Shira Plateau greets you this morning with sweeping vistas across to Meru and the Shira Needles. A steady walk takes you up to the pass at Lava Tower (15,000 ft), where you stop to have lunch. Crossing the Bastains stream, you will begin to descend towards Barranco Camp. The descent takes you along an immense canyon called Grand Barranco. Along the way, you will see numerous waterfalls, which are fed, by streams coming from the mountain, converging here to form the Umbwe River. Your camp is set at almost the same altitude as the night before. Today’s trek lasts for about six/seven hours and arrival at camp is between 4:30PM and 5:30PM.
- Overnight: Barranco Camp (13,000 ft)
- Meals:Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Barranco camp (3950m)- Barafu camp (4550m)
Hiking time: 7hrs
Distance: Approximately 13 kms
Habitat: Alpine desert
This morning you begin your hike to Barafu Camp via Karanga Camp, which is on the same altitude as Barranco Camp.
You will encounter a bit of a climb at Barranco Cliff and spend the rest of the trek climbing up and down the slopes of the mountain most of the way to camp. The climbing is not considered difficult and you should arrive in time for lunch (approximately 1:00PM) having trekked for about four hours.
In the afternoon you have to hike in the Karanga Valley where giant senecios and lobelia grow; then continue with the scenic climb to Barafu which is mostly on a moraine with a view of Mawenzi peak towering majestically to the right, and overhead, Kibo peak seemingly just out of reach. The alpine desert terrain encountered at this point is mostly a mineral environment with few lichens and mosses. Climbers arrive at Barafu Camp at around 3:30PM. Climbers who choose to ascend the peak will go to bed very early this night, as the next day is the longest one.
- Overnight: Barafu Camp (15,200 ft)
- Meals:Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: (Summit attempt) Barafu camp (4550m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)
Hiking time: 8h to reach Uhuru Peak, 7 – 8h to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kms ascent – 23 kms descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
You will be awakened at midnight and after a light breakfast, start climbing at around 1:00 AM. It is at this stage that the climb becomes much more difficult. Here, very few will not be suffering from altitude sickness in some form or another; and climbers should carry as little as possible on this portion of the climb. Temperatures will range from -4° to 5° Fahrenheit. Making your way up a path that is flanked by the Ratzel and Rebman glaciers, you will climb for about six hours before reaching the edge of the crater, between Stella and Hans Meyer points. Another hour of climbing brings you to the summit. Uhuru stands at 19,340 feet and is the highest point on the continent of Africa. The track around the edge of the crater is rocky and icy. Concentrate on your feet, and follow your guide very closely for this portion of the journey.
The descent is no easier than the ascent. You will reach Kibo Hut after about three hours (around 11:30 AM). Climbers will be given the opportunity to rest and have some refreshments before continuing on to Mweka Camp for the night. Arriving into camp at around 5:00PM, you will have trekked a total of thirteen hours today.
- Overnight: Mweka Camp (10,200ft) Mweka to the Gate
- Meals:Breakfast-Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Mweka camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m) to Arusha.
Hiking time: 3hrs
Distance: Approximately 15 kms
Habitat: Forest
This will be the final day of the journey; climbers descend from Mweka camp to the base. The descent to the gate will take approximately 4 hours and climbers usually arrive before noon. Upon arrival at the gate climbers will be rewarded with certificates attesting their success at climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and then get transferred back to Arusha to Green Mountain Hotel .
- Overnight and dinner at Green Mountain Hotel.
Price includes VAT.
Items Include:
- Tanzania VAT on tourism activities and park fees.
- 2 Nights’ shared, budget or Camping accommodation.
- Hotel storage facilities for excess luggage during hikes.
- Return transfers between the hotel to the start / finish point of a climb.
- All Kilimanjaro National Park gate fees, camping / hut fees and climbing permits.
- Kilimanjaro National Park rescue fees (Kilimanjaro Rescue Team)
- Qualified mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cook
- Salaries for mountain support crew, as per required KINAPA minimum payments.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as hot drinks on the mountain
- Camping equipment (tents, sleeping mat, camp chairs), camp tables, mess tent & cutlery for meals) – not applicable on the Marangu route as all meals are served at the camps in designated dining halls.
- Water for washing up daily
- Kilimanjaro National Park certificate for your successful summit attempt.
- A comprehensive Climbing Kilimanjaro Travel Information pack
- Private hikes only guaranteed for 2 persons or more on Standard Package bookings – for individual climbers additional fees would apply to arrange a private climb.
Items Exclude:
- Flights
- Items of a personal nature
- Compulsory tips for guides, porters and cook (average tip is anything from US$ 15 to US$ 20 per hiker – depending on the number of days and number of hikers in the group, as well as the route chosen)
- Entry visa for Tanzania (US$50 per passport holder for most nationalities / US $ 100 per visa for USA passport holders)
- Health requirements (Yellow Fever – only compulsory if you travel to Tanzania via a Yellow Fever infected country, Meningitis & Hepatitis A remains optional, but comes recommended)
- Optional but highly recommended travel and medical insurance.
- Budget Packages do not include Flying doctors memberships (Helicopter evacuation to Nairobi), but could be done at own arrangement.
- Personal hiking/trekking gear – you could rent some of the gear in Tanzania.
- Optional, but highly recommended Portable toilet on budget package.
- Snacks, personal medicine and water purifying tablets.
- Meals and drinks not specified.
Optional Activities After trekking Mount Kilimanjaro:
- Wildlife Safari after climbing
- Beach Holiday-Zanzibar
- Olduvai Gorge Visit
- Masai Boma Visit
- Chagga Culture Visit
- Tree top walking
- Bush Men Visit