MT. KILIMANJARO - MACHAME

The Machame Route is a popular trekking path on Mount Kilimanjaro, known for its scenic diversity and gradual ascent. Spanning 6 to 8 days, this route offers trekkers stunning views of rainforests, alpine meadows, and rugged landscapes. It is often called the "Whiskey Route" for its more challenging terrain compared to the easier "Coca-Cola Route" (Marangu). The trek involves several campsites, including Machame Camp, Shira Camp, Barranco Camp, and Barafu Camp, before reaching the summit at Uhuru Peak. The Machame Route is favored for its better acclimatization opportunities and striking vistas.

a rocky area with snow covered mountains

Maximum Altitude

5,895 m

Trip Highlights

A more relaxed pace than the popular Machame route
Breathtaking scenery on the trail
Discover Shira Plateau and Barranco
Climbing the Lava Tower
Choice campsites in more remote locations
98% summit success overall on this Kilimanjaro route
7 days trekking, 9 days in Tanzania
Dedicated guides, porters and cooks – a great team to help you on your way

Destination/Region

Tanzania/Africa

Price from RM 9,900/person

T&C apply

Duration

9 days

(7 days Trekking)

Cost Details

brown tree on surrounded by brown grass during golden hour

Includes

Pre-Expedition Preparation (Malaysia)

Introductory Mountaineering Course to build essential alpine skills
Personalized gear inspection services before departure
Comprehensive preparation briefings & guidelines:
- Physical conditioning & endurance training roadmap
- Expedition medical & altitude sickness briefings
- Visual terrain, profile, and route briefing
- Mandatory gear & equipment readiness check
Official expedition handbook / program guide

Leadership, Mountain Crew & Safety

Experienced Malaysian Expedition Leader leading the team from start to finish
Medically qualified, licensed local mountain guides, professionally trained cooks, and porters
Dedicated High-Safety Crew Ratios:
- Standard Trekking: 1 Guide to 2 Climbers (1:2)
- Summit Push: 1 Guide/Porter dedicated to 1 Climber (1:1) to drive a 95% summit success rate
- Porters: 4 porters per climber (includes personal porter allocation to carry up to 30 lbs / 13.6 kg of your duffel bag)
Comprehensive Altitude & Medical Monitoring:
- Twice-daily health checks using pulse-oximeter and stethoscope
- Basic mountain first aid kits
- Emergency oxygen cylinders & supplemental summit oxygen
24/7 expedition support team, group GPS tracking, and satellite communication for emergencies
Fair wages & ethical crew treatment strictly compliant with Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA) regulations

City Accommodations & Ground Transfers

Hotel Stays (Bed & Breakfast, Standard Twin-Sharing):
- Arusha / Moshi, Tanzania: Pre-trek and post-trek hotel stays
- Nairobi, Kenya: Post-expedition hotel stay on the final day before international departure
Secure luggage storage facilities at the hotel for excess non-trekking gear
Two-way airport pick-up & drop-off (shared transfers)
Private ground transfers to and from the Kilimanjaro mountain gate

Park Permits & Government Taxes

All mandatory Kilimanjaro National Park fees: Conservation/park fees, camping fees, hut fees, and official mountain rescue fees
18% Tanzanian Government Value Added Tax (VAT) covering all tour fees and services

Mountain Camp & Accommodation Setup

4-season, 2-person mountain sleeping tents
Insulated sleeping mats
Full camp communal gear: Spacious mess dining tent, camp chairs, dining tables, and full meal cutlery
Private portable chemical toilet tent set up at every campsite
Daily warm water basins for personal freshening up/washing

Food & Mountain Hydration

Full-board mountain dining: 3 freshly prepared Halal meals daily
Daily evening tea service served with hot popcorn or peanuts
Treated and filtered drinking water replenished continuously throughout the hike

Expedition Pack

Official Expedition Goodies / Merchandise pack

landscape photography of plateau surrounded with clouds

Excludes

Travel Logistics & Formalities

International airfare to and from Tanzania / Kenya
Comprehensive travel insurance (Compulsory: must cover high-altitude trekking up to 6,000 m and emergency medical evacuation)
Entry visas for Tanzania and Kenya (if applicable)

Meals & Personal Refreshments

Meals in cities: All lunches and dinners while staying in Nairobi, Arusha, or Moshi (hotels include breakfast only)
All additional food and beverages outside the official expedition meal plan
Personal snacks and drinks: Energy bars, chocolates, packed snacks, canned beverages, mineral water, and alcohol

Personal Gear, Gratuities & Incidental Expenses

Tipping for mountain crew: Mandatory customary tips for guides, cooks, and porters
Personal trekking gear & clothing: Down jackets, thermal base layers, hiking boots, trekking poles, and sleeping bags
Hotel and camp incidentals: Hot showers at huts, laundry services, late check-outs, and Wi-Fi / internet fees

Optional Add-ons & Unforeseen Costs

Optional wildlife safari trips or post-climb day tours
Extra hotel nights or transport due to early descent, schedule adjustments, or missed flights
Emergency & unforeseen expenses: Any additional costs arising from flight disruptions, natural disasters, severe weather, medical evacuations, political strikes, or regulatory border changes

Important Note: Any unused services, accommodations, meals, or gear included in the package are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Remarks:

This a 7-day trekking option on the Machame Route.

The advantage of a 7-day trek is that it provides an additional day for better acclimatization, enhancing your overall experience while maintaining the same itinerary for the remaining days.

Details Itinerary

Today, there will be an optional opportunity for sightseeing around town for those who wish to explore, or you may choose to rest and acclimatize for the day. In the morning, we will hold a briefing session for the expedition, where key information regarding the route, safety, gear, and team coordination will be shared.

Day 1: Arrive in Tanzania

Day 2: Machame Gate (1,790 m) to Machame Camp (3,010 m)

Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Elevation (ft): 5,400 ft to 9,400 ft
Distance: 11 km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest

In the morning, we depart from our base hotel at approximately 7:00 AM for the Machame village where you begin the trek. From the park entrance gate (Machame), you will walk for about two to three hours 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. Our 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 rainforest.

Day 3: Machame Camp (3,010 m) to Shira Camp (3,845 m)

Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Elevation (ft): 9,400ft to 12,500ft
Distance: 5 km
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
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.

Day 4: Shira Camp (3,845 m) lava tower to Barranco Camp (3,960 m)

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 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 hours and arrival at camp is between 4:30PM and 5:30PM.

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3,960 m) to Karanga Camp (4,050 m)

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Elevation (ft): 12,000 - 13,000ft
Distance: 6 km
Hiking Time: 4 - 5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

We have a slightly more leisurely start to today as this is our day to acclimatize. After breakfast we can see the Great Barranco Wall. The Barranco wall looks intimidating but most people find it a fun morning scramble up to (4,200m/13,780ft) and have a leisurely walk to Karanga camp through the Karanga Valley. We reach the Camp for lunch and have a relaxed afternoon with opportunities for walk a little higher or just relax and rest in camp. We consider this day vital in giving you the maximum chance acclimatizing and completing your goal of summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tonight we sleep at the Karanga Camp at (4,050m/13,000 ft).

Day 7: Barafu Camp(4,640 m) to UHURU PEAK(5,895 m) to Mweka Hut

Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
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: Arctic

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

Please note that this is the only guideline and outline program from day-by-day itinerary. There can be a lot of changes in those dates as per the weather and mountain conditions as well as personal health condition.

Day 8: Mweka Camp (3,790 m) to Arusha/Moshi Town

Mweka Camp to Moshi/Arusha
Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft
Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest

On 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 transferred back to the hotel. The certificates attesting to your success in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro will be presented at the hotel this evening.

Day 9: Final Departure or continue with an optional Tanzania safari.

After a restful night and a final breakfast at your hotel, it's time to check out. The standard check-out time is 10:00 AM. Today, we will travel to Nairobi Airport for your flight. We will be departing with enough time to ensure you can make your flight, which should be scheduled after 4:00 PM to account for the roughly five-hour journey. However, those travelers who have booked with us to go on safari, your safari guide will be meeting you in the evening for safari briefing.

Day 0: Travelling Day

All participants must arrive in Nairobi in group. You will then be transferred directly to Arusha, Tanzania, for your overnight stay.

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 15,000ft
Distance: 5 km
Hiking Time: 3 - 4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

Leaving the Karanga camp behind, we reach the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail for descent. Then we continue until the Barafu Hut. This marks the completion of the Southern Circuit. From here there are views of the top from different angles. We will camp, rest and enjoy some dinner. From here we can clearly see the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks.