Sample Itinerary:

Kilimanjaro via Machame route

(Seven days)

Day 1

Breakfast at your hotel is served from 0700. Please ensure that you have packed your bags before breakfast, have signed over your extra luggage that will not be required on the mountain to reception, and have deposited your valuables into the hotel’s safe.

Transfer and Registration.

You will normally be collected at 0730 from your hotel. Your driver will transfer you some 1 hour 20 minutes to Machame Gate where we complete registration formalities. Climbers should have their passport numbers for their registry entries but are advised to have kept their passports and valuables in the hotel safe (excluding the amount they will budget for tipping their crew). Please also note that following any transfer it is customary to tip the driver, $5 - $10 per group is usual.

Trek from Machame Gate (1828m) to Machame Camp (3020m). The distance is 10.8km, over 1200m of elevation gain

Day 2

Trek from Machame Camp to Shira Camp (3847m) on southern edge of Shira Plateau. Distance is 5.2km.

Day 3

Trek from Shira Camp to Lava Tower (4642m). If the weather’s good you can ask your guide to take you up to the summit of the Lava Tower (4688m) where the views are excellent. Lunch is normally taken at the foot of the tower. Descend from Lava to Barranco Camp (3984m). Distance from Shira to Lava Tower is 7.0km. Distance from Lava Tower to Barranco is 3.7km.

Day 4

Trek from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp (4681m) via Karanga Camp where we have lunch. ( 4040m). We can either choose to stay at Karanga camp overnight, or proceed onwards to ascend the 640m to Barafu. The choice will be made in consultation you’re your chief guide. Distance from Barranco to Barafu is 9.4km.

Day 5

If we have proceeded up to Barafu on day 4 we take day 5 to rest and acclimitise further. Your guide may suggest an acclimitisation walk early in the day.

In our experience those who do not succeed in reaching the summit usually fail in their attempt because of exhaustion aggravated by a lack of sleep and loss of reserves that are the normal effects of prolonged exposure to high altitude so we encourage people to rest as much as possible out of the sun. You may not be feeling very hungry at this point, but your body really needs fuel reserves now and we strongly encourage you to eat and drink as much as possible. 4 litres of fluid a day is normal and helps combat the dehydrating effects of altitude.

Day 6

Around midnight (your guide will judge the time that is optimal for you based on your pace thus far) quit camp for the ascent via Stella Point (5752m) to the summit. Tonight is very tough and you will need to draw on inner strength and determination as you progress slowly onwards to the summit.

When you reach Stella Point you will sit and rest and refuel with some hot sweet tea and a light snack. At this point you are only 143 vertical meters short of the summit, and the journey from here is much easier and less steep, with plenty time for short breaks.

On the summit your guide will advise how much time you can spend there in consideration of your condition, your timings, and the weather. The brain does not always function very sharply at this altitude so please remember to take many photographs in all directions so you can record your memories.

From the summit you will reverse your route to descend to Stella Point then downwards on loose scree to arrive back at Barafu camp. On arrival at Barafu there is normally time to rest a little and have some food and fluid before continuing the descent.

From Barafu we descend to Mweka Camp (3090m) for overnight. If your guide judges that a shorter day will benefit you, he may decide to stop at Millennium Camp (3820m) instead.

Distances on summit day:

Barafu to Stella Point: 3.3km Stella Point to Summit: 1.2km Summit to Barafu: 4.5km

Barafu to Mweka Camp: 6.3km

Total = 15.3km

Day 7

Descend from Mweka Camp (or Millennium) to Mweka Gate (1641m) where we sign the summit register and you will receive your Certificate of Achievement. After signing and taking more photographs you will be collected by your driver and taken back to your hotel.

Distance from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate is 8.5km.

Typical tips for mountain crew tend to average some 10-15% of climb cost. All climbers’ contributions are usually added together and the total amount is presented to the chief guide at Mweka Gate. Our guides always divide these tips fairly amongst their crew according to a customary scale that is determined by the responsibilities and experience of each staff member.

PLEASE NOTE: Your safety is our business. All our Mountain Guides are highly trained in guiding at altitude and hold relevant, current First Aid Qualifications. In all matters of safety the decision of the Chief Guide is final.