Duration
7 days
Tour type
Private tour
Group size
1-20 people
Physical level
Moderate
Customizable
Yes, request changes
Minimum age
10 years
Languages
English, French, Swahili, Spanish, German, Italian
Extra accommodation
Can be arranged for an extra cost
Embark on the legendary 7-day Machame Route, widely known as the "Whiskey Route" and Africa's most scenic path to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Traverse lush montane rainforests, dramatic moorlands, the striking alpine desert of the Barranco Wall, and glacial zones, maximizing your acclimatization for a successful midnight push to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
$2,530Per person
Trip type
High-altitude trek, not a technical climb: no ropes or climbing experience needed
Fitness level
Good general fitness and the ability to walk 5 to 8 hours a day for multiple days in a row
Age
Minimum age 10, most climbers are teens through 60s with the right preparation
Health notes
Consult a doctor if you have heart, lung, or blood pressure conditions. Altitude affects everyone differently regardless of fitness.
After meeting your guide in Moshi for a briefing and gear check, you take a scenic drive to the Machame Park Gate. Here, you complete your registration formalities, meet your mountain crew of guides, porters, and cooks, and begin your trek. The trail starts through the lush, dense montane rainforest where you enjoy a picnic lunch along the way, keeping an eye out for wildlife and exotic birds. By late afternoon, you arrive at Machame Camp (3,000m) where your tents are already set up, allowing you to rest, enjoy hot tea, and have dinner.
After an early morning breakfast, you leave Machame Camp and continue trekking up a steep trail, leaving the dense rainforest behind to enter the moorland and shrub zone. The path leads you across a small stream and up a steep ridge, gradually flattening out as you approach the sweeping Shira Plateau. By afternoon, you arrive at Shira Camp (3,840m), offering stunning views of Kibo peak and the surrounding glaciers.
Leaving the Shira Plateau, the trail turns eastward and climbs steadily up a rugged ridge towards the iconic Lava Tower (4,630m). This day is crucial for acclimatization; you hike high to help your body adjust to the altitude before descending into the striking Barranco Valley. Enjoy lunch at the rocky plateau before continuing down to Barranco Camp (3,950m), nestled beneath the towering cliffs of the Great Barranco Wall.
Your day begins with an exciting and challenging climb up the famous Great Barranco Wall, a steep cliff face that requires minor, fun scrambling while being rewarded with magnificent views of the southern icefields. Once at the top, the trail undulates up and down across ridges and valleys through the alpine desert, crossing the Karanga Valley. You arrive at Karanga Camp (4,035m) around midday or early afternoon, giving you plenty of time to rest, relax, and acclimatize in preparation for the upcoming summit push.
After breakfast, you leave Karanga Camp and join the junction connecting with the Mweka descent trail. The path continues steadily upward across a barren, rocky alpine desert landscape with sparse vegetation, offering stunning views of Kibo peak ahead. You will reach Barafu Camp (4,673m) by early afternoon. Spend the rest of the day resting, eating an early dinner, and preparing your gear for the midnight summit attempt.
Around midnight, you wake up for a hot drink and light snack before beginning the challenging final push upward between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Trek slowly under the starlight along the steep scree slope toward Stella Point (5,756m) on the crater rim, where you will witness a breathtaking sunrise. From here, continue along the snowy rim for about an hour to reach Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the highest point in Africa. After celebrating your achievement and taking photos, you descend back down to Barafu Camp for a short rest and lunch, then continue your descent down to Mweka Camp (3,100m) for your final night on the mountain.
After a well-deserved breakfast and a joyful final celebration song and dance with your mountain crew, you begin your final descent through the lush rainforest down to Mweka Gate. The trail can be wet and slippery, but the lower altitude brings back rich vegetation and warm air. At the gate, you sign out and receive your official summit certificates—green certificates for reaching Stella Point and gold certificates for conquering Uhuru Peak. Your driver will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Moshi for a hot shower, relaxation, and a celebratory drink.
Starts in moshi, ends in moshi.
Other stops
What's arranged for you to sleep and eat each night of the trip.
No accommodation
What this operator recommends bringing on the trip.
Includes a convenient morning briefing and pickup from your hotel in Moshi town, private road transfer to the Machame Park Gate for registration, and a return transfer back to Moshi upon completion of your trek.
