6-DAY ASCENT OF KILIMANJARO VIA THE MACHAME ROUTE

Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Hut Camp

A guide and mountain assistance team will arrive at the hotel in the morning to welcome you and give you a quick briefing, after which you'll travel by vehicle to the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park: Machame Gate. After the quick formalities of obtaining climbing permits and registering with the search and rescue service, the group will begin the trek to Machame Camp. The trekking route passes through rainforest, where tropical showers are highly likely, so we recommend that you take not only a change of clothes but also a raincoat.

Distance: 11km/7miles

Hiking time: 5-7 hours

Elevation: 5,380ft to 9,350ft

Habitat: Tropical forest

After breakfast, you'll begin the trek to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp. On this day, you'll emerge from the rainforest and for the first time have a breathtaking view of the Shira plateau stretching out before you. Technically speaking, the trek is not very difficult, but you can feel the changes in altitude, so pay attention to your body and remember that choosing the right pace is extremely important for a good trek. Once you arrive at camp, you'll have lunch and a rest, then the group will do an acclimatization hike to Lava Tower camp, with an altitude gain of 400 meters. Back at Shira camp, you'll be served a hot dinner.

NOTE: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight elevation gain to speed up the acclimatization process. Acclimatization treks should be taken very seriously. They increase your chances of reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro and avoid the consequences of altitude sickness.

Distance to climb: 5km/3miles

Hiking time: 5-6 hours

Altitude: 9,350 to 12,500 ft

Habitat: Heath

After breakfast, you'll leave Shira camp and start your journey to the key point of the route: Lava Tower (4,600 m /15,088 f). This section of the itinerary includes numerous ascents and descents, ending with a camp at over 4,600 m. Some parts of the trek can be difficult and it's common to feel a little uncomfortable, but to acclimatize successfully to the altitude, you need to spend at least 1-2 hours here. That's why our groups have lunch at the top of the Lava Tower.

After lunch, you'll descend to Camp Barranco. Here you'll see the famous Barranco Wall, impressive both for its massive size and its steepness! The next day, you'll climb it, but don't worry: it's a simple hiking trail that's anything but intimidating.

Your group will get up early this morning, and after a hearty breakfast, you'll start climbing the Barranco wall. We recommend that you leave camp as early as possible to avoid the crowds of other groups, which can slow you down. The ascent of the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes about an hour. After the climb, you can relax and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.

Next, you embark on a more challenging hike to Karanga Camp, which involves plenty of ascents and descents, but don't worry: our guides are experts at choosing the optimum pace for the group. After reaching the camp, you'll be offered a hot lunch. After a few hours, you'll have to climb up to Barafu camp, where a hot dinner will be served. The rest of the day is best spent resting and sleeping before the night summit.

Your team will leave Barafu camp at night to begin the final ascent of Uhuru Peak (5,895 m /19,336 f). Technically speaking, the ascent is relatively straightforward; however, the most challenging part is the high altitude, which makes even regular physical activity taxing. Each pair of climbers will be accompanied by a personal guide for the duration of the ascent, to monitor their physical and mental condition. After a successful ascent of Uhuru Peak, you can descend to the nearest glacier, if you wish. You will then return to Barafu Camp and enjoy a 2-hour rest before continuing your descent to Millennium Camp.

NOTE: Don't forget that 90% of accidents occur during the descent, including most broken arms and legs. Be careful with your feet, as there's a high risk of damaging your toenails.

Millennium Camp is set in a tropical forest. When you wake up, you'll feel the relief of the reduced altitude and the satisfaction of having reached the summit. After a hot breakfast, you'll head for the park exit: Mweka Gate. After your descent, the whole group will gather to congratulate you, then offer you the chance to share your opinions on the climb in the guestbook. Finally, we'll hand you your commemorative certificates in our office and take you back to your hotel.