Day 1: Starting the Climb
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Machame Camp
Day 1, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
7 h, entrée incluse
Machame Gate (1490 m) to Machame Camp (2980 m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 18 km
Habitat: Montane forest
Your day begins early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 45-minute drive from Moshi (910m) to Machame village (1490m). The guides and porters will prepare and pack supplies and your equipment in the village.
Depending on road conditions, you might drive from the village to Machame Gate. If not, the muddy 3 km walk will take about 1 hour.
After registering at the gate office, you begin your ascent into the rainforest. You will receive a packed lunch at the gate. Bottled water purchased at Springlands Hotel in Moshi can also be consumed.
Rain is possible in the forest, which can make the trail very soggy, muddy, and slippery.
In the evening, porters will boil drinking and washing water, and the cook will prepare dinner before you retire to your tent. Night temperatures at Machame campsite can already drop to freezing point.
Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Shira Camp
Day 2, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
7 h, entrée incluse
Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira Camp (3840m)
Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: Approximately 9 km
Habitat: Moorland
You will wake up early at Machame Camp. After breakfast, you'll climb for about an hour to the top of the forest, then continue for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone.
After a short lunch and rest, you will proceed up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau. You will be able to see the Western Breach and its glaciers to the east.
You are now west of Kibo. After a short hike, you will reach Shira campsite at 3,840m.
The porters will boil drinking and washing water before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping well below freezing.
Day 3: Shira Camp - Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Barranco Camp
Day 3, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
7 h, entrée incluse
Shira (3840m) - Lava Tower (4630m) - Barranco Camp (3950m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: Semi-desert
The route turns east into a semi-desert, rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, reaching an altitude of 4630m after about a 5-hour walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). This is typically the toughest day.
Some climbers may start experiencing symptoms of breathlessness, irritability, and headaches at this point. After lunch, you descend by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area. Reaching a high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear.
This descent to Barranco Camp takes about 2 hours and offers excellent opportunities for beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall.
The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, offering memorable sunsets while dinner is prepared. Overnight at Barranco Campsite.
Day 4: Barranco to Karanga Valley - Barafu Camp
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Barafu Camp
Day 4, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
7 h, entrée incluse
Barranco to Karanga Valley - Barafu Camp (4550m)
Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 13 km
Habitat: Alpine desert
The tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and potentially dangerous ridge, fully exposed to strong winds. Familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid accidents. The summit is another 1345m higher, and the final ascent will be made the same night.
Prepare your equipment, trekking poles, and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This includes replacing headlamp and camera batteries and ensuring you have spares.
To prevent freezing, carry your water in a thermal flask. Go to bed around 19:00 and try to get some rest, aiming for no more than 5 hours of sleep.
Day 5: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mweka Camp
Day 5, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
8 h, entrée incluse
Barafu Camp (4550m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Mweka (3100m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 km ascent - 23 km descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
You will wake around 23:30. After tea and biscuits, you will begin your ascent in a northwesterly direction through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walk to Stella Point is often the most challenging part of the route, mentally and physically.
At Stella Point (5685m), you will stop for a short rest and, weather permitting, witness a magnificent sunrise. From Stella Point, you will typically encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak.
The time spent on the summit will depend on weather conditions. Avoid staying too long due to the extreme cold and fatigue, which can make restarting difficult. Enjoy your accomplishment and this memorable day.
The walk back to Barafu from the summit takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well-deserved, short rest and collect your gear before descending to Mweka Camp (3100m) for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Repas : petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Springlands Hotel Moshi
Day 6, Stage 1
Mount Kilimanjaro
6 h, entrée incluse
Mweka Camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m)
Hiking/Descent time: 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 km
Habitat: Forest
After breakfast, from Mweka Gate, you will continue down to Mweka village, typically a muddy and long hour's walk. In Mweka village, you will drive to Springlands Hotel for a delicious hot lunch.
You will then drive back to Moshi for a much-needed hot shower and overnight at Springlands Hotel. It is recommended to tip your guides and porters at the end of the trip. Tips can be given to the Guide at Springlands Hotel.
This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.
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