The Machame route, also known as the “Whiskey” route, is the most popular route on Kilimanjaro. Machame’s drawing is in its scenic beauty. However, the trail is considered complex, steep, and challenging, mainly due to its shorter itinerary. Therefore this route is better suited for more adventurous folks or those with some high altitude, hiking, or backpacking experience. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the south, beginning with an hour drive from Arusha to Machame Gate.

The Route

Start & EndDay 1-5
Start

Arusha

Day 1

Machame Gate (Mt. Kilimanjaro)

Day 2
Shira Camp
Day 3
Barranco Camp
Day 4
Barafu Camp
Day 5

Uhuru Peak Then Millennium Camp

Day 6
Mweka Gate (Mt. Kilimanjaro)
End

Arusha

Tour Features

  • Shared tourYou will join a group of other travelers. Max 10 people per group
  • Can not be customizedThe accommodations and destinations of this tour cannot be changed
  • Budget tourThis budget tour includes mountain huts or camping
  • Can start any dayIf availability permits, this tour can start on any day

Mt. Kilimanjaro Trekking Guide

  • Kilimanjaro Packing List
  • What to Expect on a Trekking
  • Booking Terms and Conditions

Interested in This Route?

Day 1

Arusha - Machame Gate (1790m) to Machame Camp (3010m)

One hour’s drive from Arusha lies the gate to the Machame Route, where we complete park formalities, meet our crew of porters, and start to climb! The first section of the route climbs steadily and passes through magnificent, dense rainforests. This path is less well-trodden, so it can get somewhat overgrown, and it is often wet and muddy underfoot.

Distance covered: 10.8km / 6.7mi

Approx. time took: 6 hours

Meals : (Lunch & Dinner) Included

Accommodation: Machame Camp

Day 2

Machame Camp (3010m) to Shira Camp (3845m)

Our route continues up through the forest until we reach the steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt. Meru rising high above Arusha town in the distance.

Distance covered: 5.4km / 3.4mi

Approx. time took: 5 hours.

Meals : (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Included

Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
Day 3

Shira Cave (3845m) to Barranco Camp (3960m)

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. We traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach, and finally reach the camp. The day has been spent at an altitude up to 4600m, but we follow the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to aid our body’s acclimatization to altitude.

Distance covered: 10.8km / 6.7mi

Approx. time took: 8 hrs.

Meals : (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Included

Accommodation: Barranco Camp

Day 4

Barranco Camp (3960m) to Barafu Camp (4640m)

Our day starts by descending into the entrance of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technically demanding but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten Glaciers, Read More

Distance covered: 8.5km / 5.3mi

Approx. time took: 8 hours.

Meals : (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Included

Accommodation: Barafu Camp

Day 5

Barafu Camp (4640m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) & down to Millennium Camp (3790m)

We start off at around midnight and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will climb the scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us Read More

Distance covered: 13.4km / 8.3mi

Approx. time took: 12 – 15 hours.

Meals : (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Included

Accommodation: Millennium Camp

Day 6

Trek Millennium Camp (3790m) to Mweka Gate (1630m) - Arusha

A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Arusha, where you can treat yourself to a welcome hot shower.

Distance covered: 12.1km / 7.5mi

Approx. time took: 6 hours.

Meals : (Breakfast, & Lunch ) Included

Accommodation: No accommodation

Start datesJan 1 – Dec 31, 2023Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024
Single Person (1 tent)On RequestOn Request
2+ people (sharing tents)$1,815$1,815

What is Included / Excluded in the Price

Included

  • Park entry fees
  • Professional and Friendly Mountain Guide
  • Assistant Mountain Guide
  • All activities(Unless labeled as optional)
  • All transportation(Unless labeled as optional)
  • Roundtrip airport transfer
  • All Taxes | VAT
  • Meals(As specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Drinks(As specified in the day-by-day section)
  • Camping equipment
  • Sleeping Mats
  • Team Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
  • Professional Cook and Porters
  • Fair wages for the mountain crew
  • Enough treated & filtered drinking water throughout the trek
  • Hot water for washing
  • Emergency first-aid kit
  • Mountain tents

Excluded

  • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
  • Visa fees
  • International flights (From/to home)
  • Tips(Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
  • Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
  • Optional activities
  • Personal items(Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
  • Domestic Flights
  • Sleeping bag
  • Personal trekking gears

Mt. Kilimanjaro Trekking Guide

  • Kilimanjaro Packing List
  • What to Expect on a Trekking
  • Booking Terms and Conditions

Interested in This Route?

From $1,815 pp (USD)

What is included in this tour?

Request a Quote