Day 1: Arrival Kilimanjaro airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our guide will take you to the hotel. Here you can recover from the flight and get used to the African environment. An acclimatization day in the hotel on day two is recommended, but you can also start the climb the next day.

Day 2: Drop off at the starting point (3,500 m/ 11,482 ft) – Shira 2 Camp (3,900 m/ 12,795 ft)

Elevation gain: 400 m | Distance: 11 km. | Walking time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: easy | Environment: meadows

Your guide and his team will come to the hotel in the morning, after which you will drive by car (approximately 4 hours drive) to the west entrance of Kilimanjaro National Park (2,200 m). This ride goes through the beautiful tropical rainforest, after which you arrive at the drop-off point at 3,500 meters. Here you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Shira plateau for the first time.

The walking route to the first camp is a flat walk. This allows you to get used to the high altitude.

This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is highly recommended that you follow these instructions from this point forward:

1. Drink as much water as possible
2. Consider taking a Diamox pill if you have symptoms of altitude sickness.

Day 3: Shira 2 Camp (3,900 m/ 12,795 ft) – Lava Tower (4,630 m/ 15,190 ft) – Barranco Camp (3,960 m/ 12,992)

Elevation gain: 730 m | Elevation gain: 670 m | Distance: 12 km. | Walking time: 6-8 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

Today the Lemosho route joins the Machame route. Today’s hike leads from Shira Camp 2 to the beautiful Lava Tower. This part of the climb has many asents and descents and offers beautiful views along the way. It is a long hike and you may start to feel a bit uncomfortable because of the height. It is therefore important to stay at Lava Tower for 1 to 2 hours in order for your body to adjust to the altitude. We will use this time to have lunch here. After lunch, you descend to Barranco Camp. Here you will encounter strange looking flowering plants that grow up to five meters high!

The Barranco Camp is located at the foot of the imposing Barranco Wall, which is impressive due to its sheer size and steepness. Fortunately, the path leading to it is not that difficult.

Option: If there are participants who prefer to choose a lower altitude route (instead of lava tower), it can be adjusted to a one with a maximum altitude of 4400 meters.

Day 4: Barranco Camp (3960 m/ 12,992 ft) – Karanga Camp (4035 m/ 13,238 ft)

Elevation gain: 75 m/ 246 ft | Distance: 5 km | Walking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

After breakfast you depart from Barranco Camp to the Barranco Wall. For many people this is their favorite part of the climb, partly because of the beautiful views. Once at the top of the Barranco Wall, for example, you have a spectacular view to the left of Kibo Volcano and to the right of Mount Meru. Afterwards a more difficult hike starts to reach Karanga Camp. This route has many ascents and descents, but our guides are experts in choosing the right route and the right pace. When the camp is reached, it is time for lunch. After a few hours of rest, you can take an acclimatization hike in the direction of Barafu Camp, where you can complete an ascent with 300 meters elevation gain and then descend back to Karanga camp.

Day 5: Karanga Camp (4035 m/ 13,238 ft) – Barafu Camp (4640 m/ 15,223 ft)

Elevation gain: 605 m/ 1,984 ft | Distance: 6 km | Walking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: alpine desert

After breakfast the hike to Barafu Camp starts. This is the starting point for your ascent to the Uhuru Peak – the top of Kilimanjaro! You will arrive at the camp around lunch. Tents are set up in advance to relax on arrival at the camp. After you regain your strength, you can take an acclimatization hike to Kosovo Summit Camp (4800m) and then back to Barafu Camp. There, a hot meal will be served when you return and you can relax for the rest of the day before starting the ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro around midnight!

Day 6: Barafu Camp (4640 m/ 15,223 ft) – Uhuru Peak (5895 m/ 19,340 ft) – Millennium Camp (3820 m/ 12,532 ft)

Elevation gain: 1255 m/ 4,117 ft | Elevation loss: 2075 m/ 6,807 ft | Distance: 15 km | Walking time: 8-12 hours | Difficulty: difficult | Environment: arctic

At night you depart Barafu Camp to start your ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak). It is a climb on good trails and the most challenging part is the high altitude. There is one personal guide per two climbers in order to keep a close eye on the climbers physically and mentally health.

Once you reach the summit you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise, which is quite impressive at this height! After a small party at the top, you can descend to the nearest glacier if you wish. Then you return to Barafu Camp to start the descent to Millennium Camp after 2 hours of rest. When descending, pay close attention to where you put your feet to prevent any injury.

Day 7: Millennium Camp (3820 m/ 12,532 ft) – Mweka Gate (1650 m/ 5,413 ft)

Elevation loss: 2170 m/ 7119 ft | Distance: 12 km. | Walking time: 4-5 hours Difficulty: easy | Environment: rain forest

The Camp is located in a tropical rainforest. You will awake with a pleasant feeling due to the reduction in altitude and the satisfaction of reaching the summit. After breakfast you will exit the park and the entire group comes together to congratulate each other and your driver will bring you back to the hotel where you can relax and rest.

Day 8-9: Kilimanjaro Airport

Today you can take it easy and possibly explore the area. If you don’t feel like going home yet, you can stay an extra day at the lodge or extend the trip with a beautiful safari through Tanzania or one of our combined tours.

Day 1: Arrival Kilimanjaro airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our driver will transfer you to the hotel. Settle in and take time to relax and to get used to the African atmosphere. It is possible to book an extra day of rest prior to start of the climb, to give you ample time to acclimatise and recover from the flight. This extra day increases your chances of reaching the summit.

Day 2: Machame Gate (1,800 m/ 5,905 ft) – Machame Camp (3,000m/ 9,840 ft)

Elevation gain: 1200 m/ 3,937 ft  | Distance: 5 km. | Hiking time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Environment: Rainforest

Our guide will pick you up from the hotel in the morning and take you to Machame Gate, where your ascent begins! Today the route leads you through a beautiful undisturbed tropical rainforest. The climate is humid on this side of the mountain, which is why nature thrives and it is very green. After five to six hours of hiking you will reach Machame Camp on the edge of the forest area with heath zone.

This is your first day at this altitude, so it is recommended that you follow the instructions below from now on:

1. Drink as much water as possible
2. Take a Diamox tablet if you experience symptoms of altitude sickness

Day 3: Machame Camp (3,000m/ 9,843 ft) to Shira Camp (3,840m/ 12,600 ft)

Elevation gain: 840 m/ 2,723 ft  | Distance: 5 km. | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: easy| Environment: moorland

Today you will start with another nice climb that is a little steeper, but quickly rewards you with a stunning view. Keep in mind the increase of altitude and more importantly, walk at the right pace. Our experienced guides will assist you with that. The first part of the hike leads to a small circular cliff known as the picnic rock. Here you can enjoy stunning views of Kibo (a peak of Kilimanjaro) and Shira (one of the other volcanic peaks). From the picnic rock you hike on to Shira Camp via a beautiful route. Here you will have lunch and afterwards you can take an acclimatization walk towards the Lava Tower (to an altitude of 4120 meters and a distance of 2 km).

Note: The acclimatization walk is an easy hike with a slight rise in altitude. This will accelerate the acclimatization process. The acclimatization hikes are very important, as they increase your chances to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro and reduce the chance of altitude sickness.

Day 4: Shira Camp (3,840 m/ 12,600 ft) – Lava Tower (4630 m/ 15,190 ft) – Barranco Camp (3,960 m/ 12,960 ft)

Elevation gain: 790 m/ 2,592 ft  |Elevation loss: 670 meters/ 2,198 ft| Distance: 11 km | Hiking time: 6-8 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: moorland

Today’s hike leads from Shira Camp to the beautiful Lava Tower. This part of the climb has many ascents and descents and offers beautiful views along the way. It is a longer hike and you might feel a bit uncomfortable due to the increased altitude. It is therefore important to remain at Lava Tower for one to two hours in order for your body to acclimatize. Therefore lunch will be taken here. After lunch, you descend to Barranco Camp. Here you will encounter strange looking flowering plants that grow up to five meters high! Barranco Camp is located at the foot of the imposing Barranco Wall, which is impressive in both its sheer size and steepness. Fortunately, the path leading to it is not that difficult.

Option: If there are participants who prefer to choose a lower altitude route than that of the Lava Tower, it can be adapted to a route with a maximum height of 4400 meters.

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3,960 m/12,631 ft) to Barafu Camp (4,640 m/15,223 ft)

Elevation gain: 680 m/ 2,231 ft  | Distance: 11 km | Hiking time: 8-10 hours | Difficulty: difficult| Environment: alpine desert

After breakfast you depart Barranco Camp and hike towards Barranco Wall. This route is challenging but enjoyable and for many people their favourite part of the climb due to the stunning views. Once you reach the top of the Barranco wall, you have a spectacular view of the Kibo volcano to your left and to the right of the distant Mount Meru. Now a more difficult hike starts towards Karanga Camp, this route has many ascents and descents, but our guides are experts in choosing the right route and the pace for you. Barafu Camp is the last camp before the summit, where you will be served a hot meal. Make sure to take the time to relax and sleep, because around midnight you start your final ascent to the summit!

Day 6: Barafu Camp (4,640 m/ 15,223 ft) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m/ 19,340 ft) to Millennium Camp (3,820 m/ 12,532 ft)

Elevation gain: 1255 m/ 4,117 ft  |Elevation loss: 2075 m/ 6,807 feet| Distance: 15 km | Hiking time: 8-12 hours | Difficulty: High| Environment: arctic

Tonight you depart from Barafu Camp to ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak)! The climb leads over good trails, the most challenging part is the high altitude. There is 1 personal guide per 2 climbers in order to closely monitor the climbers’ physically and mentally wellbeing.

Once you reach the summit you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise, which is quite impressive at this height! After a small party at the top, you can descend to the nearest glacier if you wish. You return to Barafu Camp and start the descent to Millennium Camp after two hours of rest. When descending pay close attention to where you step in order to prevent an injury.

Day 7: Millennium Camp (3,820 m/ 12,532 ft) – Mweka Gate (1,650 m/ 5,413 ft)

Elevation loss: 2170 m/ 7,119 ft  | Distance: 12 km | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: easy| Environment: rainforest

The Millenium camp is located in a tropical rainforest. When you wake up, you will experience a pleasant feeling due to the reduction in altitude and the satisfaction of reaching the summit. After breakfast you go to the park exit. After the descent the whole group comes together to congratulate each other.

The hotel is not included in the price. We are happy to help you choose a hotel according to your wishes.

Day 8-9: to Kilimanjaro airport

Today you can relax at the lodge or explore the surrounding area. You can choose to extend your journey with a Sir Tours Safari. Another option is to unwind on the tropical Zanzibar Island or one of the other exotic beach destinations. If you choose to fly home after your Kilimanjaro trek, you will arrive back home on day 9.

How fit do you need to be to climb Kilimanjaro via the Machame route?

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a real challenge due to the altitude, rate of ascent and different temperatures. During an average climbing day you will walk 6-7 hours per day. If you are healthy and fit it is absolutely within reach. There are many things you can do to increase your chances to reach the summit and to make sure you enjoy the trek. It’s important you take your time. Don’t hike too fast so your body has time to adapt and acclimatize. Being in good shape also makes the climb much easier. Go hiking a few months before the climb, especially multiple day hikes are excellent training. But also running and aerobic exercise are a good preparation. It is always difficult to predict who will be affected by altitude sickness. Fortunately the Machame route offers good opportunities to ‘walk high and sleep low’ which is essential to avoid altitude sickness. This route has a gradual ascend and the trails are pretty good. Not many people experience altitude sickness on this route to the summit.

By adding 1 extra day to your climb, you will reduce the chance to get altitude sickness. Because you spread the climb over more days and your body gets more time to get used to the higher altitude. We do really advice to do this to increase the chance of making it to the top. 

The costs of this extra day you may ask.

If you like advice on how to prepare yourself for climbing Kilimanjaro, you can always contact us or read our blog Sir Tour How to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro?

Day 1: Arrival Kilimanjaro airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our guide will take you to the hotel. Here you can recover from the flight and get used to the African environment. An acclimatization day in the hotel on day two is recommended, but you can also start the climb the next day.

The hotel in the program below is an example. The first night is not included in the quoted price. This is because we have hotels in different price ranges and want to accommodate you according to your preference! We work with more than 37 hotels in the Kilimanjaro region, ranging from hotels charging just $30 per person per night (based on bed & breakfast) to more luxuries five-star hotels. Our prices are never higher than on booking.com. Ask us about the options!

Day 2: Rongai Gate (1,800m/ 5,905 ft) – First Cave Camp (2,600m/ 8,350 ft)

Elevation gain: 800 m/ 2,624 ft | Distance: 8 km | Walking time: 3-4 hours | Difficulty: easy | Environment: rainforest

This is the beginning of your Kilimanjaro climb! This morning you drive about 2 hours to the Rongai Gate, near the Kenyan border. After registering at the gate, your ascent begins to the mighty roof of Africa! On the first day you hike through beautiful lush forests where you can hear lots of animal noises and maybe spot the rare colobus monkey. You will take a lunch break before you continue to the first camp. Rongai route runs through the less forested north side of the mountain. It is one of the quietest routes on Kilimanjaro and is considered by many to be the best route for viewing lots of wildlife.

Day 3: First Cave Camp (2,600m/ 8,530 ft) – Kikelewa Camp (3,600m/ 11,811 ft)

Elevation gain: 1000 m/ 3,281 ft | Distance: 10 km | Walking time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

On the second day you will reach the Kilimanjaro heath. During the day you can already see the first mountain peak of Kilimanjaro, called Mawenzi, in the distance. In the morning the climb becomes very steep and you will start to feel the altitude. After a while you will arrive at the first cave where you can stop for a while to rest or to explore the cave and the surrounding area. Lunch is often taken in the second cave. The afternoon is a little quieter and the climc is less steep. You will then hike towards the camp in a sheltered valley near Kikelewa or towards the third cave. Today you hike for about 5-6 hours.

Day 4: Kikelewa Camp (3,600m/ 11,811 ft) – Mawenzi Tarn (4,330m/ 14,206 ft)

Elevation gain: 730 m/ 3,280 ft | Distance: 6 km | Walking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

Today you will take a brisk hike in the morning in order to have time to rest in the afternoon and evening. This gives your body a chance to get used to the altitude. Today’s hike is relatively short, but very steep. Fortunately, the climb is well worth it as you will be rewarded with lots of breathtaking views and a great feeling as you gaze out at the wilderness of Tanzania. The hike continues to Mawenzi Tarn, where you will also spend the night. The Mawenzi Tarn is located below the Mawenzi summit. From here you have a wonderful view of the two famous mountain peaks of Kilimanjaro, Mawenzi and Kibo.

Day 5: Mawenzi Tarn Camp (4,330m/ 14,206 ft) – Kibo Camp (4,700m/ 15,419 ft)

Elevation gain: 370 m/ 1,213 ft | Distance: 9 km | Walking time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: alpine desert

A beautiful lunar landscape is crossed today, after which the ascent to the higher camp is continued. The Kibo Camp is located directly below Kibo summit, from where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Kenyan plain. Here you can also see Mawanzi and the path very well. After lunch you can rest and regain your strength because the next day you will do the summit push to the peak of Kilimanjaro!

Day 6: Kibo Camp (4,700m/ 15,419 ft) – Uhuru Peak (5,895m/ 19,340 ft) – Horombo Hut (3,720m/ 12,204 ft)

Elevation gain: 1195 m/ 3,921 ft | Elevation loss: 2175 m/ 7,136 ft | Distance: 16 km | Walking time: 9-12 hours | Difficulty: difficult | Environment: arctic

At midnight you start the summit push to the so-called Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa! You will use your flashlight until sunrise. The biggest challenge lies in the first part of this climb. For every 2 climbers there is 1 personal guide. He will keep a close eye on the physical and mental condition of the climbers. After a steep climb you will reach Gilman’s Point. From here, Uhuru Peak is not far and relatively easy to reach. Once at the top you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise, which is very impressive at this height! After a small party at the summit, you return to the Kibo huts before having dinner and then you continue your descent to Horombo huts for your overnight stay. In total, you’ll be hiking for around 12 hours today, so prepare yourself for a tough day! When descending, be careful where you are stepping to avoid injury.

Day 7: Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,204 ft ) – Marangu Gate (1,830m/ 6000 ft) – hotel

Elevation loss: 1890 m/ 6,201 ft | Distance: 18 km | Walking time: 5-6 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: rainforest

Today you continue your descend to the exit of Kilimanjaro National Park, the Marangu Gate. This is a delightful five to six hour walk through the beautiful forests of Kilimanjaro. After the descent, the whole group comes together to congratulate each other and your driver will bring you back to your hotel, where you can recover from the rigors of the climb.

Day 8-9: Moshi – Airport

Today you can relax at the lodge or explore the surrounding area. You can choose to extend your journey with a beautiful Sir Tours Safari. Another option is to unwind on the tropical Zanzibar Island or one of the other exotic beach destinations Pemba Island and Mafia Island. If you choose to go home after your Kilimanjaro trek, you fly back home on day 9.