KilImanjaro Hike
Machame Route
with Hanna McClintock & Friends
Kilimanjaro Hike with Safari Extension Option
Hanna McClintock
October 2019
An amazing opportunity to reach the Top of Africa, one of the World’s Seven Summits! Often called the “Whiskey Route,” the Machame Route is one of the most beautiful trails to the Kilimanjaro summit. It is longer and gentler route than the Umbwe or Marangu (aka “Coca Cola Route”), allowing for much greater odds of success due to increased acclimatization time. Still, this route is considered difficult, and is best suited for adventurous folks with hiking or backpacking experience. Our itinerary maximizes acclimatization by having extra, but shorter walking days during the trek.
Summary
Day 1: Arrive at arusha
Day 2: arusha free day
Day 3: arusha and begin hiking, overnight at forest camp
Day 4: hike to shira one camp
Day 5: hike to moir camp
Day 6: hike to barronco camp
Day 7: hike to Karanga Valley camp
Day 8: Hike to barahu camp
Day 9: summit day! descend to mweka camp
Day 10: complete the hike, return to arusha for departure or opt to extend your stay!
Day 1
Overnight: Iliboru Lodge
Meals: D
Arusha Arrival
Arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport, after clearing customs and Immigration formalities you will be met by your driver and transferred to Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort for overnight.
Day 2
Overnight: Iliboru Lodge
Meals: B | L | D
Arusha Free Day
We recommend including a free day in Arusha to allow for any travel mishaps such as lost luggage, flight delays, etc.
Day 3
Overnight: Forest Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Arusha – Forest Camp
We depart after an early breakfast for transfer to Lemosho Gate, an arduous three-hour journey through the colonial grazing lands between Mt Meru and Mt Kilimanjaro. This area is inhabited by Maasai families and has spectacular scenery. We complete formal registrations at Londorossi Gate before commencing our hike. We enjoy a packed lunch as the team inspects and co-ordinates luggage and then we set off on our hike.
Hike: 2.5 mi, 7,710 - 9,150 ft, 3-4 hours
Day 4
Overnight: Shira One Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Forest Camp – Shira One
We set out from camp this morning through magnificent forest areas to emerge onto the Shira Plateau, an area where the volcanic activity of Kilimanjaro initially began. The scenery transitions to an open savanna grassland and our view across to our goal on Kibo is superb. We will enjoy a packed lunch at a scenic point along the trail.
Hike: 4.4 mi, 9,150 - 11,450 ft, 5-6 hours
Day 5
Overnight: Moir Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Shira One – Moir
Our focus today begins after a hearty English style breakfast along with fresh fruits and breads. We start by crossing the plateau area, passing Shira Cathedral. The ‘cathedral’ area was an ancient sacrificial area for the Chagga tribe of Kilimanjaro and demonstrates the commitment the tribe had to the traditional god. We once again enjoy lunch en route as we make our way across a sparsely vegetated habitat.
Hike: 6.6 mi, 11,450 - 13,620 ft, 6-7 hours
Day 6
Overnight: Barranco Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Moir – Barranco
Today is an excellent opportunity for acclimatization as we make our way up and over into the Barranco area, with a more challenging hike with volcanic matter underfoot. It is an exciting day, taking in spectacular views once again as we near our summit departure point.
Hike: 5.5 mi, 13,620 - 15,210 - 12,980 ft, 7-8 hours
Day 7
Overnight: Karanga Valley Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Barranco – Karanga Valley
Today’s hike takes us through rugged and awesome terrain – especially after breakfast as we ascend the grueling Wall of Barranco. As we reach the top, we are able to view our route thus far, providing great motivation to continue on our trekking adventure. We enter the Karanga Valley after lunch and set up camp away from the chilly winds frequent at this altitude.
Hike: 3.1 mi, 12,980 - 13,190 ft, 4-5 hours
Day 8
Overnight: Barafu Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Karanga Valley – Barafu
Following our departure from the sheltered cliffs of Karanga, we begin to reach the open volcanic flats near Barafu. We are surrounded by a lunar-esque landscape with the peak of Kibo visible above.
Hike: 2.1 mi, 13,190 - 15,090 ft, 3-4 hours
Day 9
Overnight: Mweka Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Barafu – Summit - Mweka
We begin our summit day with a midnight start, as we slowly make our way up the Crater wall and reach Stella Point, in time for an unforgettable sunrise over the African continent. We struggle at times catching our breath and with the loose volcanic scree underfoot, but we are so close now and we are eager to reach the summit point of Uhuru. The lunar landscape is contrasted with the snows of Kilimanjaro, stunning glaciers and if we are lucky, an uninterrupted view across to Mt Meru and the surrounding plains. We relish in our summit triumph before beginning a new route for our descent through Barafu and our last night camping on Kilimanjaro.
Hike: 10.9 mi, 15,090 - 19,340 (Summit Elev.) - 10,900 ft, 14-16 hours
DAY 10
Meals: B | L
Mweka – Arusha
We enjoy a more leisurely morning and are able to take a final glimpse at Kibo peak before disappearing into the forest for our final descent to the National Park gate at Mweka. We complete our signing out formalities and say good-bye to our team before embarking in our awaiting vehicle for the return journey to Arusha for your flight home or to begin the next phase of the adventure, an optional safari extension!
Hike: 5.5 mi, 10,900 - 5,400 ft, 2-3 hours
Optional Safari Extension
Day 10
Overnight: Iliboru Lodge
Meals: D
Return to Arusha for Overnight Stay
After your thrilling accomplishment of summitting Kilimanjaro, you will return to Arusha to your hotel for well-deserved rest and dinner before embarking on the next adventure.
Day 11
Overnight: Tarangire Ndovu Tented Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Arusha - Tarangire
After breakfast we drive to the Tarangire National Park for game drives and lunch. As the sixth largest National Park in Tanzania, Tarangire is located slightly off the main safari route and is a lovely, quiet park in northern Tanzania. It is most famous for its high population of elephants and its rich birdlife. Furthermore, the park is abundant in plants and other animals such as the Greater Kudu, which cannot be found in any other National Park.We continue to explore this wilderness as we learn animal behavior and natural habitats from expert local guides.
During migration season you can expect to see large herds of thousands of zebra, wildebeest and cape buffalo. Other common resident animals include waterbuck, giraffe, dik dik, impala, eland, Grant's gazelle, vervet monkey, banded mongoose, and olive baboon. After enjoying our game driving we transfer to our Camp located inside the park for dinner and overnight.
Day 12
Overnight: Naona Moru Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Tarangire - Serengeti
We depart after breakfast to the endless plains of the Serengeti, via exploration of the Ndutu area. We enjoy a picnic lunch en-route. Upon entering the Serengeti, we are able to game drive all the way to our special camp area. This camp is located in the Central Serengeti and allows us to explore the resident and Migratory wild game all year around.
Day 13
Overnight: Naona Moru Camp
Meals: B | L | D
Serengeti
Early morning game drives within Serengeti provide the perfect opportunity to get up close to Africa’s incredible animals. We are lucky to experience a migration and spot a great variety of wildlife including cheetah, bat eared fox, black rhino, Maasai giraffe, lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, zebra, crocodile, elephants and others. We’ll have the chance to learn about the animals’ behavior. In the afternoon, we set off to see the nocturnal animals beginning their night before returning to our intimate camp for the evening.
Day 14
Meals: B | L
Serengeti - Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast we drive back across the grasslands and up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is collapsed volcano - an incredible natural amphitheater, 25 km across and is home to a large assortment of animals including zebra, buffalo, warthog, wildebeest, hippo and elephants; and an amazing population of predators - lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the elusive leopard.
We descend into the crater for spectacular scenery and game viewing in what has been described as the eighth wonder of the world. Approximately 2.5 million years ago, the Ngorongoro crater was a huge volcanic mountain, rivaling Kilimanjaro in size. This changed when the mountain collapsed in on itself, creating the largest volcanic caldera in the world and teeming with all of the African big game.
Afterward our exploration of the park, we return to Arusha for our departure flight home.
PRICE: $2995 PER PERSON
BASED ON DOUBLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Deposit: 30% due today ($870)
Final Balance: Remaining balance due 90 days prior to departure
Safari EXTENSION PRICING: $2695 PER PERSON
BASED ON DOUBLE ACCOMMODATIONS
*Should 4 or more travelers book the extension, you will receive a discount of $300 per person
Deposit: 30% due today
Final Balance: Remaining balance due 90 days prior to departure
Price quoted includes:
All transport - 4WD Land Rovers or safari vehicles
Accommodation as detailed - 3 person tents shared by two people when camping
Camping equipment (except sleeping bags and insulation mats)
Services of guides and porters
All National Park entrance and camp site fees
All food as indicated - breakfasts, packed lunches and evening meals
Donations and payments to local community project
Prices quoted exclude:
International flights
Travel and personal accident insurance
Visa, passport, vaccinations, medicines
Tips
Expenditure on personal bar bills, souvenirs, personal items
Optional excursions/activities not detailed in itinerary
Any additional services requested
