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6 Days Kilimanjaro Trek Machame Route
Kilimanjaro Trek

6 Days Kilimanjaro Trek Machame Route

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From $1,945
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Trip Overview

Climb Mount Kilimanjaro over 6 days on the Machame route, following the actual camp sequence toward the summit.

The 6 Days Kilimanjaro Trek Machame Route follows the Machame Route through Machame Camp, Shira Camp, Barranco Camp, and Barafu Camp. The day-by-day ascent allows the landscape to change from lower forest to open moorland and high alpine terrain before the summit stage.

The itinerary is built around daily trekking, mountain-camp or hut overnights, and the final summit attempt, followed by the documented descent route to the finishing gate.

A memorable mountain journey is about the full route as much as reaching the summit. Explore the daily walking stages, overnight camps and changes in altitude below, then speak with our team about acclimatisation, packing and the pace best suited to your experience and travel window.

One trail, many landscapes, one step at a time
Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the cloudsMount Kilimanjaro
Trekkers climbing through high-altitude terrain on KilimanjaroHigh-Altitude Trekking
Trekkers on a high mountain trail below KilimanjaroKilimanjaro Trail
Trekkers on the snowy upper slopes of Mount KilimanjaroSummit Landscape
Moments along the route
Trip Highlights

Your Journey Highlights

  • Machame Gate to Machame CampContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.
  • Machame Camp to Shira CampContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.
  • Shira Camp to Barranco CampContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.
  • Barranco Camp to Barafu CampContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.
  • Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak & down to Millennium CampContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.
  • Millennium Camp to Mweka GateContinue along the mountain route at a measured pace, moving through changing terrain and preparing carefully for the next stage.

Your Itinerary

Day 01

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

  • Elevation: 1790m to 3010m
  • Activity: Trekking
  • Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner

One hour’s drive from Moshi to Machame gate, 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 rainforest. This path is less well-trodden, so it can get somewhat overgrown in places, and it is often wet and muddy underfoot.

Accommodation

Machame Camp

Your overnight stop is Machame Camp. Rest and prepare for the next stage with the support of your trekking crew. The facilities and conditions reflect the mountain route and altitude.

LocationMount KilimanjaroStay styleMountain camping
Photograph of the named mountain hut or campsite.
Day 02

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

  • Elevation: 3010m to 3845m
  • Activity: Trekking
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Our route continues on 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. The mountain team will set a measured pace that suits the terrain and supports steady acclimatization throughout the day. Regular pauses allow time for water, snacks and changing weather layers while the guide monitors trail conditions and group wellbeing. As the landscape changes, your guide will explain the route ahead and the natural features around you. Reaching the day’s destination is approached calmly, with safety and consistency taking priority over speed.

Accommodation

Shira Camp

Your overnight stop is Shira Camp. Rest and prepare for the next stage with the support of your trekking crew. The facilities and conditions reflect the mountain route and altitude.

LocationMount KilimanjaroStay styleMountain camping
Photograph of the named mountain hut or campsite.
Day 03

Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

  • Elevation: 3845m to 3960m
  • Activity: Trekking
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. The day has been spent at altitude (up to 4600m), but we have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to aid your body’s acclimatization to altitude. The mountain team will set a measured pace that suits the terrain and supports steady acclimatization throughout the day. Regular pauses allow time for water, snacks and changing weather layers while the guide monitors trail conditions and group wellbeing. As the landscape changes, your guide will explain the route ahead and the natural features around you. Reaching the day’s destination is approached calmly, with safety and consistency taking priority over speed.

Accommodation

Barranco Camp

Your overnight stop is Barranco Camp. Rest and prepare for the next stage with the support of your trekking crew. The facilities and conditions reflect the mountain route and altitude.

LocationMount KilimanjaroStay styleMountain camping
Photograph of the named mountain hut or campsite.
Day 04

Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp

  • Elevation: 3960m to 4640m
  • Activity: Trekking
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Our day starts by descending into 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 technical, but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley, which is our last stop for fresh water before the summit.

Accommodation

Barafu Camp

Your overnight stop is Barafu Camp. Rest and prepare for the next stage with the support of your trekking crew. The facilities and conditions reflect the mountain route and altitude.

LocationMount KilimanjaroStay styleMountain camping
Photograph of the named mountain hut or campsite.
Day 05

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak & down to Millennium Camp

  • Elevation: 4640m to 5895m (then down to 3790m)
  • Activity: Trekking
  • Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

We start off at around midnight and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing 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 and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m).

Accommodation

Millennium Camp

Your overnight stop is Millennium Camp. Rest and prepare for the next stage with the support of your trekking crew. The facilities and conditions reflect the mountain route and altitude.

LocationMount KilimanjaroStay styleMountain camping
Representative mountain-camping photograph; it may not show this exact overnight campsite.
Day 06

Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

  • Elevation: 3790m to 1630m
  • Activity: Trekking & Transfer
  • Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

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! The mountain team will set a measured pace that suits the terrain and supports steady acclimatization throughout the day. Regular pauses allow time for water, snacks and changing weather layers while the guide monitors trail conditions and group wellbeing. As the landscape changes, your guide will explain the route ahead and the natural features around you. Reaching the day’s destination is approached calmly, with safety and consistency taking priority over speed.

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Your Tour Package

Included & Excluded

Included

Included in the published itinerary

  • Professional, experienced, mountain guides
  • Guides, Porters, Cook salaries, and park fees
  • Emergency Oxygen Cylinder
  • All meals while on the Mountain
  • Quality Mess tents with tables and chairs
  • Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
  • Clean, purified drinking water
  • Conservation fees (part of park fees)
  • Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)
  • Rescue fees (part of park fees)
  • VAT (18% charged by the Government)
  • Kilimanjaro summit certificate
  • All transfers to the mountain and back to your hotel
Not included

Additional costs

  • Alcohol and soft drinks
  • Sleeping bag
  • Flights
  • Visa fees
  • Tips
  • Personal spending money for souvenirs
  • Travel insurance
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Before you go

Trip Questions,
Simply Answered

Ask our travel team

6 days / 5 nights. The day-by-day itinerary shows where each overnight falls. Check arrival and departure flight times before arranging onward travel, and ask us if you would prefer a slower pace or an extra night.

From $1,945 per person. Ask for a quote for your dates and group size. The final quote depends on travel dates, group size, room choice and any flights or extras. Request a written breakdown of park fees, accommodation, meals, transfers and exclusions before you book.

All Climatic Zones – Experience five diverse environments., Barranco Wall – A thrilling and iconic climb., Unique Flora – See the Dendrosenecio kilimanjari plant. Use the day-by-day route above to see the order of visits. Ask for estimated road or flight times between stops for your chosen dates; that is often more useful than counting destinations alone.

Ask our team for the confirmed accommodation plan. Exact properties and room types depend on availability. Ask us to confirm each stay, its location, meal plan and any proposed alternative in writing before paying a deposit.