8-day Kilimanjaro – Machame Route
Mt Kilimanjaro, located south of the equator in Tanzania, is Africa’s tallest mountain and the highest ‘free standing’ mountain in the world, standing at 5,895 metres.
The Kilimanjaro Machame Route is our shortest route, but it still allows you to spend 6 days on the mountain, reaching the summit on the fifth day. The Machame route is scenically beautiful and varied, and six days on the mountain allows for adequate acclimatisation. It has the most varied terrain, and each day’s walk is unique. This is one of the most enjoyable routes to attempt the mountain and is ideal for fit experienced walkers with prior altitude experience.
The Machame route approaches the mountain from the south, passing through the dense, lush montane rainforest before ascending to the eastern side of the Shira plateau and the Shira 2 campsite. Shortly after this, the route merges with the Lemosho route as it passes the Lava Tower (4,600 metres) on the way to the Barranco campsite and the easy scramble up its wall on the acclimatisation day. The Mweka route is used for the descent.
The hike itself takes 5 nights, but you’ll need an extra 2 nights to get to and from Meru View Hotel.
We also have a 9-day Machame route that includes an extra acclimatisation day and cuts some of the daily hikes in half.
Highlights
- Arusha
- Usa River
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- Tanzania