The most scenic route up is via Machame, which progressively winds up clearly laid paths through a forest of wild violets and red-hot pokers. Starting in comfortable temperatures, you head through paths of moss and lichens, which hang on towering trees, clothed in a blanket of mist. Above the forest line, the vegetation changes to scrubland with huge lobelia’s and giant daisy bushes, blooming like overgrown pompoms. Towards Shira ridge, the terrain becomes more rocky and soon melts into an expansive alpine desert, decorated with large deposits of volcanic rock and fine grey dust. Glacial ice pours off the summit, stretching ice like fingers down to a height of about 4800m. At this point, you have breaktaking views of Lava Tower. The crater of Kilimanjaro houses one of the most circular volcanic vents in the world, Ash Pit, and looming above the crater and Furtwangler Glacier, stands Uhuru Peak. At 5895m above sea level, it is the highest point in Africa, and the highest freestanding volcano in the world. A sunrise summit on a crystal clear day, and you will feel like you are standing on top of the world. With only 5 or 6 days of trekking behind you and a gold certificate in hand, it’s an experience that will live with you for a lifetime and an achievement to constantly reminisce over.

 

The Machame Route up Kilimanjaro is one of the most scenic of the routes up to Uhuru Peak. It also affords one the chance of acclimatisation due to the concept of climb high, sleep low. The ascent is from the western side of Kilimanjaro, with the descent down the southern face along the Mweka route.  One passes through changing vegetation from a tropical forest, to scrubland, to alpine desert and onwards to the summit with it incredible ice fields. You will  start your trek at Machame Forest and heads through the lush forest, hanging with moss and lichen with its enormous forest canopy, gradually up the Machame Camp for the first night. Next day, the route heads into a scrubland with giant Lobelia and daisy bushes up toward Shira Camp before heading next day into the alpine desert towards Lava Tower and back down to Barranco. From here on in the terrain remains like an alpine desert, with the glaciers reaching down the mountain like long fingers, to about 4800m. You will hit the snow line at about 5700m, maybe higher.

 

Day 1

Arrive Tanzania and transfer to the hotel.

 

Day 2

Your day starts around 06h00 with breakfast, after which you head to Machame village and on to Machame camp to start trekking. Rain in the Machame forest is possible although the paths are in very good condition having been re-worked in 2005. About half way, you will stop for lunch before continuing up to Machame camp in the late afternoon.

 

Day 3

You will head out of Machame camp and climb quite steeply for about an hour until you are above the forest area and then follow a more gentle gradient toward the base Shira Plateau. Then you will head up the rocky outcrop before heading in an easterly direction, towards Shira Camp.

 

Day 4

After breakfast, you will quickly leave the moorland scrub behind and enter into a moonscape of semi-alpine desert, while you hike constantly upwards toward Lava Tower. After Lava Tower your route will head down by almost 680m to the Barranco camp.

 

Day 5

Early morning, you will head up the impressive Great Barranco Wall. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over several ridges and valleys where you will see the magnificent giant Senecio Kilimanjari. You will then join up with your later descent route where you will head left up the ridge for another hour, before reaching Barafu Hut.

 

Day 6

You will rise around 23h30 on 19th November, and after some tea and biscuits you will head off 'pole pole' into the night. Heading in a North westerly direction you will ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point (5685) on the crater rim. The hike up is about 6 hours. The remainder of the climb to Uhuru Peak will take anything from 1-2 hours. After your moment of glory, you will head back to Barafu, in about 2 hours where you will have a chance to rest, buy a cola or two before heading down towards Mweka hut (3100m).

 

Day 7

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour scenic hike back to the Park gate. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates.

 

Day 8

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home.

 

End of services

 

Ratio of porters per climber: 4/5 to 1

 

 

A combination of very long days with steep paths, boulders and mountain scrambling. Glaciers and snow may be encountered at high altitude. There is no need for technical climbing experience. Medium risk of altitude sickness. Altitudes up to 6000m.

 

Good cardio vascular fitness is needed with weight and circuit training and running. Lots of hill walking. Backpacks will weight about 4-5kg and contain water, camera and essentials. Trek weight loss in the region of 4kg.

 

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