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MACHAME ROUTE
Detailed itinerary and prices available on request
Albeit a
bit steeper, the Machame route up Kilimanjaro is considered the
most beautiful route up Kilimanjaro. Where accommodation on the Marangu
route is in huts, accommodation on the Machame route is in tents. Porters
carry all of your equipment and supplies and a cook prepares all your
meals. The Machame route - also known as the "Whiskey route", offers views
of incredible late afternoon sunsets and breathtaking views of Kibo as the
later afternoon mists clear. The Machame route is normally completed in 6
days and follows the acclimatization principle of 'climb high and sleep
low' For this reason, the Machame route takes you from 3200m at Shira
Camp, high to Lava Tower (4630m) on the third day and back down again to
3950 for an overnight stay at Barranco camp.
Machame Route in brief:-
DAY 1
Your day starts around 06h00
with breakfast, after which you head to Machame village and on to
Kilimanjaro Machame gate to start trekking. Rain in the 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 2
You will head out of Machame
camp and climb quite steeply for about for the hour until you are above
the forest area and then follow a more gently gradient toward the base
Shira Plateau. Then you will head up the rocky outcrop before heading in
an easterly direction, towards Shira Camp.
DAY 3
After breakfast, you will
quickly leave the Kilimanjaro 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 4
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 5
You will rise around 23h30, 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 6
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.
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