Kilimanjaro Itinerary (Machame Route)

Machame: Itinerary and Gear checklist PDF

Lemosho: Itinerary and Gear checklist PDF

NOTE: Day 1 is your travel day to arrive in Arusha.

Day 2: Arrive at Arusha

Once you arrive at the Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be taken to your hotel in Arusha.

Day 3: Orientation and City tour

We will have a team breakfast at the hotel along with an orientation and gear check. After lunch, you can enjoy a walking tour of the Arusha town.

Day 4: Trek to Machame Camp (9,900 ft.)

At the Machame gate we will meet our local staff, porters and register a permit with the park service. We will begin our hike with our local staff through the beautiful thick forest. Here we can see the Kalabasa monkeys. It will take us about 5 to 6 hours to Machame camp (9,900ft) 10 km/6 miles.

Day 5: Machame Camp to Shira Camp (12,500 ft.)

We begin by climbing a pretty steep ridge. Soon after we leave, the vegetation will change from forest to heather. We will be hiking for about three hours with a gorgeous view of Mount Meru in the distance and Shira Cathedral on our left. After lunch we will ascend across Shira plateau to Shira camp. ~4-5 hours, 5 km/3 miles

Day 6: Shira camp to Barranco Camp (13,044 ft.)

Today we will climb up to Lava tower (14,800 ft), where we will be spending half an hour or so depending on the weather. Then, we will start hiking down to Barranco camp. Along the trail we are going to see the big Senecio tree and Lobelia. ~6 hours, 10km/6 miles

Day 7: Barranco Camp to Karanga camp (13,300 ft.)

We start climbing up the famous Barranco wall, reaching 14,500 ft, then dropping elevation to Karanga camp. It will be one of the shortest days of our climb. Here, we will enter the alpine desert. ~4 hours, 5km/3miles

Day 8: Karanga Camp to Kosovo camp (15,800 ft.)

From Karanga camp, we will climb to high camp, passing the Barafu camp. On our way, we will have a great view of Mount Mawenzi, it will take about 4-5 hours. We will have early dinner and get some rest and sleep. We will wake up around 12-12:30 am and depart for the summit which will take about 6-7 hours/ 7 miles.

Summit to Uhuru Peak(19,344 ft.)and Descent to Millennium Camp (12,200 ft.) - DAY 9

This will be a long day of hiking. We will depart for the summit at 12:00-12:30 am. After 5 to 6 hours, we approach the crater rim (Stella point). We traverse northwest along the rim to Uhuru peak. We’ll see the Northern Ice Cap, the Furtwangler and Rebmann glaciers, the crater floor, and the Dicken and Southern Ice field. We will descend to High camp for rest and lunch, then continue our descent to Millenium camp. ~12-14 hours, 10.5 miles

Day 10: Millennium Camp to Arusha

- We will start our descent back to Mweka gate around 7am which will take us about 4-5hours, 8.4 miles. We will have a farewell celebration with the crew. You’ll receive a summit certificate and then head to Arusha (2 hour drive). At Arusha, we will clean up and complete the climb with a celebration dinner.

Day 11: Fly home or Begin Safari tour

We will separate with the climbers and begin the Safari tour to Tarangire National park, about a 2.5 hour drive, and spend the night in a lodge.

Day 12: Head to Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, we’ll drive 2.5 hours to Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders. Here we encounter herds of Zebra, Antelope, Hippo, Buffalo, and Elephants. Lion prides are very common and you are likely to see Cheetahs as well. We’ll stay the night in a deluxe safari lodge.

 Day 13: Head to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, we’ll drive to the Serengeti National Park, with plenty of game viewing in route to lodge.

 Day 14: Serengeti National Park

We’ll have a full day in the Serengeti Park, with a morning and afternoon game drive. Alternatively, we can have a packed lunch and spend the whole day in the bush. Keep in mind that the best time to view game will be early morning and late in the afternoon.

Day 15-16: Fly back to Arusha/Depart home

 After breakfast, we‘ll depart for the airstrip to fly back to Arusha. We‘ll have lunch and in the evening, you depart for the Arusha international airport, based on your departure time.

 

Kilimanjaro Itinerary (Lemosho Climb)

NOTE: Day 1 is your travel day to arrive in Arusha.

Day 2: Arrive in Arusha

Once you arrive at the Kilimanjaro Airport, you will transfer to your hotel in Arusha

Day 3: Orientation and City Tour

We will have a team breakfast at the hotel along with an orientation and gear check. After lunch, you can enjoy a walking tour of the Arusha town.

Day4: Trek to Big Tree Camp(9,200 ft.)

After roughly 3 hours drive to lemosho trailhead, we will meet our local Tanzanian staffs. The staff will organize ours gear and get ready for transport while we are having lunch. After lunch we’ll start our hike through beautiful lush forest at an elevation of 6,750 until we reach Big Tree Camp. ~3-4 hours

Day 5: Tree Camp to Shira I Camp (11,500ft.)

Today we will leave the forest zone and enter heather and moorland, crossing the Shira plateau, known as the largest plateau in the world to Shira I camp. ~6 hours, 5.6 miles

Day 6: Shira I Camp to Moir Camp (13,500ft.)

we will have a gradual hike to Moir camp crossing the large Shira plateau, a route first discovered by Scott Fischer. Moir camp is tucked below a giant lava flow that is beneath the northern ice filed of Kilimanjaro. ~6 hours, 6 miles

Day 7: Moir Camp to Lava Tower (15,090ft.)

We traverse to Lava Tower camp (about 3 hours), where the vegetation changes from moorland to alpine desert zone. We‘ll have lunch and hike another hour above the lava tower gaining at least 1,000 -1200 ft. elevation toward the western breach. ~5-6 hours

Day 8: Lava Tower to Karanga Camp (13,300ft)

We’ll descend 2,000 ft to Barranco camp, and then climb up the famous Barranco wall to Karanga Camp I. On our decent, we will cross a few water streams and a couple of waterfalls. This will be one of the longer days of our hike.

~6-7 hours, 7 miles

Day 9: Karanga Camp to Kosovo Camp (15,800ft)

From Karanga camp we hike up to Kosovo camp, where we will enter the alpine desert zone. On our right to the south, we will have a great view of Mawenzi peak. This will be our second night above 15,000 ft. It will help us acclimatize and we will be spending the night in the crater. We will have an early dinner and prepare for an early morning departure.

~4-5 hours hike

Day 10: Kosovo Camp to Uhuru Peak (19,344ft.) and Descent to Crater Camp(18,700ft)

We’ll depart at 6:30am. After about 6 hours, we approach the crater rim (Stella point). Then we will be traversing northwest along the crater rim to Uhuru peak (19,344ft), approximately an hour of hiking. After summiting, we will descend to Crater camp and spend the night. There might be an option to visit the Northern ice cap and Ash Pit.

Day 11: Crater Camp to Mweka Camp (10,000ft)

Today we will be heading back to Meek camp. (Roughly 5-6 hours, 9 miles)

Day 12: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate(5,580 ft.)

We’ll descend through the beautiful forest to Mweka Gate. We’ll have a farewell celebration with the crew followed by buffet lunch then begin our drive to Arusha. Which will take about 2 hours. Celebration dinner around 6 pm.

Day 13: Fly home or Begin Safari tour

We will separate with the climbers and begin the Safari tour to Tarangire National park, about a 2.5 hour drive, and spend the night in a lodge.

Day 14: Head to Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, we’ll drive 2.5 hours to Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders. Here we encounter herds of Zebra, Antelope, Hippo, Buffalo, and Elephants. Lion prides are very common and you are likely to see Cheetahs as well. We’ll stay the night in a deluxe safari lodge.

Day 15: Head to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, we’ll drive to the Serengeti National Park, with plenty of game viewing in route to lodge.

 Day 16: Serengeti National Park

We’ll have a full day in the Serengeti Park, with a morning and afternoon game drive. Alternatively, we can have a packed lunch and spend the whole day in the bush. Keep in mind that the best time to view game will be early morning and late in the afternoon.

Day 17-18: Fly back to Arusha/Depart home

 After breakfast, we‘ll depart for the airstrip to fly back to Arusha. We‘ll have lunch and in the evening, you depart for the Arusha international airport, based on your departure time.