Day 1: Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, our transfer driver will be waiting for you. He will take you to the Karibu Heritage House, where the rest of the day is at leisure. You might want to explore the town of Arusha (taxi required) or just relax at the lodge. In the evening you will be briefed by our team on site in preparation of the upcoming trekking tour. You will spend the night will do this briefing of our Kilimanjaro Trek Machame Route depend on your arrive time accommodation will be at.
Accommodation: Karibu Heritage House
Day 2: The Kilimajaro Trek Machame Route will start with a drive from Arusha to the Machame Gate takes about 1.5hrs. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. As we leave the park gate, we walk through the dense rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge until we reach the Machame Camp.
Meal Plan: Lunch on route either hot lunch or packed lunch
Elevation: 5,380ft to 9,350ft
Distance: 11km / 7miles
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
Day 3: We leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path up to a steep, rocky ridge. On the Shira Plateau, we pass through heather and open moorlands, then cross a large river gorge to Shira 2 Camp.
Meal Plan: Lunch on route either hot lunch or packed lunch
Elevation: 9,350ft to 12,500ft
Distance: 5km / 3miles
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
Habitat: Heath
Day 4: We continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation. Through the Senecio Forest, we descend down to Barranco Camp to an altitudinal level of 13,000 ft. Even if you start and end at the same altitude, it is very beneficial for acclimatization.
Meal Plan: Lunch on route either hot lunch or packed lunch
Elevation: 12,500ft to 15,190ft
Distance: 7km / 4miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 5: We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Elevation: 13,044ft to 13,106ft
Distance: 5km / 3miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 6: We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Elevation: 13,106ft to 15,331ft
Distance: 4km / 2miles
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 7: Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Elevation: 15,331ft to 19,341ft
Distance: 5km / 3miles
Hiking Time: 7-8 hours
Habitat: Arctic
Day 8: On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka Village to drive us back to the hotel in Arusha. Accommodation at https://www.tuliahotelandspa.com/ End of our Kilimanjaro Trek Shira Route
Meal Plan: Lunch on route either hot lunch or packed lunch
Elevation: 10,065ft to 5,380ft
Distance: 10km / 6miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
