7 Days Machame Route
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Duration
Tour Type
Overview
Machame route is on South west of the mountain and its one of the most popular routes to Marangu oldest one. The route is a bit steeper, strenuous and more demanding; normally is selected by climbers who are more determined and fit. Due to this the route is nicknamed as” Whiskey route”. The route has a great success rate and beautiful. With 6-7days of trek, you have enough acclimatization time as you will be hiking high and sleep low for many times of your trek. Machame climbers always have a privilege of meeting with other routes climbers from West, South, North and they do split at Barranco camp on the way to Summit. The trek starts at Machame gate (1800m), Machame camp (3,000m), Shira camp (3,800m), Barranco camp (3,950), Barafu camp (4600) then descend through another route, Mweka (1,640m).
Included/Exclude
- Parks entry fees
- Accommodations in lodges/camps double occupancy
- Full board meals(breakfast,lunch,dinner)
- Quality and waterproof sleeping mattress, tents
- Transport, to and from the mountain gates
- Professional English Speaking Guides/Cooks/Porters
- Crisis Management and Safety Procedures
- Treated water on the trek.
- Clean, purified drinking water
- Government taxes
- Parks entry fees
- Alcoholic & Soft drinks
- Tips for the guides/cooks/porters
- Our nights out of safari
- Laundry
- International flights
- Personal items like visa, insurance, passport
- Any other extra cost not detailed in the itinerary
Tour Plan
For machame route you leave Arusha for trip to Machame Gate (at 1800m) takes about 1 –30 hrs. The road to the gate gets much steeper and narrower around Machame village. Cultivated areas of banana and coffee surround the settlement .You prepare for your climb under rain shelters while your guide and cook organizes your porters for the trip and sorts out their loads. You sign into the park visitor’s book and then begin your climb. You set off from the gate, at a sensible pace, at around 1100.The scenery through the rain forest is interesting and constantly changing. You walk gentle paths through large trees with a fair amount of undergrowth. After half an hour or so the path narrows and ascends considerably following a sometimes narrow rocky ridge. The vegetation becomes much denser with giant ferns every where. Moss and creepers hang off every available purchase. Around lunchtime you pass into an area of larger hardwood trees and less dense undergrowth. As you continue to climb the trees get lower and become interspersed with giant heather some 30ft high. You usually arrive before your porters’ do but after a short half an hour or so your tents arrive, which you set up to get a working understanding of them. The Machame camp is a shared campsite, as your all of the campsite used on the mountain and other climbers usually camp some distance apart. Toilets are the “drop style” Dinner and Overnight; Machame Hut Campsite
You are woken with tea 06:30 in your tents. The views reach as far as the neighboring heather covered ridge some 200maway.breakfast is at 07:15 and then you leave camp at 08:15 climbing a steep path winding back and forth across a narrow rocky ridge. The path twists and scrambles among the rocks and blackened heather. Towards midday you reach a short rock step that opens out on top to ‘picnic rock’ , the normal lunch stop on route to Shira. You are treated to fantastic views towards the eroded peaks of Shira with wispy edge of the cloud sea breaking on the ridges and valleys. After you’re packed lunch you traverse diagonally left up towards the Shira ridge above. You are now into the moorland zone with giant Lobelia and groundsel appearing around you. At the top of the Shira ridge you reach the highest point for the day of 3840m before the path flattens and drops slightly towards Shira camp. You arrive at your Shira Cave Campsite, your campsite has fantastic views in every direction; Shira’s peaks and plateau, Mt. Meru and a golden sea of soft clouds with the setting sun glinting off Kibo’s ice fields. The day ends lying in the tents looking out over the cloud towards Mt Meru after the sun set over Shira. As the sun sets the temperature drops rapidly under the clear skies. When the skies are in darkness the stars are apparent in their full glory. The unfamiliar constellations confirm you are in the southern Hemisphere and with Kibo silhouetted against the sky the view is quite awesome. Dinner and overnight; Shira Hut Campsite
Altitude 11,320ft – 14,210 ft takes 3 – 5 hours and it is a short walk but steep climb up grassy slopes offers superb views of this wilderness area. The vegetation zone ends shortly before we reach our next camp at Mawenzi Tarn Hut spectacularly situated beneath the towering spires of Mawenzi where you will be able to. spend the afernoon acclimatizing and exploring the area
Altitude: 14,210ft’ to 15,580ft’; Hiking time 4 – 6 hours.
Walking between the 2 peaks ( saddle) of Mawenzi and Kibo to reach Kibo Campsite. The rest of the day is spent resting in preparation of the final ascent and get acclimitised
Altitude: 15,580ft to 18,650ft’; (Gilman’s Point) to 19, 340′ (summit) called Uhuru Peak then down to 12,200ft at Horombo huts’, Hiking time: 12 – 15 hours.
Start the final, steepest and most difficult part of the ascent at 12 – 1:00am.Walk up on the stone gravels slowly on a zig zagging trail through loose volcanic scree to reach the crater rim at Gillman’s Point.Have a stop over for a short time to enjoy the spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi peak.If you will still feeling stronger continue (2 hrs roundtrip) to Uhuru Peak(summit) passing close to spectacular gaciers and ice blocks in the summint area. Descend to Kibo for lunch and meeting the porters again who will carry your lugagge and rest for a while then continue walking down the Marangu route to our Horombo Camp
Altitude 12,200 ft – 6,250ft,walking hours is 5- 6 hrs. A day is spent descening to Marangu gate where you will be awarded a certificate for those who managed to reach the summit.Afterwards transfer to Arusha town for your private plans
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Max Guests
50
Min Age
18+
Tour Location
Languages Support
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