Machame Gate — Machame Camp
- Elevation
- 5,905 ft / 1,800 m → 9,875 ft / 3,010 m
- Distance
- 11 km
- Hiking time
- 5–7 hours
Humid rainforest to heath; steady gain on a well-trodden trail.
Summit push · Machame high alpine zone
Overview
Climb Africa’s highest mountain through the scenic Machame Route. This route offers breathtaking landscapes, gradual acclimatization, and a high summit success rate.
Highlights
- Professional mountain guides
- Full camping support team
- High summit success rate
- Stunning mountain landscapes
Day-by-day itinerary
The popular “Whiskey” route from the south: forest, Shira, Lava Tower, Barranco, and Mweka descent. Seven days give a safer acclimatization curve than six.
Machame Camp — Shira Camp
- Elevation
- 9,875 ft / 3,010 m → 12,631 ft / 3,850 m
- Distance
- 5 km
- Hiking time
- 4–5 hours
Shorter day with big views toward Kibo and the plateau.
Shira — Lava Tower — Barranco Camp
- Elevation
- up to ~15,092 ft / 4,600 m; sleep ~12,992 ft / 3,960 m
- Distance
- 10 km
- Hiking time
- 6–8 hours
Classic climb-high, sleep-low day before the Barranco Wall.
Barranco Camp — Karanga Camp
- Elevation
- 12,992 ft / 3,960 m → 13,231 ft / 4,035 m
- Distance
- 5 km
- Hiking time
- 4–5 hours
Barranco Wall in the morning, then easier going to Karanga.
Karanga Camp — Barafu Camp
- Elevation
- 13,231 ft / 4,035 m → 15,331 ft / 4,673 m
- Distance
- 4 km
- Hiking time
- 3–4 hours
Final push to high camp; hydrate and sleep before summit night.
Barafu — Uhuru Peak — Mweka Camp
- Elevation
- 19,341 ft / 5,895 m; sleep ~10,171 ft / 3,100 m
- Distance
- ~16–17 km
- Hiking time
- 12–15 hours
Midnight start; crater rim and summit, then long descent.
Mweka Camp — Mweka Gate
- Elevation
- 10,171 ft / 3,100 m → 5,380 ft / 1,640 m
- Distance
- 10 km
- Hiking time
- 3–4 hours
Forest trail to the gate; celebration and drive to town.