Mount KIlimanjaro 7 Days Machame Route Crater Camp

Mount KIlimanjaro 7 Days Machame Route Crater Camp

This popular itinerary takes you the exact same route as the 7 day but at a slightly faster pace. If you are fit, healthy, have trekking experience and are up for a challenge then this one’s for you.  The route itself, with its ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ still gives you a great chance for acclimatisation   

Day 1:   Start: Machame Gate (1828m) Finish: Machame Camp (3020m) 

Total distance (approx.): 10.8km

Hiking time (approx.): 6 hours. 

Pick up from your accommodation at 8am and drive to the Machame Gate

Day 2: Start: Machame Camp (3020m)

Finish: Shira Camp (3850m)                                                                           

Total distance (approx.): 5.2km    

         Hiking time: 3-4 hours 

This day’s hiking time is much shorter as it is a much steeper route. Following breakfast at 7:30am you will start your heading out of the forest and heading into the moorland area of the national park.

Day 3: Start:   Shira Camp (3850m)

Finish: Barranco Camp (3980m) via Lava Tower Rock (4600m)                                                                       Total distance (approx.): 10.7m    

           Hiking time: 7 hours 

Following breakfast you will leave camp to start your ascent to the Lava Tower Rock. 

Day 4:     Barranco Camp (3980m) to Barafu Camp (4640m)                                                                                 

Total distance (approx.): 9.4km                                                                                                                                                          

Hiking time: 7-8 hours

Rise at 7:30am for breakfast and then head for a little challenge as you climb up what has been nicknamed the ‘breakfast rock’.  

Day 5:    Start: Barafu Camp (4640m) to Crater Camp (5715m)

                  Total Distance: 9.9km

                  Hiking time: 6-8 hours

This will undoubtedly be your most challenging day, hiking at high altitude for a relatively long distance. 

Day 6:    Crater Camp (5715m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka Camp (3080m)

                  Total Distance: 11.8km

                  Hiking Time:           Crater Camp – Uhuru (2 hours)

                                                      Uhuru – Mweka Camp (6-8 hours)                                               

If you haven’t chosen to summit the day earlier, your guide will give you a friendly wake up call in the early hours of the morning 

Day 7: Mweka Camp (3080m) to Mweka Gate (1800m)

            Total distance: 8.5km

            Hiking time: 3-4 hours. 

Passing through the montane forest, similar to your first day trekking, you will make your way down to Mweka Gate