Machame route trek up Kilimanjaro
| country: | Tanzania |
| location: | Kilimanjaro |
| trip type: | High altitude, very challenging trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 19 Jul, 2 Aug, 16 Aug, 30 Aug, 13 Sep, 27 Sep, 11 Oct, 20 Dec 2009: 24 Jan, 7 Feb, 21 Feb, 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 18 Jul, 1 Aug |
| price: | From £1159 - £1399 (10 days) including flights from UK, from £599 - £649 excluding flights. Local payment US $635. |
read 3 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Lying just south of the equator, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest peak, rising to a height of some 5,895 meters from the surrounding plains and savannah. It is the highest freestanding mountain in the world, and one of the largest volcanoes ever to erupt from the earth's crust.
On a clear day it can be seen from more than 160 kilometres away. Its famous peak always vivid, covered in ice and snow, and immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro': 'As wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun, was the square top of Kilimanjaro'.
The Machame route is a more strenuous route than our alternative Marangu route and involves camping at basic campsites throughout the trek. Porters carry all the equipment and cooking is done for you– all you need to carry is your day sac. Fewer people climb this route which involves, at the start, a strenuous climb through rainforest, from 1900 to 3000m. The summit attempt is a long day, involving about 14 hours walking. We descend the new Rau route (while the Mweka route is closed), and thus cover both the western and eastern views of Kilimanjaro.
On a clear day it can be seen from more than 160 kilometres away. Its famous peak always vivid, covered in ice and snow, and immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro': 'As wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun, was the square top of Kilimanjaro'.
The Machame route is a more strenuous route than our alternative Marangu route and involves camping at basic campsites throughout the trek. Porters carry all the equipment and cooking is done for you– all you need to carry is your day sac. Fewer people climb this route which involves, at the start, a strenuous climb through rainforest, from 1900 to 3000m. The summit attempt is a long day, involving about 14 hours walking. We descend the new Rau route (while the Mweka route is closed), and thus cover both the western and eastern views of Kilimanjaro.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Kilimanjaro |
| Day 2: | Arrive Kilimanjaro, drive Moshi (900m) at the base of Kilimanjaro |
| Day 3: | Drive Machame Gate (1900m); trek through rainforest to Machame Camp (3000m) |
| Day 4: | Trek through moorland to Shira Camp (3840m); views of Kibo Peak |
| Day 5: | Trek to Barranco Camp (3950m) |
| Day 6: | Trek up Karangu valley to Barafu Camp (4600m) |
| Day 7: | Pre-dawn start up scree slopes and attempt Uhuru summit (5895m); descend Mweka Camp (3100m) |
| Day 8: | Trek then drive Moshi |
| Day 9: | In Moshi; optional visit to Arusha NP |
| Day 10: | London |
travellers' tales
The most memorable part of the holiday was being on top of Kilimanjaro. It was so hard getting there but the beauty at the top made it worthwhile. I would give this holiday 4 stars. I had a brilliant time! (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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Rising from the plains, Mt Kilimanjaro dominates the surrounding countryside. It provides exciting physical and mental challenges for those who trek to the summit - and a vital source of income for many of the local communities within its shadows. In assisting almost 500 of our customers in the last year on their Kilimanjaro treks, the local porters and mountain guides employed have secured a stable income.
Their job is undoubtedly tough and so we work to ensure that the conditions that they work in are as fair as possible. As a company we support the International Porters Protection Group - which safeguards the interests and welfare of porters against unscrupulous companies, and follow Tourism Concerns guidelines on porter welfare. Packs are carefully weighed before the mountain ascent to ensure that the porters are carrying a fair weight - a weight within the guidelines set by the national park. A sleeping tent and sleeping bags are provided for all our staff on the mountain and clients are actively encouraged to interact with all staff generating a real feeling of teamwork and friendship as we strive towards the summit. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |