Original price was: $2,545.00.$1,800.00Current price is: $1,800.00.
Duration: 7 Days
Distance: ~100 km
Accommodation: Tents. All equipment is carried by porters and 3 meals a day will be provided.
Commonly called the “whiskey route”, this is a highly recommended trek for adventurous hikers who appreciate varied scenery, with one key benefit: it is well designed for altitude acclimatization. By hiking high and then resting at lower altitudes, your body will have more time adjusting to the altitude which will ultimately provide a better experience overall.
Check out the itinerary below for more information.
Please see the tabs above for more detailed information, such as itineraries, what’s included, and what you should bring.
If you are interested in booking this trip, start by contacting us. We will ensure availability of guides, porters, and park openings.
Once everything is approved, we can accept payment via credit card (using PayPal).
Arrival:
You will be picked up from the airport and transported to our hotel in Arusha. Dinner, and breakfast the next morning, will be included.
Day 1: Machame Gate (1490m) to Machame Camp (2980m)
After breakfast and briefing, you will be transferred to the Machame village from your hotel. While the guides and porters prepare and pack your equipment, you will have an opportunity to purchase small items in the village, such as snacks and water. After registering at the Machame gate office, you will immediately enter the rain forest to begin your ascent. Be prepared for rain; it can get quite wet and muddy in these parts. After a mid-day lunch and several more hours of hiking, you will arrive to the first camp site where you will find that the porters have already arrived and have set up your tent. The evening will end with a hot meal and afterwards you will be able to enjoy the starry night sky at the Machame campsite, where temperatures can fall to freezing point already.
Day 2: Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira Camp (3840m)
After an early morning breakfast, you will begin climbing and within an hour or so, reach the pinnacle of the forest. At that point, the trail will decrease in slope to a more gentle gradient, as you begin to enter a moorland area, where you will continue for 2 more hours. Following a scenic rest, where you will be provided with lunch, you will continue onto terrain which will be a bit rockier, onto the Shira plateau. Here you will be treated with miraculous views of the Western Breach, with gorgeous glaciers. After a short hike, you will reach your destination for the evening where porters will await you once again with your accommodations set up already. Shira campsite, situated at 3,840 meters, is exposed and will therefore become even colder at night, with temperatures usually well below freezing.
Day 3: Shira Camp (3840m) to Lava Tower (4630m) to Barranco camp (3950m)
This will be the toughest day so far, as you will ascent to higher elevations which may cause symptoms of breathlessness, headache, etc. However, the beauty of this trek is that you will not be exposed to these altitudes for long, and the night you will spend at Barranco camp will allow your body to process those altitudes and adjust accordingly. The route starts with a hike through semi desert and rocky landscapes, and after 5 hours of hiking, you will be resting and eating a prepared lunch. After that point you will then continue to ascend until you reach the majestic Lava Tower, which will be the highest point. Fortunately, after taking in the views of this surreal landscape, you will descend 680m to your campsite , which will take around 2 hours. At the campsite you will be able to rest while taking in the majestic views of the Western Breach and the Breach wall. While the porters prepare the hot meal, you will enjoy an unforgettable sunset.
Day 4: Barranco camp (3950m) to Karanga Camp (4550m)
Awaking with the Barranco wall in front of you, you may feel a bit intimidated knowing that you will soon be overcoming this formidable obstacle. But looks can be deceiving: most hikers find this to be a relatively easy challenge once they get closer. Once you emerge from the top of Barranco wall, you will be rewarded with beautiful views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Heading downwards through the Karanga valley, you will cross water over several ridges, and then your trek will merge with the Mweka route. Soon you will make it to the Karanga valley camp where you will relax under the night skies, after enjoying a hot meal.
Day 5: Karanga Camp (4550m) to Barafu Camp (4550m)
The day starts as all others, with an early morning start and a breakfast. After several hours of hiking through a seemingly martian landscape, you will reach the Barafu hut. This is the last place you will sleep before making your ascent! You will feel the excitement in the air; this area is cold, barren, and exposed, so be careful and do not walk around your tent at night unless you are already familiar with the nearest area. After dinner and briefing, you will try to go to bed around 7 pm and rest for several hours. Around 11:30 pm / midnight, you will awake to embark on the moment you’ve been waiting for: the ascent to Uhuru peak at 5895 meters.
Day 6 (SUMMIT): Barafu Camp (4550m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) to Mweka Camp (3100m)
Rising at 11:30 / midnight, you will have some hot tea and biscuits ready for you, as a final comforting pep snack before your ascent. Hiking in the dark, you will follow your northwesternly pointed headlamps up heavy scree, towards Stella point on the crater rim. Although the hike takes 6 hours, you may find the lack of sunlight and your own fixation on the light in front of you, to be hypnotizing. But don’t be fooled, this is for many climbers the most mentally and physically challenging part of the hike. However, if you persevere, you will reach Stella point, and weather permitting, will see the most majestic sunrise in your life: the sunrise over the roof of Africa. From there, you will continue to Uhuru peak, which usually takes 2 more hours. Congratulations on your summit! Depending on the weather, you may stay for some time at the peak of your journey for photographs, but it is not advisable to stay long. After taking in the sights and reveling in your achievement, you will begin your descent back to Barafu which takes around 3 hours. While the porters prepare for the journey down, you will be able to assemble your items and rest briefly, before continue your descent to Mweka, which is at 3100 meters. This is an easy trek down and you will be surprised how quickly you end up in the familiar rainforest that you saw in the beginning of the trek. Note: for faster trips, Day 7 can be done on this day as well, ending the journey after only 6 days.
Day 7 Mweka Camp (3100m) to Mweka Gate (1980m)
After a hot breakfast and a peaceful night’s sleep, you will leisurely walk towards the mountain gate. From there, a bus will be waiting to transfer you to the hotel in arusha, where you will be sure to be smiling as you celebrate your very rare achievement!
Included in this price, you will receive:
Generally speaking, the price shown above covers everything. It does not, however, cover any additional expenses such as snacks, alcohol, or tips for the guides and porters.
Although we provide communal items such as tents, cookware, etc., you must bring personal items with you. For a full recommended list, please check our “what to bring” page by clicking here.
