Machame Journey 7 Day Kilimanjaro Trip

Kilimanjaro is one of those iconic mountains that everybody has to climb in their life time. The Roof of Africa has a vista like no other. Looking across wild plains , wild  jungle with the back drop of the volcanic  summit with hanging glaciers. One of the famous 7 summits to bag,  its a popular mountaineering adventure. Travelling through different vegetation belts and climatic zones. Wild landscape, wild animals and wild experience! Open to all as it has no technical difficulties.

The Route
Our 7-day Kilimanjaro climb begins at Machame Gate at the south west of the national park. We soon entre the afromontane forest and the   the Shira Volcano. The walk then navigates the mountain staying in various camps. Moving at a pace to allow suitable acclimatisation and everybody to move at their own pace. The final spectacular summit day is greeted with the rising sun over the huge landscape.

Programme

Overal hike Distance – 63 km
Overal vertical Gain – 5068m

DAY 1 – Getting to Machame camp

Start of day – 1800M
Finishing height –  2835M
Walk – 11km
Time – 5-7 hrs
Climatic zone – Afromontane Forest
An exciting experience at the Machame Gate where you sign into the park and watch the Porter team sort out the expedition kit as the “blue balled” vervet monkeys keep you on your toes.
A slow start (pole pole) trekking up through the jungle as the porters speed past with their loads until you step out into the campsite of Machame and your first views of Kilimanjaro summit.
Ps extra cost to take your umbrella into the park!!!

DAY 2 – Getting to Shira Caves

Start of day 2835m
Finishing height 3750m
Walkingh distance 5km
Time – 4-6 hrs
Climatic zone Afromonte Forest Heathlands
Trekking up through the alpine Heath lands taking in the fantastic views and watching the porters ahead snaking up towards the Shira plateau until you traverse across and break out over the ridge to see your campsite slightly down below Shira caves.

DAY 3 – Journey to Barranco camp

Start height 3750M
Fionishing height  3900M
Hiking distance 10km
Time – 6-8 hrs
Part of the mountain– Alpine Desert
A steady start gradually making your way up through the moonscape towards Lava Tower at 4600m for your lunch spot before heading down visiting the “Clever” trees on route to Baranco camp and the views back down towards Moshi and your first look at Baranco “breakfast” wall.

Day 4 Karanga Camp

Starting height 3900m
Finishing height 3995m
Walking distance  5km
Time – 4-5 hrs
Climatic zone– Alpine Desert
An early breakfast before the exciting climb up Baranco wall (grade 1 scramble) will top you out to one of the best views of the impending summit on the trip before heading down to Karanga camp with a short but steep 20min sting in the tail to get you home.
This evening we may put in a short evening acclimatisation and summit rehearsal trek to check all kit and routines before evening meal.

Day 5  Getting to Basrafu Camp 

Starting height 3,995m
Camp height 4673m
Journey distance   4km
Time – 4-5 HRS
Zone on mountain Alpine Desert
Today we have a great traverse below the summit of Kilimanjaro through the high Alpine desert to lead us up to Barafu camp to take our enforced rest before we prepare and depart on our night time ascent of via Stella point. A true and unforgettable head torch lite experience. Wrap up warm!!

Day 6  Summit of Kilimanjaro and back to Millenium -Mweka Camp 

Start of day 4673m
Finshing camp height  3100m
DISTANCE  18km
Length of day – 14-16 hrs
Climatic Zone Alpine Desert and Heathland
Summit day starts around midnight and a very slow trek up the summit path with every step taking you closer to the jaw dropping glaciers below the Roof of Africa with the hope of a clear sunrise over the curved horizon.
The decent path takes you glissading back down to Barafu camp for a short rest before heading onwards on easy ground through Alpine desert into heathland and eventually the jungle to our last night at Millenium or Mweka camp constantly looking back at your unbelievable summit experience.

Day  7 Return to Arusha or Moshi

Starting height 3100m
Finishing height  1640m
Distance travelled   10km
TIME – 3-4 hrs
Mountain Zone Afromontane Forest
Trekking down through the jungle gives you the chance to seek out the different birds and the black and white Colobus monkeys that leap through the canopy. The final, and welcomed flat trail leads you to Mweka gate to sign out with certificates and beers.

`Roof of Africa`

7 day Mountain journey

Mike `Twid`Turner

Mike has worked in the outdoors all his working life. Over the 35 years he has worked with a wide range of organisations and clients. Starting off working Outdoor and Management Centres, mostly based around North Wales. Also in his early Professional life he worked for Private outdoor companies, Mountain Guides and in Local Education Outdoor centres with young people of all ages.
Mountaineering has always played a major part of Mike’s work whether it is guiding clients/groups up rock or ice climbs in Wales, Scotland in Winter, in the Alps or on Worldwide Expeditions. For 18 years he worked for Plas Y Brenin, The National Mountaineering Centre, 15 years of which as Senior Instructor and fronting up Rock Climbing (Head of Rock climbing) and the Mountain Instructor Certificate. Much of his work was Directing all of the National Governing Body courses, training trainers leaders and instructors.
As a IFMGA Mountain Guide he has worked extensively around the Alps mountaineering on foot and on skis, since 1993. For many years now he has run his own Guiding business, based in the Alps. Living near the Alpine ski area of  Villars sur Ollon, in Switzerland. He Guides rock, ice, ski and mountains now all over the world. He has a passion for remote climbing and has over 50 major first ascents to his name in the greater ranges.He has been nominated for the piolet d`Or many times.

IFMGA International Mountain Guide

Cost

 

  • Cost of Hotels in Moshi
  • Cost of 7 day trip including travel to park, park fees, porters, tents, all food.
  • Cost of Guides
  • Estimated cost of flights. Ideams on flights with KLM.
  • Dates

One of the Seven Summits

A Mountain Safari

Simon Conroy

Simon lives in the Scottish Highlands in a wee whisky distillery village called Dalwhinnie with his wife Jen and our rescue dog “Dash”

Having served in HM Royal Marines for 23 years as a Physical Training Instructor specialising in Adventurous Training I retired in 2007 and after a couple of years working for the Army’s Alpine training centre in Bavaria he took on the mantle as an International Mountain Leader working in the Swiss, French and Italian Alps leading trekking and trail running trips for various companies. In the last 3 years he has concentrated on leading expeditions for a  Education specialising with trips on Kilimanjaro using the Machame route as an experiential experience for college students. “

International Mountain leader