After breakfast drive to Machame Gate. Meet porters and complete registration formalities at the ranger’s office. The hike starts in lush rainforest leading upwards into the thinning forest, long grasses and giant heathers surrounding Machame Camp (3000m), the first campsite on the Machame Route. En route you will enjoy a picnic lunch.

• Trekking distance: 11 kilometers

• Trek time: 5 to 7 hours

• Environment: Montane forest

• Elevation: From 1800 meters to 3000 meters

Leaving Machame Camp, the last of the trees disappear as the trail continues upward on a rocky ridge of volcanic petrified lava, on top of which lunch awaits you. After lunch, a one hour hike, with ever decreasing vegetation along the way, Shira Hut (3850m), your camp for the night, surrounded by rocks and boulders, is within sight. 

• Trekking distance: 9 kilometers

• Trek time: 4 to 6 hours

• Environment: Moorland

• Elevation: From 3000 meters to 3850 meters

After waking up on the beautiful Shira Plateau, the hike starts east toward Kibo (the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro) and gradually ascends to Lava Tower, the highest point of the day. After lunch at Lava Tower, we continue on the trail which slowly descents toward Barranco Camp (3950m). “Climb high, sleep lower” is the best way to acclimatize to high altitude. 

• Highest point: 4600 meters (at Lava Tower)

• Trekking distance: 12 kilometers

• Trek time: 6 to 7 hours

• Environment: Semi-desert

• Elevation: From 3850 meters to 3950 meters

This is a shorter day and starts with a steep climb, requiring an occasional hand scramble up the Barranco Wall. The ground changes into scree, loose small stones, with only the hardiest of vegetation surviving at this altitude. Again, we will descent for the night and sleep lower in the Karanga Camp (3930m).

• Highest point: 4200 meters (top of the Barranco Wall)

• Trekking distance: 7 kilometers

• Trek time: About 4 hours

• Environment: Alpine desert

• Elevation: From 3950 meters to 3930 meters

This is another short day. Leaving Karanga Camp the trail continues to gain altitude until reaching Barafu Camp (4600m), which marks the end of the Southern Circuit.

• Trekking distance: 6 kilometers

• Trek time: Around 3 hours

• Environment: Alpine desert

• Elevation: From 3930 meters to 4600 meters

Today will be the most difficult day, both mentally and physically. The final ascent will start about 0100 in the morning. A slow and steady climb of 5-6 hours, the path zigzagging across the volcanic scree of the crater rim, leads to Stella Point (5752m) just in time for sunrise. From here a one hour climb, passing the stunning glaciers and ice cliffs alongside the crater rim, will lead to Uhuru Peak (5895m). From Uhuru Peak, descending back to Barafu Camp is much shorter. After refreshing briefly at Barafu, the trail continues steadily downward, to Mweka Camp (3100m) the final campsite on the mountain before returning to Moshi the following day.

• Highest point: 5895 meters (Uhuru Peak)

• Trekking distance: 20 kilometers (7 kilometers ascent / 13 kilometers descent)

• Trek time: 12 to 15 hours (6 to 8 hours ascent / 6 to 7 hours descent)

• Environment: Alpine desert/Volcanic scree/Ice-capped summit

• Elevation: From 4600 meters to 3100 meters

After a good night’s rest, a continued descent will lead back into the lovely rainforest on the lower slopes of the Mountain with the route winding down toward Mweka Gate (1800m) From there a short drive past coffee plantations and banana farms will take us back to Moshi.

• Trekking distance: 8 kilometers

• Trek time: 3 to 4 hours

• Environment: Montane forest

• Elevation: From 3100 meters to 1800 meters