kilimanjaro
Machame Route — 7 Days
The 'Whiskey route' — steep, beautiful, and the most popular path on the mountain.
Duration
7 days
Difficulty
Challenging
Group size
2 – 14
Summit altitude
5,895 m
From
USD 2,390
per person
What to expect
This 7-day kilimanjaro journey — The 'Whiskey route' — steep, beautiful, and the most popular path on the mountain. — is graded Challenging and runs in small groups of 2 – 14 travellers. Our route tops out at 5,895 m, and every day is paced for safe acclimatisation.
You will spend 7 days on the ground, covering roughly 61 km on foot, moving through changing landscapes with a KINAPA-licensed lead guide, a full support team, and meals prepared fresh in camp. Accommodation alternates between comfortable lodges before and after the trek and well-equipped camps or huts during it.
The best window to travel is Jan – Mar · Jun – Oct. Departures run year-round on request, with private and small-group options. Every booking includes pre-trip planning calls, gear advice, and 24/7 in-country support.
Trip highlights
- Most scenic of the southern routes
- Good acclimatisation profile
- Climb high / sleep low on Lava Tower day
Day-by-day itinerary
A detailed, day-by-day breakdown of where you sleep, how far you walk, what you eat, and the moments to look forward to.
01
Day
Arrival in Moshi
Airport pick-up and briefing.
- Altitude
- 910 m
- Stay
- Parkview Inn
- Meals
- D
- Briefing
What you'll do
Guided activity led by a licensed local expert.
What's included today
Stay at Parkview Inn · Meals: D
Good to know
Bring your duffel under 15 kg for porters. Excess luggage can be stored free at the hotel.
02
Day
Machame Gate → Machame Camp
Hike through dense rainforest.
- Altitude
- 1,800 m → 3,000 m
- Distance
- 11 km
- Hiking
- 5 – 7 h
- Stay
- Machame Camp
- Meals
- B / L / D
- Rainforest
- First camp
What you'll do
5 – 7 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Machame Camp · Meals: B / L / D
Good to know
Drink at least 3 litres of water today and walk pole pole (slowly) — it directly improves your summit odds.
03
Day
Machame → Shira Camp
Steep climb onto the Shira Plateau.
- Altitude
- 3,000 m → 3,840 m
- Distance
- 5 km
- Hiking
- 4 – 6 h
- Stay
- Shira Camp
- Meals
- B / L / D
- Shira Plateau
What you'll do
4 – 6 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Shira Camp · Meals: B / L / D
Good to know
Drink at least 3 litres of water today and walk pole pole (slowly) — it directly improves your summit odds.
04
Day
Shira → Lava Tower → Barranco
Acclimatisation day climbing high to Lava Tower then descending.
- Altitude
- 3,840 m → 4,640 m → 3,960 m
- Distance
- 10 km
- Hiking
- 6 – 8 h
- Stay
- Barranco Camp
- Meals
- B / L / D
- Lava Tower
- Senecios
What you'll do
6 – 8 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Barranco Camp · Meals: B / L / D
Good to know
Drink at least 3 litres of water today and walk pole pole (slowly) — it directly improves your summit odds.
05
Day
Barranco → Karanga → Barafu
Up the Barranco Wall and on to summit base camp.
- Altitude
- 3,960 m → 4,673 m
- Distance
- 9 km
- Hiking
- 7 – 8 h
- Stay
- Barafu Camp
- Meals
- B / L / D
- Barranco Wall
- Base camp
What you'll do
7 – 8 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Barafu Camp · Meals: B / L / D
Good to know
Drink at least 3 litres of water today and walk pole pole (slowly) — it directly improves your summit odds.
06
Day
Summit → Mweka Camp
Midnight start for the summit push.
- Altitude
- 4,673 m → 5,895 m → 3,100 m
- Distance
- 16 km
- Hiking
- 12 – 14 h
- Stay
- Mweka Camp
- Meals
- B / L / D
- Uhuru Peak
What you'll do
12 – 14 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Mweka Camp · Meals: B / L / D
Good to know
Dress in all your warm layers — summit night temperatures fall to −20 °C with windchill. Carry your camera inside your jacket to keep batteries warm.
07
Day
Mweka Camp → Moshi
Descent, certificates, celebration.
- Altitude
- 3,100 m → 1,640 m
- Distance
- 10 km
- Hiking
- 3 – 4 h
- Stay
- Parkview Inn
- Meals
- B / L
- Certificates
What you'll do
3 – 4 h of trekking with your lead guide, paced for acclimatisation with rest and snack stops.
What's included today
Stay at Parkview Inn · Meals: B / L
Good to know
Drink at least 3 litres of water today and walk pole pole (slowly) — it directly improves your summit odds.
Important information
Practical details every traveller should read before confirming. We'll cover everything again in your pre-departure pack.
Visa & entry
Most nationalities need a Tanzanian tourist visa (USD 50, or USD 100 for US passports). You can apply online via eservices.immigration.go.tz or get a visa on arrival at JRO. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
Travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is mandatory. For Kilimanjaro and high-altitude treks the policy must explicitly cover trekking above 4,000 m and helicopter rescue.
Health & vaccinations
Yellow fever certificate is required if arriving from a yellow fever country. Anti-malaria prophylaxis is recommended. Consult a travel clinic 6–8 weeks before departure.
Payment & deposits
A 30% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due 45 days before arrival. We accept bank transfer and card (3% fee). Free rescheduling up to 30 days before departure.
Tipping
Tipping is customary and an important part of crew income. Guidelines are shared in your pre-trip pack — typically USD 25–35 per day for safari guides and USD 300–350 total per climber for a Kilimanjaro crew.
Group size & privacy
This trip runs in groups of 2 – 14. Private departures with your own guide and vehicle are available year-round on request — ask us for a custom quote.
Altitude & fitness
You'll sleep above 4,000 m and summit at 5,895 m. No technical climbing skills are needed, but you should be able to walk 5–7 hours per day on consecutive days. We do daily pulse-oximeter checks and carry emergency oxygen.
KPAP-registered operator
We follow Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) standards: fair wages, three meals a day for porters, proper gear, and a 20 kg load limit. Your booking directly supports ethical mountain employment.
What's included
- ✓All park & rescue fees
- ✓Licensed guides + porters + cook
- ✓All mountain meals + filtered water
- ✓Camping equipment & airport transfers
- ✓2 nights hotel (B&B) in Moshi
Not included
- —Flights
- —Visa
- —Insurance
- —Personal gear
- —Crew tips
Packing list
A category-by-category checklist tailored to this journey. Items marked essential should not be skipped — rentals are available in Moshi and Arusha.
Clothing — layers
- •3× moisture-wicking base layer tops
- •2× thermal base layer bottoms
- •Fleece or soft-shell mid layer
- •Insulated down jacket (summit night)
- •Waterproof + windproof hard-shell jacket and trousers
- •Trekking trousers (2 pairs) + shorts
- •Warm hat, sun hat, buff/neck gaiter
- •Liner gloves + insulated waterproof gloves
- •4× hiking socks, 1× thermal socks for summit
Footwear & sleeping
- •Waterproof hiking boots, broken in
- •Camp shoes / trainers
- •Gaiters (recommended)
- •4-season sleeping bag (-15 °C comfort rating)
- •Inflatable pillow
Daypack & summit kit
- •20–30 L daypack with rain cover
- •2–3 L water bladder or two 1 L bottles
- •Sunscreen SPF 50, lip balm with SPF
- •Sunglasses (UV 400)
- •Personal first aid: blister kit, paracetamol, ibuprofen, rehydration salts
- •Quick-dry towel, hand sanitiser, wet wipes
- •Camera + spare batteries, power bank
- •Headlamp + spare batteries (essential for summit)
- •Trekking poles (collapsible)
- •Thermos for hot drinks on summit night
- •Hand and toe warmers
Documents & money
- •Passport (6+ months validity) and visa
- •Travel insurance documents (printed + digital)
- •Vaccination certificate if applicable
- •Credit card + USD cash in small notes (post-2009, no rips)
- •Emergency contacts and trip voucher
Best season: Jan – Mar · Jun – Oct
What travellers say
Honest words from people who have walked, driven, sailed and summited with us. We publish every review unedited.
Summit success thanks to an unreal crew
"We chose Tembo after weeks of research and they exceeded every expectation. Our guide Emanuel paced us perfectly, the porters were extraordinary, and the food on the mountain was honestly better than the lodge. We both reached Uhuru Peak with energy to spare."
Pole pole — and it worked
"I was nervous about the altitude. The team did daily oxygen checks, kept us hydrated and well-fed, and never rushed us. Summit night was brutal but the guides were beside us every step. I cried at the top."
Ethical, professional, world-class
"What stood out is how well the porters are treated — fair wages, proper gear, three meals a day. You feel good about who you're paying. The Lemosho route is stunning. Worth every dollar."
Related journeys
Lemosho Route — 8 Days
The most scenic traverse of Kilimanjaro, with the highest summit success rate.
Marangu Route — 6 Days
The 'Coca-Cola route' — the only Kilimanjaro route with hut accommodation.
Rongai Route — 7 Days
The only northern approach — drier weather, quieter trail, wilder camps.
Plan your journey
Plan your Tanzania journey
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