African Environments - Kilimanjaro Machame/Barafu Route- 6 nights/7 days

Kilimanjaro Machame/Barafu Route- 6 nights/7 days

Kilimanjaro’s Machame Route has the advantage that, the summit day goes up and down the same trail (see map below). Allowing each member of the group to climb as high as he or she is able before descending with one of the guides. This eliminates the need to sleep in the summit crater, lessening the total number of nights needed for acclimatization. Machame / Barafu passes though five different environmental zones from the tropical montaine forests on the lower slopes to the barren scree of the summit. Between Barranco camp, night 4, and Barafu camp, night 6, the route traverses under the huge hanging glaciers of Kili's steep southern flanks. the most scenic area found anywhere on the mountain.

Pre-climb acclimatization package. Two nights in our luxury tented camp with acclimatization hike to over 8,000 feet on Mt. Meru. See day one and two of the Shira Plateau route for more details.

Day 1: AISHI HOTEL, MACHAME VILLAGE Aishi Hotel is conveniently located between the Kilimanjaro Airport and the Machame Park Gate. This is a small well run hotel in a quiet country setting. There will be an afternoon briefing at the lodge with the trip guide and a full equipment check

Day 2: MACHAME CAMP (9,000') (day 1 on the mountain) (see mountain camp info) From the Machame Park Gate we start our hike through the Montane Forest; it will take us about 6 hours to reach our camp on the upper forest edge.

Day 3: ABOVE EAST SHIRA PLATEAU (12,300') (day 2 on the mountain) Our hike today will be about 5 hours. We ascend the Machame route climbing above the old Shira Hut. Camp will be in the upper heath zone.

Day 4: BARRANCO CAMP (13,000') (day 3 on the mountain) A hike of about 6 hours will take us up to 14,000 feet just below Lava Tower and then back down to our camp in the Great Barranco Valley. The views of the Great Breach Wall are better from this camp than anywhere on the mountain.

Day 5: KARANGA VALLEY (13,000’) (day 4 on the mountain) Our 3 hr hike today climbs out of the Barranco Valley and ascends to over 14,000 feet. We then traverse under the glaciers of the southern slopes of Kilimanjaro before we descend into Karanga Valley for the night.

Day 6: BARAFU CAMP (15,500') (day 5 on the mountain) As we continue our traverse from Karanga valley we will have close-up views of the mountain's Southern Glaciers. We will traverse for a couple of hours before we begin our 1,600 foot ascent to Barafu Hut.

Day 7: MWEKA CAMP (10,500') (day 6 on the mountain) Summit day. We will start our ascent to the summit (19,340') very early in the morning while it is still dark. This will allow us to be near the crater rim as the morning sun is rising. After taking in the view from Uhuru Peak we will begin the long descent back to Barafu Hut and on down to Mweka Hut.

Day 8: AISHI HOTEL DAY ROOM (day 7 on the mountain & out) A final morning's descent of 4,500 feet brings us to the road. We will have lunch and transfer to the lodge for showers and re-packing. Transfer to the Kilimanjaro International Airport.

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