Although it is considered to be more difficult than the Marangu, the Machame or ‘Whiskey’ Route is actually now the most popular way up Kilimanjaro. Compared with Marangu (the next most popular route) the walking stage are actually longer and steeper, so it is perhaps favoured by those more used to hiking. The Machame begins its course in the south, then continues eastwards. It skirts along the mountain’s southern ice field before heading for the summit.
Those choosing the Machame for their ascent can look forward to varied and spectacular scenery, though its popularity means that you are never too far from the crowds! And if you choose to spend seven days on the mountain with this longer route, then the extra day to acclimatize will improve your chances of reaching the summit!
Words can never describe the breath-taking views enjoyed from the summit, the very ‘Roof of Africa,’ but the incomparable, exhilarating sense of achievement in getting to the top of Kilimanjaro is surely in itself the highlight of any trip.
Challenging. Guests undertaking one of our trips categorized as ‘challenging’ will require a good level of fitness and proper physical preparation –perhaps two or three months – in advance of arriving in Tanzania. To take one of these trips, you must be confident in your own level of fitness and stamina. Our ‘challenging’ trips involve a significant degree of high-altitude hiking, and at times a degree of discomfort can be expected. For example, on a summit day to reach the top of Kilimanjaro, a total of around 13 hours is required of participants and this is combined with a great deal of ascent and descent. Special clothing and equipment are required for these trips, as advised on our trip notes, and accommodation is in tents or mountain huts, depending on which trip is undertaken.
Accommodation on this tour is in our Basic category, with two night’s hotel accommodation in Arusha and six nights out on the Mountain in the public campsite. Our Basic level accommodations are selected by Easy Travel to focus on good value.
| Day | Start (Location) | Altitude (Meter) | Altitude (Feet) | Finish (Location) | Altitude (Meter) | Altitude (Feet) | Time (Hrs) | Vegetation(Zone) | Distance (km) | Distance(Miles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machame Gate | 1640 | 5381 | Machame Camp | 2972 | 9751 | 5-6 | Rain Forest | 11 | 7 |
| 2 | Machame Camp | 2972 | 9751 | Shira 2 Camp | 3804 | 12,480 | 4-6 | Heath & Moorland | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | Shira 2 Camp Lava Tower | 3804 4630 | 12,480 15,190 | Lava Tower Barranco Camp | 4630 3950 | 15,190 12,959 | 4-5 2-3 | Alpine Desert | 7 3 | 4 2 |
| 4 | Barranco Camp | 3950 | 12,960 | Karanga Camp | 4033 | 13,232 | 4-5 | Alpine Desert | 6 | 3 |
| 5 | Karanga Camp | 4033 | 13,232 | Barafu Camp | 4556 | 14,948 | 4-5 | Alpine Desert | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Barafu Camp Uhuru Peak | 4556 5895 | 14,948 19,341 | Uhuru Peak Mweka Camp | 5895 3100 | 19,341 10,171 | 7-8 4-6 | Ice Camp Rain Forest | 5 12 | 3 7 |
| 7 | Mweka Camp | 3100 | 10,171 | Mweka Gate | 1640 | 5381 | 3-4 | Rain Forest | 10 | 6 |
| 63 | 37 | |||||||||
After your long flight, you’ll be pleased to spend your first night in comfort at your hotel, the Planet Lodge in Arusha. If you have chosen to be picked-up by us from Kilimanjaro International Airport, your Easy Travel driver will be waiting to meet and welcome you and take you to your hotel in Arusha to relax after your flight. Your adventure has begun!
This morning we take a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, before setting out in our vehicle at around 08.00hrs to allow for a scheduled arrival at Machame Gate (1640 meters) at 10.00hrs. Our first job will be to complete the registration formalities, before we start our trek. You will also enjoy the introduction to your mountain team: your guides, porters and everyone else who will accompany you as you make your ascent.
Today’s walk is a long one: in pure numbers, you will gain around 1332 metres of altitude over a distance of just under 11km/7miles and can expect to be walking for between 5 and 6 hours.
The beginning of the walk today is characterised by a wide track that winds its way up through dense forest, beautiful tall trees laden with green moss. As the route becomes steeper and narrower, so the vegetation changes and the appearance of flowers such as impatiens kilimanjari and impatiens pseudoviola introduce some bright colours to the scenery. You will also be able to see Kibo Peak, away to the east. The birdlife around the camp is surprisingly rich, so look out for species such as olive thrush and stonechat. We hope to reach camp at about 17.00hrs, giving you a couple of hours of welcome rest before dinner is served
Today’s stage is short and steep, as we push on up to an altitude of over 3804 metres. Our hard work in the morning, on a narrow path, is well rewarded at lunchtime with wonderful vistas both to the south and over to Kibo. Surely there can be no better location for lunch?
Having made an early start around 08.30hrs, we would expect to reach our camp by 14.00hrs, by which time we will have encountered the moorland lobelias and the distinctive dark obsidian rock of Shira Plateau for the first time. From Shira Caves, you will have time to marvel at some great natural sights such as the so-called ‘Shira Cathedral,’ Klute Peak and Mount Meru, before enjoying your dinner around 18.00hrs.
Today’s stage is considerably different in character from yesterday’s, with a much longer trek. We start at 3804 metres, of course, but even though we cover nearly 10km/6miles, our gain in altitude will be a modest 146 metres by the time we reach Barranco Camp at around 16.00hrs. During our hike, however, we will climb to the base of the Lava Tower which is located at a lofty 4630 metres, before we descend again for our overnight stay. Although this may seem a bit of a waste, in fact it helps enormously with the crucial process of acclimatizing at altitude.
The overall distance today means that we will actually be walking for around 6 to 8 hours, excluding breaks. Once again, our day will begin with breakfast at 07.00hrs and departure at 08.30hrs, when we begin our trek across the stony landscape of Shira Plateau. The vegetation is sparse at first, with just a few hardy lichens to admire. You climb towards the Lava Tower and your picnic lunch is taken at 13.00hrs. After passing the highpoint of the day by the Lava Tower, we then descend down to the Barranco Camp. Once at camp, you should take time to admire the views of the southern face of Kibo as well as the Heim Glacier. Dinner tonight is served at 19.00hrs
Today we breakfast slightly later (07.30hrs) with a departure time from camp scheduled for 08.30hrs. Today’s walk is actually quite short, being only about 6km/3miles but it will still take between 4 to 5 hours of trekking time. We will break for lunch at around at 13.00hrs on reaching Karanga and have the afternoon to enjoy the views before eating our dinner at 18.00hrs.
At the beginning of the day, we encounter the hardest part of the stage as we have to scramble up the near-vertical face of the Barranco Wall (also commonly referred to as the ‘Breakfast Wall’ as you tackle it right after your breakfast!). At the top of this climb, you will be rewarded with views of the Heim Glacier. After this, the rest of today’s walk becomes a bit easier as we first gradually descend to the gully below, and into the cold but beautiful Karanga Valley. We then continue and finally climb up a steep series of zig-zags until reaching the Karanga Camp (4033 meters). Our overall altitude gain today is only 160 metres.
Another short day -in terms of distance – begins with our breakfast at the camp at 07.30hrs and another 08.30hrs departure. Today we will ascend about 523 metres in a distance of around 4km/2miles and walking time once again is between 4 and 5 hours.
We will be aiming to arrive at the Barafu Camp 4556 meters by 13.00, when we will be rewarded with a cooked lunch. (With tomorrow being the summit day, it will be important to relax and prepare for the hard work ahead.) Dinner tonight is served at 17.30hrs, giving you time to get to bed early. After leaving Karanga, today’s stage climbs steadily, passing through barren, rocky landscape, with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible away to your left. At the top of the climb, the landscape remains bleak as you descend into a valley and you get your first sight of another glacier, Rebmann. At the end of this valley is today’s goal, the Barafu Camp 4556 meters, at which you arrive after a short, steep scramble and a walk
If there is one certainty on Kilimanjaro, it is that ‘summit day’ will be the toughest! But although hugely challenging, hopefully it will be matched with the great sense of achievement of reaching your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro!
Our schedule for our ‘Summit Day’ is of course very different. Rising at 23.00hrs, we take our tea and biscuits (23.30hrs) before a midnight departure. We begin with a long, tough climb from Barafu at 4556 metres to Stella Point at 5756 metres; for some of this you will be walking on scree, making your trek more difficult.
From Stella Point, there is still another 139 metres of ascent and 45 minutes’ walk to the summit. Our goal is to reach the top (5895 meters) by around 07.00hrs then celebrate (of course!) take our precious photos and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the summit (5895 meters), we return to Barafu (4556 meters), where we rest for a couple of hours, take a brunch and then leave again at 13.30hrs to continue to descend to Mweka Camp (3100 metres) where we spend the night. We would expect to arrive there at 17.00hrs and take our dinner at 19.00hrs. (In total, we cover around 17km/10miles today with about 11-14 hours of walking – tough going, but with our objective hopefully achieved!)
Still thrilled by your achievement, breakfast is taken at 07.00hrs and at 08.00hrs you can take the chance to reward your trekking team at the ‘Tipping Celebration.’
Although we still have 9km to walk, departure is at a leisurely 09.00hrs and you descend down to the Mweka Gate which sits at an altitude of 1640 metres. There, you will be served a cooked lunch at midday and be presented with your hard-earned certificate.
Your vehicle transport will be waiting to return you back to your Hotel in Arusha, where you can choose to relax – or, if you have any energy left, to celebrate!
After a good night’s rest at your hotel, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00hrs. (If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for day room which ends at 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.)
If you have booked a transfer to the airport, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travelers who have booked to go on safari, our Easy Travel guide will be meeting you in the evening to provide you with a briefing.
Easy Travel – Transport:
“Food” and “Water” 7 Breakfasts, 3 Picnic Lunches, 3 Cooked Lunch, 1 Brunch, 8 Dinners
Treated water (on the mountain)
Mountain Team
Entrance Fee
Camping Equipment
Award
Medical Insurance
Medial Insurance which covers high altitude trekking up to 6000 meters is Essential (nothing less than 6000 meters)
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance which covers “Cancel for any Reason” is Essential
Own Room/Tent
My Own Room at the Hotel and My Own Tent on the Mountain
Personal Items
Tips
Mountain Guide: $25 per day / per guide / per Group
Mountain Chef: $15 per day / per group
Mountain Porter: $8 per day / per porter
| DEPARTURE CODE | START DATE | END DATE |
|---|---|---|
| KSB1 24 12 23 | 23-Dec-24 | 31-Dec-24 |
| KSB1 25 01 02 | 02-Jan-25 | 10-Jan-25 |
| KSB1 25 01 30 | 30-Jan-25 | 07-Feb-25 |
| KSB1 25 06 12 | 12-Jun-25 | 20-Jun-25 |
| KSB1 25 06 19 | 19-Jun-25 | 27-Jun-25 |
| KSB1 25 07 03 | 03-Jul-25 | 11-Jul-25 |
| KSB1 25 07 24 | 24-Jul-25 | 01-Aug-25 |
| KSB1 25 07 31 | 31-Jul-25 | 08-Aug-25 |
| KSB1 25 08 21 | 21-Aug-25 | 29-Aug-25 |
| KSB1 25 09 04 | 04-Sep-25 | 12-Sep-25 |
| KSB1 25 09 11 | 11-Sep-25 | 19-Sep-25 |
| KSB1 25 10 02 | 02-Oct-25 | 10-Oct-25 |
| KSB1 25 10 30 | 30-Oct-25 | 07-Nov-25 |
| KSB1 25 11 13 | 13-Nov-25 | 21-Nov-25 |
| KSB1 25 12 18 | 18-Dec-25 | 26-Dec-25 |
The price agreed for your safari package includes all lodging and meals throughout your trip as detailed on your itinerary, all park entrance fees, the services of an expert driver-guide, game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle, 1ltr of bottled water per person, per day during game drives only.
Any international flights, any domestic flights (unless specified and agreed as part of your package), any travel and medical insurance, entry visa to Tanzania, (you should obtain this before you arrive; you can get a visa on entry to Tanzania, but this involves standing in long lines between 30-45 minutes or sometimes more), soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, gratuities for your driver-guides or any other Easy Travel staff, gratuities for any camp/lodge staff, Maasai Village visit, any extra activities not pre-booked and paid for, emergency evacuation service (unless pre-booked and pre- paid) and any other items not mentioned in this list.
Once we have agreed your safari trip itinerary with you, you will be required to make an initial deposit of 30% to us. This allows us to be able to confirm your booking. The full balance must then be paid 30 days before the start of your safari trip. For any last-minute booking made less than 30 days prior to your proposed arrival date, we require payment of the full amount to be made when booking.
We accept payment either by credit card, or by direct wire transfer.
We accept Visa, Master Card and American Express. This is the fastest and easiest method of payment as it avoids the necessity of complying with numerous banking procedures. You will need to allow for 3.5% on top of the trip cost, this being bank charges for use of the credit card. This 3.5% charge stays with the bank, not Easy Travel (Tanzania Bank Policy).
If paying by this method, any bank charges incurred will be at your cost. Beneficiary bank charges are approximately $45 and they will be added by us on to your invoice. It usually takes a minimum of 5 to 7 working days for the funds to arrive into our account. At that point, we are able to issue your booking confirmation.
The price agreed for your safari package includes all lodging and meals throughout your trip as detailed on your itinerary, all park entrance fees, the services of an expert driver-guide, game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle, 1ltr of bottled water per person, per day during game drives only.
Any international flights, any domestic flights (unless specified and agreed as part of your package), any travel and medical insurance, entry visa to Tanzania, (you should obtain this before you arrive; you can get a visa on entry to Tanzania, but this involves standing in long lines between 30-45 minutes or sometimes more), soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, gratuities for your driver-guides or any other Easy Travel staff, gratuities for any camp/lodge staff, Maasai Village visit, any extra activities not pre-booked and paid for, emergency evacuation service (unless pre-booked and pre- paid) and any other items not mentioned in this list.
Once we have agreed your safari trip itinerary with you, you will be required to make an initial deposit of 30% to us. This allows us to be able to confirm your booking. The full balance must then be paid 30 days before the start of your safari trip. For any last-minute booking made less than 30 days prior to your proposed arrival date, we require payment of the full amount to be made when booking.
We accept payment either by credit card, or by direct wire transfer.
We accept Visa, Master Card and American Express. This is the fastest and easiest method of payment as it avoids the necessity of complying with numerous banking procedures. You will need to allow for 3.5% on top of the trip cost, this being bank charges for use of the credit card. This 3.5% charge stays with the bank, not Easy Travel (Tanzania Bank Policy).
If paying by this method, any bank charges incurred will be at your cost. Beneficiary bank charges are approximately $45 and they will be added by us on to your invoice. It usually takes a minimum of 5 to 7 working days for the funds to arrive into our account. At that point, we are able to issue your booking confirmation.
The price agreed for your safari package includes all lodging and meals throughout your trip as detailed on your itinerary, all park entrance fees, the services of an expert driver-guide, game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle, 1ltr of bottled water per person, per day during game drives only.
Any international flights, any domestic flights (unless specified and agreed as part of your package), any travel and medical insurance, entry visa to Tanzania, (you should obtain this before you arrive; you can get a visa on entry to Tanzania, but this involves standing in long lines between 30-45 minutes or sometimes more), soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, gratuities for your driver-guides or any other Easy Travel staff, gratuities for any camp/lodge staff, Maasai Village visit, any extra activities not pre-booked and paid for, emergency evacuation service (unless pre-booked and pre- paid) and any other items not mentioned in this list.
Once we have agreed your safari trip itinerary with you, you will be required to make an initial deposit of 30% to us. This allows us to be able to confirm your booking. The full balance must then be paid 30 days before the start of your safari trip. For any last-minute booking made less than 30 days prior to your proposed arrival date, we require payment of the full amount to be made when booking.
We accept payment either by credit card, or by direct wire transfer.
We accept Visa, Master Card and American Express. This is the fastest and easiest method of payment as it avoids the necessity of complying with numerous banking procedures. You will need to allow for 3.5% on top of the trip cost, this being bank charges for use of the credit card. This 3.5% charge stays with the bank, not Easy Travel (Tanzania Bank Policy).
If paying by this method, any bank charges incurred will be at your cost. Beneficiary bank charges are approximately $45 and they will be added by us on to your invoice. It usually takes a minimum of 5 to 7 working days for the funds to arrive into our account. At that point, we are able to issue your booking confirmation.
The price agreed for your safari package includes all lodging and meals throughout your trip as detailed on your itinerary, all park entrance fees, the services of an expert driver-guide, game drives in a 4×4 safari vehicle, 1ltr of bottled water per person, per day during game drives only.
Any international flights, any domestic flights (unless specified and agreed as part of your package), any travel and medical insurance, entry visa to Tanzania, (you should obtain this before you arrive; you can get a visa on entry to Tanzania, but this involves standing in long lines between 30-45 minutes or sometimes more), soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, gratuities for your driver-guides or any other Easy Travel staff, gratuities for any camp/lodge staff, Maasai Village visit, any extra activities not pre-booked and paid for, emergency evacuation service (unless pre-booked and pre- paid) and any other items not mentioned in this list.
Once we have agreed your safari trip itinerary with you, you will be required to make an initial deposit of 30% to us. This allows us to be able to confirm your booking. The full balance must then be paid 30 days before the start of your safari trip. For any last-minute booking made less than 30 days prior to your proposed arrival date, we require payment of the full amount to be made when booking.
We accept payment either by credit card, or by direct wire transfer.
We accept Visa, Master Card and American Express. This is the fastest and easiest method of payment as it avoids the necessity of complying with numerous banking procedures. You will need to allow for 3.5% on top of the trip cost, this being bank charges for use of the credit card. This 3.5% charge stays with the bank, not Easy Travel (Tanzania Bank Policy).
If paying by this method, any bank charges incurred will be at your cost. Beneficiary bank charges are approximately $45 and they will be added by us on to your invoice. It usually takes a minimum of 5 to 7 working days for the funds to arrive into our account. At that point, we are able to issue your booking confirmation.
Easy Travel safaris are available with four different choices of accommodation styles to suit your taste and budget. We offer Basic, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Luxury style accommodation options.
Easy Travel selects the best available accommodations in each category. Basic style accommodation is on public campsites, with shared bathroom facilities. In the other three categories, accommodations include private bathroom facilities. The rooms in these three categories are spacious, furnished with either twin beds or king-size beds, a dressing table and a wardrobe where you can store your luggage. Lodges and tented camps located within the National Parks use generators for power. Please note that although some accommodations have hot showers available 24 hours per day, others only have hot showers at set times in both morning and evening.
Easy Travel safaris are available with four different choices of accommodation styles to suit your taste and budget. We offer Basic, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Luxury style accommodation options.
Easy Travel selects the best available accommodations in each category. Basic style accommodation is on public campsites, with shared bathroom facilities. In the other three categories, accommodations include private bathroom facilities. The rooms in these three categories are spacious, furnished with either twin beds or king-size beds, a dressing table and a wardrobe where you can store your luggage. Lodges and tented camps located within the National Parks use generators for power. Please note that although some accommodations have hot showers available 24 hours per day, others only have hot showers at set times in both morning and evening.
Easy Travel safaris are available with four different choices of accommodation styles to suit your taste and budget. We offer Basic, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Luxury style accommodation options.
Easy Travel selects the best available accommodations in each category. Basic style accommodation is on public campsites, with shared bathroom facilities. In the other three categories, accommodations include private bathroom facilities. The rooms in these three categories are spacious, furnished with either twin beds or king-size beds, a dressing table and a wardrobe where you can store your luggage. Lodges and tented camps located within the National Parks use generators for power. Please note that although some accommodations have hot showers available 24 hours per day, others only have hot showers at set times in both morning and evening.
Of course, Easy Travel are happy to organize either a Private or Public Shuttle transfer to Arusha from Nairobi City or JKIA.
Please note that the cost of this transfer is not included in your trip cost, nor is the return transfer back to either Nairobi City or JKIA at the end of your trip. For Easy Travel to arrange transfers for you from/to Nairobi City or JKIA. All you have to do is let us know your flight number and arrival time and make the appropriate payment to us in addition to the price of your trip.
Two daily public shuttles operate from JKIA to Arusha, with one departing at 08.00 hours and the other at 14.00 hours. The price for a single ticket is $40 per person and the journey time is between 6 and 7 hours. The price for a private shuttle is $400 per vehicle, one way, so will usually only be suitable if you are arriving in a group. Whichever airport you arrive at, we strongly advise that when you approach the driver (who will be waiting outside the baggage reclaim area) that you ask him who he has come to collect, rather than giving him your name. (Our driver will display your name on an Easy Travel signboard.) By following this advice, you will be sure that you are picked up by the correct driver, rather than by an airport taxi driver who is just looking for business.
Easy Travel use Toyota Land Cruiser 4 x4s, which are recognized by many as the best and most reliable vehicles for the rough terrain of Tanzania. Each of the maximum 6 passengers enjoys the benefit of a window seat. The Land Cruisers are fully equipped, featuring: a pop-up roof for excellent game viewing; a radio call facility for optimal communications; a mini cooler box for keeping drinks cool (while the vehicle engine is running); a UK-Type socket for charging your mobile phone, camera battery or laptop; guidebooks and binoculars.
Due to restrictions of space, all passengers are limited to one softshell, duffel-style bag and one carry-on bag. Please note that hardshell suitcases are not advisable on safari, as they take up too much space.
It’s always nice to forget about the developed world when you are enjoying your ‘wilderness experience’ out on safari, but a few modern devices will maximize your enjoyment and ensure that you can take home some special memories.
First of all, you will need to bring a converter plug for any devices you bring. Note that electricity in Tanzania is 220 to 240 volts (50 hertz) and our Tanzanian sockets are of the British-type with three rectangular blade pins. You will no doubt want to take loads of photos, so a lightweight camera with a good zoom or suitable mobile phone, plus extra memory cards, batteries and/or charger are essential. You may also want to bring a small, powerful flashlight as some camps have little lighting. You can share the binoculars provided by us in the safari vehicle, though many visitors choose to bring their own to make sure they don’t miss anything.
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