8 DAYS MACHAME ROUTE MOUNT KILIMANJARO STAYING AT CRATER.

Day 1: Arriving in Tanzania

All trekkers need to organize their own flight to Kilimanjaro international Airport [JRO]. From JRO you will be met by our staff and transferred to Moshi in the peaceful surrounds of our comfortable pre and post trek accommodation from where there are great views of the mountain. You can relax by the pool before your briefing with the Guides, who will provide the essential information for your trek to the roof of Africa.

The Hotel we are using is between these

1. Parkview inn Hotel

Day 2: Moshi – Machame Gate (1790m) – Machame Camp (3010m)

You will be picked up at your hotel in the morning after breakfast and head towards Machame Gate which is an easy 45-minute drive from Moshi. At the gate you will be registered by the National Park authorities. Once everything is prepared you can start your trek into the lush rainforest. There is the possibility of spotting some Black-and-White Colobus monkeys on the way to Machame camp, which will take you about 5 to 6 hours to reach. You will spend the night just above the forest line at 3010 meters.

· Meals: Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Machame Camp

Day 3: Machame Camp (3010m) – New Shira Camp (3845m)

Today the trail will be a somewhat steeper than on day one but it’s is a shorter stretch and you should reach your destination by early afternoon. After some rest you have the option to hike further to Shira 2 Camp for beautiful views of the Shira Plateau. Mount Meru, the second highest mountain in Tanzania, can be seen in the distance. The night will be spent at New Shira Camp.

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: New shira Camp

Day 4: New Shira Camp (3845m) – Lava Tower (4640m) – Barranco Camp (3960m)

Today you will ascend about 700 meters to the striking and rugged Lava Tower before descending again to Barranco Camp. This will give your body a good chance to acclimatize for the following days as you will reach an altitude of over 4600 meters. The landscape will change dramatically over the course of today as you enter the afro-alpine desert close to Lava Tower and then descend back into the lush, green Barranco Valley. Barranco Camp is situated just below the imposing Barranco Wall and is reached after about 6 to 7 hours of trekking. This camp is considered by many to be the most beautiful and scenic on Kilimanjaro. You will be treated to a hearty dinner before getting into your sleeping bag for some well-deserved rest.

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Barranco Camp

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3960m) – Karanga Camp (4035m)

Today you will tackle the steepest part of this route – the famous Barranco Wall, also known as the ‘Breakfast Wall’. It’s not as difficult as it looks, and your guide will assist you through this passage in just a little more than an hour. On top of Barranco Wall you can get a glimpse of the southern glaciers of Kibo and take a short rest before continuing towards Karanga Camp. This camp is located less than 100 meters higher then Barranco Camp which gives your body some more time to acclimatize to the altitude. After your lunch at the camp you have the option to do a short round trip towards Barafu Camp for further acclimatization, or you can just relax at your camp.

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Karanga Camp

Day 6: Karanga Camp (4035m) – Barafu Camp (4640m)

The trail that you will take today passes back through striking alpine desert expanses and leads you to your final camp before the summit hike – the Barafu Camp. This camp will be reached after about 3 to 4 hours and sits at an altitude of 4640 meters. You will have some time to relax before the evening meal is served. After dinner you are advised to get as much sleep as possible before ta testing climb tomorrow

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Barafu Camp

Day 7: Barafu Camp (4640m) – Crater Camp (5730m)

In the early morning you will start the most challenging part of the ascent as the sun rises. You should reach Stella point, the crater rim of Kibo, after about 5-7 hours of strenuous climbing up the scree and ash paths. From Stella Point you will head towards the highest camp on Kilimanjaro – the Crater Camp – which is situated at an altitude of 5730m. From here there are breath-taking views of the surrounding glaciers.

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Crater Camp

Day 8: Crater Camp (5730m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka Camp (3080m)

The first sunlight marks the start of your final ascent towards the summit. It will be a slow and arduous 2 hours or so before you reach the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak, which towers above anywhere else in Africa at 5895 meters. From the peak, you will be able to see the surrounding summits, glaciers and landscapes being lit up by the warm morning sun – a truly unforgettable experience. After a short break and the mandatory summit pictures, you will return to Barafu Camp where the rest of the climbing crew will await you. Here you will have some time to rest and a much-needed warm meal will be served. Afterwards, you will continue your descent to Mweka Camp (3080m) which will take you about 3 hours. At Mweka Camp you will have an evening meal followed by a well-deserved deep night’s sleep.

· Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

· Overnight: Mweka Camp

Day 9: Mweka Camp (3080m) – Mweka Gate (1630m) – Moshi

After breakfast you will be invited to take part in the traditional farewell ceremony with your mountain crew before the final leg of your climb leads you back through the lush rainforest. A gentle descent of up to 3 hours takes you to Mweka Gate

Drive back to your hotel in Moshi. Hotel

· Meal: Breakfast

· Overnight: At Hotel in Moshi