The "Whiskey" route: five climate zones, the Lava Tower and the Barranco Wall, with good acclimatisation.
Known as the "Whiskey" route, Machame is one of the most popular ways up Kilimanjaro and one of the most scenic. You climb through five climate zones, from rainforest to the arctic summit, passing the Lava Tower and scaling the Barranco Wall. The route offers plenty of walk-high, sleep-low days for acclimatisation, and it can be busy in high season. Fully catered camping throughout.
The drive from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey passes through the village of Machame which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. We now leave the park gate and walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge. Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.
After breakfast, we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the little valley walking along a steep rocky ridge, covered with heather, until the ridge ends. The route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite.
From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.
After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to Arusha.
| Day | Stage | Elevation | Distance | Hiking time | Habitat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machame Gate - Machame Camp | 5,400ft to 9,400ft | 11 km | 5-7 hours | Rain Forest |
| 2 | Machame camp - Shira camp | 9,400ft to 12,500ft | 5 km | 4-6 hours | Moorland |
| 3 | Shira camp – Lava tower to Barranco Camp | 12,500ft to 13,000ft | 10 km | 6-8 hours | Semi Desert |
| 4 | Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp | 13,000ft to 13,100ft | 5 km | 4-5 hours | Alpine Desert |
| 5 | Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp | 13,100ft to 15,300ft | 4 km | 4-5 hours | Alpine Desert |
| 6 | Barafu to Summit to Mweka Hut | 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft) | 5 km ascent / 12 km descent | 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent | Arctic |
| 7 | Mweka camp to Arusha | 10,000ft to 5,400ft | 10 km | 3-4 hours | Rain Forest |
The price depends on your group size, dates and whether you add a safari or Zanzibar afterwards. Send us your dates and we will reply with a clear per-person price.
Most climbers rest their legs on a northern circuit safari or on a Zanzibar beach. We plan the whole trip as one.
The safari with Tony as our tour operator and guide was absolutely great in every aspect. The hospitality, the excellent knowledge of the animals, nature, the country and its people, the absolute reliability and care, the superb service and all the details covered, just excellent. I would go with Tony and his company any day again. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Asante sana.
MonicaSwitzerland · Visited July 2026Visiting Tanzania and seeing the parks was a wonderful experience. Tony and Inocent were our guides and they were lovely. A 10/10 trip. (automatic translation from Spanish)
MartaSpain · Visited June 2026The safari with Antony was amazing. We trusted him our itinerary and it was worth it. In my opinion, the best thing about it was his knowledge and how respectful he is with wildlife. It is amazing finding people that really love their job and show it.
Cristian PintoUnited Kingdom · Visited October 2024Tell us your dates, group size and any altitude experience. We will confirm the best route and send a full proposal.
Six things you can count on, whichever safari you choose.
Move your dates free of charge up to 60 days before arrival.
Park fees, taxes, private vehicle, guide and drinking water are in your price.
Airport pickup and drop-off included on every safari.
Every lodge and camp hand-picked by our team in Arusha.
Our Arusha team answers you every day of your trip, day or night.
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| If you cancel | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| More than 60 days before arrival | Deposit retained, or moved to new dates within 12 months |
| 59 to 30 days before arrival | 50% of the total trip price |
| 29 to 15 days before arrival | 75% of the total trip price |
| Less than 15 days before arrival | 100% of the total trip price |
Park fees and flights already paid to third parties may be non-refundable. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation. Full refund policy
Kilimanjaro trekThe classic hut route and the only one with dormitory beds. Includes an extra acclimatisation night at Horombo Hut.
Kilimanjaro trekThe only approach from the north: true wilderness early on and an extra acclimatisation day beneath Mawenzi.
Kilimanjaro trekA remote western start through undisturbed forest and across the Shira Plateau, with a high success rate.