Detailed itinerary for Machame route crater camp 8 Days/ 7 Nights.
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Summary
Are you looking for a really unique adventure? Try sleeping in Crater Camp on Mt Kilimanjaro Crater camp stands on the Roof of Africa and is an incredible wilderness environment. If you have experience at altitude and love something challenging then sleeping overnight in Kilimanjaro's Crater Camp is a fantastic option. You get completely away from the crowds and almost invariably will be the only group stopping in the Crater. Adding in the Crater camp option has lots of attractions. To begin with you do not need to join the mad midnight rush up to the summit but can instead walk up normally during the day with the trail almost exclusively to yourself. At the summit there are no crowds, so you have time to stop and take in the view and atmosphere.; Staying overnight in Crater Camp also gives you time to visit Kilimanjaro's remaining glaciers and visit the ash pit at the heart of Kilimanjaro's volcano. And the next morning you only have a short walk to the rim of the Crater so you can make sure to be there to see the sunrise. The Crater Camp option though does involve a serious challenge to acclimatization and should only be undertaken by those who have acclimatized well. Most climbers on Kilimanjaro summit from some signs of altitude sickness but they go down quickly before the problems become serious. If you sleep overnight in Crater Camp you do not have this safety margin. To manage this risk we only offer the Crater Camp option on the 8 day Machame, and 9 day Shira and Lemosho routes as the acclimatization on other routes is insufficient. Also we summit first and spend time there before dropping down into the crater to sleep following the golden rule of acclimatization, 'climb high, and sleep low'. Please note that we also only offer the Crater Camp option on the 8 day Machame, and 9 day Shira and Lemosho routes as the acclimatization on other routes is insufficient. You should also be aware that amongst those requesting to spend a night in the Kilimanjaro's crater some climbers change their minds while on the mountain after consulting with the guide and agreeing that they have failed to obtain a sufficiently safe level of acclimatization for this option. Remember always sleeping in Crater Camp is optional: getting down safely is mandatory. Day to Day Itinerary Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp Elevation (m): 1800m to 3000m, Distance: 11km, Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Montane Forest Drive from the Hotel to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate. Once you reach the park gate, you will sign in at the Park office and make your final preparations to start the climb. Our path takes us through rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge to Machame Camp where we will camp overnight. Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp Elevation (m): 3000m to 3850m, Distance: 9km, Time: 4-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland After breakfast, we start walking, leaving the rainforest behind, and continue our ascent, crossing a small valley and up to a steep rocky ridge, covered with heath. Our route now turns west onto a river gorge. Time for rest, dinner, and overnight at the Shira campsite. Day 3: Shira Camp Via Lava Tower to Barranco Camp Elevation (m): 3850m to 4600m to 3950m, Distance: 12 km, Time: 6-7 hours, Habitat: Semi-desert This is a very important day for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day. This will be our toughest day so far and you may start to feel the symptoms of altitude. We will ascend to Lava Tower at 4600m and take our lunch there to acclimatize. Following this we descend to spend the night at Barranco campsite. This offers great photographic opportunities of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which will provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp Elevation (m): 3950m to 3930m, Distance: 7 km, Hiking Time: 4 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert. Today starts with a short, but fun, scramble, to the top of the Great Barranco Wall. We then traverse over scree to the Karanga Valley (3930m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite. Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp Elevation (m): 3930m to 4600m, Distance: 6kms, Hiking Time: 3 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert We leave Karanga campsite behind to meet the junction connecting with the Mweka descent Trail. From here we continue up to the Barafu Hut. You have now completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. At camp, we can rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be clearly seen from this position. Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit (sleeping in Crater Camp) Elevation (m): ): 4600m to 5895m (and down to 5790m) , Distance: 8kms, Time: 7-8 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert You will be woken at 07:00 and we will eat a hearty breakfast before starting our summit ascent between the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers. We will 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 part of the trek. At Stella Point (5732m), we will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent views (weather permitting). At Uhuru Peak (5895m), we will have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. After celebrating with a few summit photos we begin our descent into Kibo Crater to camp for the night. The scenery is breathtakingly and depending on the time of year you will see the fast receding glaciers set amidst either sandy, dessert or snowy conditions. Day 7: Kibo Crater to Mweka Hut Elevation (m): 5790m to 3100m), Distance: 23km descent, Time: 7-8 hours descent, Habitat: Stone screed and ice-capped summit and Moorland From here, we start an hour before dawn to trek over to the rim to catch the spectacular African sunrise. We then descend down to the Mweka Hut camp site, via Barafu for lunch. Trekking poles will be needed for the loose gravel going down to Mweka Camp (3100m). Later in the evening, we will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep. Day 8: Mweka Camp - Mwaka gate to Hotel Elevation (m): 3100m to 1800m, Distance: 8 km, Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Forest We depart after breakfast descending 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 be suitable (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). After receiving your summit certificates the car will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you to your Hotel in Moshi or Arusha. End of the climb! Don't forget to tip your Guide and porters, it's time for celebrations!!! Book your crater camp option Machame route Now! |
Route
Marangu route
Machaame route Rongai route Lemosho route Umbwe route Shira route |
Description
Very popular tourist route, approaches from southeast, easy, gentle gradients, beautiful rain forest section and moorlands, comfortable but basic hut shelter, poor acclimatization profile, descent on same trail.
Second most popular route, approaches from south, very scenic route with southern traverse, difficult route but very good for acclimatization, camping. Long access drive to trailhead, approaches from north, remote, less frequented, easy, gentle gradients, beautiful alpine desert section, good alternative to Marangu, camping, fair acclimatization profile, camping Long access drive to trailhead, approaches from west, remote, less frequented, beautiful heath section, very scenic with southern traverse, camping, difficult route but excellent for acclimatization, camping.
Least used trail, approaches from south, shortest and steepest route, spectacular ridge, scenic with southern traverse, difficult route with poor acclimatization profile, pre-acclimatization is recommended, camping. Almost same as Lemosho, approaches from west, long access drive to trailhead, trail starts at 11,800 ft, remote, less frequented, beautiful heath section, very scenic with southern traverse, camping, difficult route but excellent for acclimatization if ok at 11,800 ft, camping. |
Distance
72 km
62 km 73 km 70 km 53 km 56 km |
Days
5-6
6-7 6-7 7-8 5-6 7-8 |
Among the differences between these routes:
- The routes have starting points located on multiple sides of the mountain.
- The routes vary distance and accordingly so do the completion times.
- There are relatively easy trails, difficult routes, and even dangerous ones.
- Certain routes are favorable for altitude acclimatisation due to their route profile.
- There are routes that are better when climbing during the rainy season.
- One route offers hut accommodations while the rest are camping routes.