Itinerary
- Day 1
Machame Gate to Machame Camp
Start with an early breakfast in Moshi, then drive 45 minutes to Machame village for gear prep. From there, you'll head to Machame Gate (either by vehicle or on foot depending on conditions) and begin the actual climb through rainforest. The trail gets muddy and slippery as you hike for about 7 hours and cover roughly 18 km. You'll grab a packed lunch at the gate along the way. By evening, you'll reach Machame Camp at 2,980m, and prepare for cold night temperatures.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch pack provided at Machame Gate), Dinner
Included Activities
- Briefing at start of climb
- Hike from Machame Gate through rainforest to Machame Camp (approximately 7 hours, about 18 km)
Optional Activities
- Purchase bottled water at Springlands Hotel in Moshi
Landmarks Machame Gate Machame Camp 
- Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
After breakfast at Machame Camp, climb for an hour to the forest's edge, then continue through moorland for 2 more hours on a gentler path. You'll stop for lunch and rest before tackling a rocky ridge that leads onto the Shira plateau. From there, you get views of the Western Breach and its glaciers to the east. The day totals about 6 hours of hiking (9 km), and you'll finish at Shira Camp at 3,840m where nights get even colder than before.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Machame Camp to Shira Camp (approximately 6 hours, about 9 km through moorland)
Landmarks Shira Camp Western Breach Kibo 
- Day 3
Shira to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
The path turns east into rocky, semi-desert terrain as you walk toward Lava Tower. After 5 hours, you'll reach the tower's scree path at 4,630m, and this tends to be the hardest day yet with some climbers feeling breathless, irritable, or getting headaches. Following lunch, you'll drop about 680m over roughly 2 hours down to Barranco Camp at 3,950m (15 km total). The descent gives you good photo shots of the Western Breach and Breach Wall, with a nice sunset when you arrive.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch served in a designated area), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Shira to Lava Tower (approximately 5 hours)
- Hike descent from Lava Tower to Barranco Camp (approximately 2 hours, about 680m descent)
Landmarks Lava Tower Barranco Camp Western Breach Breach Wall 
- Day 4
Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
Hike for about 7 hours through alpine desert, covering around 13 km to reach Barafu Camp at 4,550m. The camp sits exposed on a narrow, stony ridge where winds blow hard, so walk around and get familiar with the area before dark. Check your headlamp and camera batteries, bring spares, and store water in thermal flasks to keep it from freezing. Pack ski sticks and thermal gear for tonight's summit push. Aim to sleep around 19:00 for roughly 5 hours before the big climb.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp (approximately 7 hours, about 13 km)
Landmarks Barafu Camp - Day 5
Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
You'll wake around 23:30 for tea and biscuits, then start the tough 6-hour climb northwest through heavy scree toward Stella Point at 5,685m on the crater rim. Many climbers find this mentally and physically demanding, but you'll rest at Stella Point and catch the sunrise if weather cooperates. From there, the final 2-hour snowy push takes you to Uhuru Peak at 5,895m, the summit. Keep your time at the top brief because of extreme cold and exhaustion. The 3-hour descent back to Barafu includes a short rest, then you'll collect gear and head down to Mweka Camp at 3,100m for dinner and sleep.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Tea and biscuits before summit departure around 23:30), Dinner (Dinner at Mweka Camp after descent)
Included Activities
- Summit attempt: ascent from Barafu Camp through Stella Point to Uhuru Peak (approximately 8 hours total)
- Descent from Uhuru Peak to Barafu Camp (approximately 3 hours)
- Descent from Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (descent portion of approximately 7-8 hours)
Landmarks Stella Point Uhuru Peak Mweka Camp 
- Day 6
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi
Have breakfast at Mweka Camp, then descend for about 3 hours through forest to Mweka Gate at 1,980m, covering roughly 15 km. From there, continue walking down to Mweka village, which typically takes an hour and involves muddy conditions. Then drive back to your hotel in Moshi. Climbers who succeeded get summit certificates: green for reaching Stella Point and gold for summiting Uhuru Peak. This is when guides, porters, cooks, and waiters appreciate tips for their work.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Descent from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (approximately 3 hours, about 15 km)
Optional Activities
- Tip guides, porters, cook, and waiter at hotel in Moshi
Landmarks Mweka Gate Mweka Village
