Machame
7 days
This 7-day option gives hikers a little extra time to rest and acclimatize and therefore a higher chance of reaching the summit.
At Natural Attraction Safaris, the seven day option also allows you to avoid the midnight ascent and get a full night's rest before your summit.
Cost: $2275 per person
*Additional (per group) fee of $600 for groups of 1-2
Day 1: Arusha - Machame Gate - Machame Camp (9,951 ft/3033 m)
Drive from hotel in Arusha to Machame Gate (about 2 hours). Here we will check in and weigh all of the bags carried by the porters. Today, we will start our hike through the forest, gradually gaining altitude. After 6-7 hours we will arrive at our first camp, Machame Camp.
Day 2: Machame Camp - Shira Camp (12,589 ft/3837 m)
After breakfast today, we will have a shorter hike (about 5 hours total). The first half will be fairly steep, then the incline will become more gradual leading to camp. Today, we will have lunch after arriving at our second camp, Shira Camp. Depending on weather, we may choose to do an evening acclimatization hike.
Day 3: Shira - Lava Tower (15,213 ft/4637 m) - Barranco (13,045 ft/3976 m)
Today’s hike will be a gradual ascent and will join the Lemosho route near Lava Tower. After 3-4 hours, we will stop for lunch at Lava Tower Camp. After lunch we will descend (2-3 hours) to Barranco valley where we will sleep.
Day 4: Barranco - Karanga (13,232 ft/4033 m) - Barafu (15,331 ft/4673 m)
Just after breakfast, we will start by climbing Barranco wall. The wall will require some scrambling and use of hands. After the wall, we will descend to Karanga Camp for lunch. Then, we will continue with a gradual ascent to Barafu Camp. Today's hike will be 6-7 hours total.
While many hikers will wake up at midnight to start their ascent to the summit, we will sleep overnight at Barafu Camp and begin our ascent tomorrow morning.*
Day 5: Barafu - Stella's Point (18,885 ft/5756 m) - Uhuru Peak (19,341 ft/5895 m) - Barafu
Summit Day! Wake up early in the morning for breakfast. After breakfast, we will start the long ascent to Uhuru Peak (the summit). The first leg of the ascent uses switchbacks to minimize the steepness of the trail. Along this path, we will stop for a lunch break before reaching Stella's Point (about 6 hours). After this point, the trail to the summit becomes much more gradual and about one hour later we will reach the summit at Uhuru Peak. After celebrating and taking photographs at the peak, we will head back down to Barafu (about 3 hours) where we will overnight once again.
Day 6: Barafu - High Camp (12,500 ft/3810 m) - Mweka Camp (10,066 ft/3068 m)
After a long day and exciting summit yesterday, we will start our hike a little later today to give extra time for rest. After a late breakfast, we will start our descent via the Mweka descent route. We will stop for lunch at High Camp before continuing on to Mweka Camp, where we will stay tonight. Total hiking time today: 4-5 hours.
Day 7: Mweka Camp - Mweka Gate - Arusha
We will wake up in the morning for breakfast and a celebration of our summit success with our team. After our celebration, we will descend to Mweka Gate through the forest (3-4 hours). There we will have a final lunch together and you will receive a certificate for a successful summit. After lunch, we will get back into a vehicle and return you to your hotel in Arusha, where a hot shower will be waiting for you!
*One of the biggest obstacles to a successful summit is a lack of sleep and energy. For this reason, we think it is in your best interest to get a good night's rest before your summit attempt. Leaving for summit in the morning also means that the trail and the peak will be less crowded, giving you as much time as you want to enjoy the view from the summit and to take pictures. However, if you would prefer a midnight ascent, we are happy to arrange that for you instead.