The standard "Whiskey Route" — Kilimanjaro's most popular path, completed in a brisk six days.
The 6-day Machame is the standard version of Kilimanjaro's most popular trekking route. It traverses all five climate zones of the mountain — from rainforest to arctic summit — and offers some of the best scenery on Kili, including the iconic Barranco Wall scramble and the Lava Tower acclimatisation climb.
This shorter version skips the extra Karanga acclimatisation day, so it suits time-pressed trekkers with prior altitude experience. If you have one more day to spare, our 7-day Machame is the recommended choice for higher summit success.
Transfer from Moshi to the Machame Gate (45 minutes). Register, then trek through dense, moss-draped rainforest with blue monkeys and colobus. Lunch en route. Reach Machame Camp by late afternoon for hot drinks, dinner and your first night under canvas.
Leave the rainforest, climb a steep ridge onto moorland covered in giant heather and lobelia. The route opens onto the Shira Plateau with stunning views of Kibo summit. Arrive Shira for lunch and a relaxed afternoon.
Classic "climb high, sleep low" acclimatisation day. Ascend gradually through alpine desert to the Lava Tower for lunch, then descend into the spectacular Barranco Valley with its giant senecio trees.
The famous Barranco Wall scramble in the morning — non-technical but exhilarating. Continue through the Karanga Valley and onwards across alpine desert to Barafu, the high camp. Early dinner and lights out by 7pm; midnight wake-up for the summit attempt.
Midnight ascent past Stella Point to Uhuru Peak — the Roof of Africa — for sunrise. After photos, descend back to Barafu and continue down to Mweka Camp for a well-earned rest.
Easy descent through rainforest to Mweka Gate. Collect your summit certificate and transfer back to Moshi for hot showers, celebration meal, and your first cold drink in a week.
From $1,720 per person — the standard, time-efficient Whiskey Route climb.