Itinerary
- Day 1
Arusha to Machame Camp
Start with breakfast at your hotel in Arusha before getting picked up and driven to Machame Village. You'll stop to buy water and grab a packed lunch, then head to Machame Gate for registration with Tanzania National Park. The hike into the rainforest begins from there, and you should expect rain, mud, and fog as the elevation increases. Watch for Colobus monkeys moving through the canopy. After a lunch break partway through, you'll arrive at Machame Camp in the late afternoon where tents are already set up and hot dinner is waiting.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Packed lunch during hike), Dinner (Hot dinner at camp)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at hotel
- Registration at Tanzania National Park (TANAPA)
- Guided hike through rainforest to Machame Camp
- Packed lunch during hike
- Hot dinner at camp
Optional Activities
- Purchase mineral water at Machame Village
Landmarks/POIs Machame Gate Machame Camp - Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
After an early breakfast, the rainforest is behind you as you move into heathland moorland vegetation. You'll cross several streams and hike over a rocky ridge that leads onto the Shira plateau. By the time you arrive at Shira Camp next to a stream, your tents will be ready. The views from camp include the Western Breach and its glaciers, which you can take in while having evening snacks and dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early morning breakfast), Dinner (Dinner prepared by chef)
Included Activities
- Early morning breakfast
- Guided hike through moorland to Shira plateau
- Evening snacks
- Dinner at camp
Landmarks/POIs Shira Camp Western Breach - Day 3
Shira Camp to Barranco Camp
Breakfast comes early, then you leave the moorland for a semi-desert rocky landscape. After 5 hours of walking east, you'll reach the massive Lava Tower where lunch is provided. If weather cooperates, there's an option to climb the tower itself. The afternoon has you descending to Barranco Camp in the valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall. This lower elevation helps your body adjust to the altitude. Dinner comes with sunset views over the landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early morning breakfast), Lunch (Packed lunch at Lava Tower), Dinner (Dinner at camp)
Included Activities
- Early morning breakfast
- Guided hike through semi-desert landscape
- Packed lunch at Lava Tower
- Descent to Barranco Camp
- Dinner at camp
Optional Activities
- Climb the Lava Tower (weather permitting)
Landmarks/POIs Lava Tower Great Barranco Wall Barranco Camp - Day 4
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Following breakfast, you tackle the Great Barranco Wall, which is a Class 2 hike that tends to feel less difficult than it appears at first. From the top, Heim Glacier comes into view and you'll emerge above the cloud line. The trail then moves up and down through Karanga Valley in a way that works well for acclimatization, letting you gain altitude gradually without pushing too hard.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early morning breakfast), Dinner (Dinner at camp)
Included Activities
- Early morning breakfast
- Guided hike up Great Barranco Wall
- Guided hike through Karanga Valley to camp
Landmarks/POIs Great Barranco Wall Heim Glacier Karanga Valley - Day 5
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
After breakfast, you leave Karanga Camp and continue hiking until the trail meets the Mweka Route, which becomes your descent path later. About an hour into the day you'll reach Barafu Hut, the final water stop for porters. From there, continue to Barafu Camp, your staging point for the summit push. Get settled, have an early dinner, and aim to be sleeping by 7 PM. Your guide will go over summit preparations and what to expect for the night ahead.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at camp), Dinner (Early dinner at camp)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at camp
- Guided hike to Barafu Camp
- Early dinner at camp
Landmarks/POIs Barafu Hut Barafu Camp - Day 6
Summit Push: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Around 11:30 PM your guide wakes you for tea and biscuits before starting the summit attempt. You'll ascend over stone scree heading northwest through what becomes the most challenging part mentally and physically. After roughly 6 hours you reach Stella Point on the crater rim just as the sun rises. Take time for photos and tea, then the final 2 hours on snow-covered trail leads to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 meters. After the summit, descend back to Barafu in about 3 hours, rest, and have hot lunch in the sun. The long descent continues through scree, rocks, moorland, and rainforest to Mweka Camp, where fog and rain return in the final forest section.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Tea and biscuits at Barafu Camp around 23:30), Lunch (Hot lunch at Barafu Camp during descent), Dinner (Dinner at Mweka Camp)
Included Activities
- Tea and biscuits at Barafu Camp
- Guided summit attempt to Uhuru Peak
- Guided descent to Stella Point
- Sunrise viewing at Stella Point
- Tea at Uhuru Peak summit
- Guided descent to Mweka Camp
- Hot lunch at Barafu Camp during descent
- Dinner at Mweka Camp
Landmarks/POIs Uhuru Peak Stella Point Mweka Camp - Day 7
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Arusha
Wake to a well-deserved breakfast while your mountain staff celebrate your achievement with dancing and singing. Present tips to your guide, assistant guides, chef, and porters. After the celebration, descend 3 hours to Mweka Gate where you'll sign the National Park register and get your completion certificate, which is green if you reached Stella Point or gold if you summited Uhuru Peak. Then walk down to Mweka village for 1 hour. Enjoy a hot lunch before driving back to Arusha for showers and your summit celebration.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Well-deserved breakfast at camp), Lunch (Hot lunch at Mweka village)
Included Activities
- Breakfast at camp
- Staff celebration with dancing and singing
- Guided descent to Mweka Gate
- National Park registration and certificate receipt
- Guided walk to Mweka village
- Hot lunch at village
- Drive back to Arusha
Landmarks/POIs Mweka Gate Mweka Village
