Kilimanjaro: Machame Route

9 days
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
View all 8 photos
4.5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
93%
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
premier

Health Safety +

USTOA

Small Group Tour
Embark on a nine-day trip trekking the challenging Machame Route to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro – Africa's highest point. At high altitude, it's an epic journey through varied terrain of lowland forest and dry mountain desert. With local guides and porters making your hike that much easier, set up camp at night and soak up all the incredible scenery along th...
29%
$5,006
From$3,576
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Extreme
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Size up mighty Mt Kilimanjaro from the lush tropical surrounds of Marangu, as you prepare to ascend the incredible mountain with the help of an experienced climber.
    • Travel with experienced guides and porters. You'll be in great hands – with one guide for every two passengers – so all you’ll have to worry about is soaking up the scenery and keeping your footing!
    • Kilimanjaro’s changing scenery – magnificent rainforests and high-alpine deserts to ice fields and vast glaciers – is all on display as you tackle the trails to the top of Africa.
    • Catch a dazzling African sunrise from Stella Point on your way to summit Africa's highest mountain peak – definitely a rewarding experience after an early wake-up call!
    • Feel good knowing that you’re supporting an official partner of IMEC’s Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). This means that all of our climbs have been assessed and scored based on a number of criteria, all of which are designed to ensure the proper treatment of porters.

What's this trip about?

    Embark on a nine-day trip trekking the challenging Machame Route to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro – Africa's highest point. At high altitude, it's an epic journey through varied terrain of lowland forest and dry mountain desert. With local guides and porters making your hike that much easier, set up camp at night and soak up all the incredible scenery along the way. Then at the very top of Uhuru Peak, rising 5896 metres above sea level, feel the exhilaration and sense of achievement as you marvel at the incredible views and consider what you’ve just accomplished. Congratulations – you’ve hit the peak of Kilimanjaro.

Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityMoshi
End CityMoshi

Travel Themes

  • Hiking & Walking
  • Trekking & Expeditions

Destinations

Attractions

  • Nairobi

Activities

  • Hiking
  • Trekking

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 12

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Moshi

Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. Your hike begins in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Moshi. The hotel is a short walk from the village’s bustling market and some excellent coffee shops. Please make sure that you’re at the hotel by early evening, as your trip starts w...

Day 2 Machame Camp

Meet your guides and porters after breakfast and take the opportunity to organise your gear before setting off on a 1-hour transfer by road to the Machame Gate – the south western entrance to the Mt Kilimanjaro National Park. On the way, stop into one of the clothes l...

Day 3 Shira Camp

Your second day on the mountain takes you out of the rainforest and up a steep ridge into moor land. Watch as the vegetation grows sparser as you ascend along the path to the Shira Plateau – soon, several distinct species, including the giant groundsel and lobelia, wi...

Day 4 Barranco Camp

Enjoy a fantastic walk as you continue through the rolling landscape and deep river valleys. The undulating landscape offers a great chance to acclimatise and as you ascend to the more rugged areas of the mountain, there are great views of the Kibo Massif and its magnificent surrounds. Tonight is spent at Barranco Camp.

Day 5 Karanga Valley

Today is an important acclimatisation day as you’re only going to be walking during the morning. First, climb the Barranco Wall (not a technical climb) and then follow the Kibo South Circuit. If the weather is clear, you can expect to have some magnificent views of Ki...

Day 6 Barafu Camp / Uhuru Peak

From Karanga, head up to the intersection of the South Circuit and the Mweka route where you’ll start climbing up a ridge to Barafu Hut. Barafu is Swahili for ‘ice’ – it can be very cold here at night! You should arrive at Barafu around late lunchtime, allowing plenty of time to rest before the final summit attempt very early tomorrow morning.

Day 7 Uhuru Peak / Millennium Camp or Mweka Camp

At around midnight you’ll be woken by the guides with some hot tea and biscuits to give you energy before the long, difficult ascent up scree, and sometimes snow, to Stella Point (5780 metres). Pass the giant Rebmann Glacier en route and hopefully arrive at Stella Poi...

Day 8 Moshi

Today you’ll continue to descend the mountain, traversing alpine meadows and rainforest to the Mweka park gate. From Mweka Camp to the Mweka gate, trek for 10 kilometres (approximately 3–4 hours) descending a total of 1300 metres (4300 feet). Enjoy some lunch after ch...

Day 9 Moshi

With no activities or trekking planned for today, you are free to depart at any time. Transfers to Kilimanjaro Airport or a shuttle to Nairobi can be arranged locally – please speak to your leader at your welcome meeting if you wish to organise this.

Want a tailor-made trip instead?

Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:

  • You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
  • Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Design custom trip

Dates & Availability

Price From $3,576
Price per day$397
Last Updated: 11/22/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
15 Feb 2025
23 Feb 2025
$4,645
14 Jun 2025
22 Jun 2025
$4,645
28 Jun 2025
06 Jul 2025
$4,645
12 Jul 2025
20 Jul 2025
$5,015
26 Jul 2025
03 Aug 2025
$5,015
09 Aug 2025
17 Aug 2025
$5,015
23 Aug 2025
31 Aug 2025
$5,015
06 Sep 2025
14 Sep 2025
$4,830
20 Sep 2025
28 Sep 2025
$4,830
04 Oct 2025
12 Oct 2025
$4,830

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Intrepid Travel Reviews & Ratings

4.5/5  Excellent
Excellent
3,381
Great
677
Average
150
Disappointing
84
Terrible
226
J

James

Sep 2015

Written on

Trekking trip largely excellent. Organisation at Kibo

Trekking trip largely excellent. Organisation at Kibo hotel Marunga not so good.

Write a Review

Other Intrepid Travel Reviews

N

Nigel customer

Nov 2024

Written on

EBC trek with Intrepid.

I did the EBC trek with Intrepid in September and October. Our group missed the first 3 days of the planned 12 day trek due to bad weather. There was a real fear we...

D

Diana Louis

Nov 2024

Written on

Terrific organisation, unforgettable experiences.

I did my first Intrepid trip on the Camino de Santiago and it was simply excellent every step of the way. Pre-travel organisation was comprehensive and well organis...

A

Alison

Nov 2024

Written on

We travelled 8 days in Morrocco with…

We travelled 8 days in Morrocco with Mahdi as our guide. We loved the trip and found Mahdi and the other local guides very informative and friendly. The accommodatio...

Write a Review

Travelers also viewed

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

premier
View Profile

The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Associations

About Travelstride

Find your perfect trip

An epic selection of pre-planned trips on every continent, for every style. Thousands of itineraries from over 1,000 trusted travel companies.

Save time

Use simple search and comparison tools to easily find the best trip. Don't sweat the logistics — travel providers plan for you.

Save money

Book directly with the operator. See inclusive packages for the best values, and get access to amazing deals.

Travel confidently

Read unbiased user reviews, pick the operator that suits your needs, and connect with them directly.

Logistics

Accommodation

Camping (with basic facilities) (6 nts),Hotel (2 nts)

Transportation & Flights

Minibus,

Transportation & flights

Minibus
Guides
KILIMANJARO CLIMB: This trip is led by experienced guides, with a minimum of 1 guide to every 2 climbers. Sufficient porters are employed to carry the group’s equipment.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below:
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements INFORMATION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS: If you require an address for Visa Applications in Tanzania, please use: Kibo Palace Hotel PO Box 2523 Old Moshi Road Arusha - Tanzania Phone: +255 272544472 If you require a contact number for Visa Applications in Tanzania, please use: Intrepid Tanzania: +254 758 555 550 or +254 758 555 551 LETTER OF INVITATION TANZANIA: If you require a letter of invitation or list of hotel confirmations for your application, please contact your booking agent, and we will issue one tailored to your specific tour and departure.
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid's operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. BALCONIES Some hotel balconies don't meet western standards in terms of the width of the balcony fence being narrower than 10cm. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! SEAT BELTS Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PICK POCKETING & PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking at night and encourage you to walk in groups and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. WATER SAFETY Please take care when taking part in any activities in the ocean, river or open water, where waves and currents can be unpredictable. It's expected that anyone taking part in water activities is able to swim and have experience in open water. All swimmers should seek local advice before entering the water. TRAVEL ADVICE & TRAVEL INSURANCE We recommend that you check your government's advice in relation to the areas you will be visiting for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH INTREPID - SAFETY FAQs Climbing Kilimanjaro is a pretty tall order – in fact for most people it’s the hardest physical challenge they will ever undertake. It can also be a dangerous environment if the right precautions aren’t taken – and that’s why our number one priority is your safety. Of course – we still want you to have a great time, and we’d love you to reach the summit of Africa’s highest mountain! So – rest assured that not only are you travelling with an operator that puts safety first, but also that around 95% of clients that climb with Intrepid make it to Uhuru Peak! The following are some FAQs on safety on the mountain. Q: Who is your local operator in Tanzania? A: All Intrepid Kilimanjaro climbs are operated by Intrepid Guerba Tanzania Limited, which is a fully owned Intrepid company based in northern Tanzania. Q: How many mountain guides will I have for my climb? A: It depends on the number of passengers in your group. We operate with a strict minimum of one mountain guide for every two clients. Meaning that there will be plenty of mountain guides on your trip to ensure that you are looked after, encouraged, and informed about Kilimanjaro. Q: Do your mountain guides carry first aid kits? A: Yes. We carry multiple, comprehensive first aid kits and our mountain guides are fully trained on their use. All of our mountain guides are first-aid qualified. Q: Are your mountain guides trained to recognise symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness? A: Absolutely! Intrepid have invested in the highest standards of training of any operator on Kilimanjaro. This includes advanced altitude training delivered by a UK doctor and altitude research specialist. One of the key elements of this is training on the Lake Louise altitude assessment system, which allows our mountain guides to effectively monitor clients constantly whilst on Kilimanjaro and assess if they are suffering from AMS and, if so, how severe that AMS is. We also train them on how to respond in the case of a moderate or severe case of altitude sickness – which will always mean organising for the affected client to descend immediately. During your briefing on the first evening of your trip, your mountain guide will talk to you about symptoms of AMS and how to recognise them. Q: Do you carry medicines for altitude? A: Yes – there are two key, potentially life-saving drugs that our teams carry on the Mountain. These are Dexamethasone and Nifedipine and they used to treat cerebral and pulmonary oedema, which are the two potentially life-threatening complications of severe AMS. Our mountain guides are fully trained on the use of these drugs for altitude related illnesses. Q: What about Diamox? A: We don’t carry Diamox on Kilimanjaro. The reason for this is that, although medical research suggests that Diamox can be very effective in aiding acclimatisation to altitude, it has been proven to be far less effective at treating severe AMS. You may wish to talk to your doctor prior to travelling about being prescribed Diamox to assist acclimatisation while you climb Kilimanjaro. Q: Will oxygen be available? A: We carry medical oxygen – and when a group has four passengers or more, this will mean multiple cylinders will be distributed amongst the team of mountain guides to ensure that oxygen is always quickly available in the case of an emergency. The oxygen that we carry is strictly for emergency use only – and cannot be used by clients to assist in climbing or summiting. Q: Do you carry Gammow Bags or PACs? A: No. Gammow Bags and PACs are two types of portable hyperbaric chambers, which are sometimes used for sufferers of severe AMS. What makes Kilimanjaro relatively unique is that it is a “rapid ascent mountain” – meaning altitude gain happens extremely quickly. Logically, therefore, Kilimanjaro is also a “rapid descent mountain” and our policy is that in the case of severe AMS, our mountain guides will immediately evacuate the sufferer down the mountain, usually with the assistance of porters to carry the person affected. Often, a descent of just a few hundred metres will be enough to make a difference. Gammow bags and PACs are more effective in other parts of the world where rapid descent on foot is not possible. Also, a Gammow Bag takes a little while to inflate – which on Kilimanjaro is valuable time lost during which an evacuation down the mountain could already have commenced. Q: How do your mountain guides communicate on Kilimanjaro? A: Cell phone coverage on the mountain is improving – but is still patchy in many areas. For this reason, Intrepid mountain guides carry short wave radios to allow for communication in the case of an emergency. HOMOSEXUALITY IN TANZANIA Homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania (including Zanzibar) and is not tolerated in Tanzania’s conservative society. Public displays of homosexuality like holding hands or kissing in public places could lead to arrest and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. In June 2017, the Tanzanian Government announced a 'crackdown' on LGBQTI rights advocates operating in Tanzania, threatening arrest. We recommend that you refer to your government's official travel advisories for the most up to date advice before you travel.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Chanya Lodge
  • Plot 298, Kiboriloni (off Arusha-Himo Road)
  • Moshi
  • 8176
  • TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF
  • Phone: +255 675 772 224
Trip ID
intrepid-YKXA

Become a member

(it's free)
  • Save up to $700 per person
  • Access members-only specials
  • Personalize trip recommendations
Sign up and save
Top Tour Companies on Travelstride:
All 1,600+ companies >