Climb Kilimanjaro via Machame Route with Berg Adventures
Machame Route Itinerary:
If you look at a map of Kilimanjaro, you will see that the Machame Route climbs to over 12,000 feet and then traverses a significant portion of the mountain at this elevation. Altogether, we will spend three nights in different camps at approximately the same elevation before ascending to a high camp for our summit attempt. This part of the trip is beautiful in its own right — and it has the added benefit of allowing us to acclimatize by taking a longer route.
Itinerary is for the climb only portion of your trip. Safari itineraries begin the day after your climb ends.
Day 1 – International flight to Arusha, Tanzania
Day 2 – Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and meet BAI representatives for transport to hotel. Evening is free for an early quiet dinner somewhere in Arusha, or to relax at the hotel.
Day 3 – Orientation day. Team meeting and gear check at the hotel. Light hike in the Mount Meru foothills and a visit to the local market. Team welcome dinner in the evening.
Day 4 – We are off at 8 a.m. in Land Rovers to the Machame Gate, our entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. A group of old friends, local men from the Chagga tribe, will be waiting for us. We will organize loads for our self-contained expedition and then begin our long walk through the cloud forest, a land of beauty and of perpetual mists that shroud the huge mountain above in mystery.
Day 5-7 – You will find your group moving across the arid open spaces of the moorland and alpine desert zones. The classic views of the tremendous glaciers looming above and spilling off the rim of Kibo, our destination, will inspire and awe us. Each day we will choose a beautiful camp at an elevation between 12,000 and 13,000 feet. This mountain traverse stands with the finest in the world; as we do it, however, our motivation will be acclimatization. During the traverse we will spend three days and nights at relatively constant elevations. This is an excellent formula for helping our bodies make the adaptations necessary for an ascent to Uhuru Point, at 19,339 feet (5894m) the highest point in Africa.
Day 8 – Our team of Chagga staff and porters are all still with us. Today a group of them will go down to the forest in order to establish our exit route off the mountain. A larger group, composed of the strongest men, will carry the water, tents, food and safety equipment to our high camp at 15,700 feet.
Day 9 – Summit day. Up in the middle of the night.
The climb through the starlit upper reaches of Kilimanjaro
will seem endless. But as the bead of gold finally appears
on the eastern horizon and you breathe the cold, dry air at 19,000 feet,
you will know that you have succeeded in reaching the rooftop of Africa.
A spectacular and very slow-paced walk (the air is thin!) around the crater
rim to the very highest point of the continent produces an indescribable
sense of accomplishment.
Day 10 – The exhaustion of yesterday’s long summit day, and the thick air down in the forest may have you waking from the deepest sleep you can remember. Our walk back through the cloud forest may be yet another surprise. You will have forgotten the cool, soothing light and moisture in the forest after days spent at altitude. Our Land Cruisers will be waiting for us at the park gate. Here we formally thank the staff who have worked with us.
Day 11 –Safari adventure begins. See detailed descriptions of three- and six-day safari options.