trek Kilimanjaro Routes
Machame Route
10 days
ITINERARY
6 days
TREKKING
5,895m
ALTITUDE
Dates
2024 & 2025
Kilimanjaro Short & sharp Climb
To climb Kilimanjaro on our 10 day Machame itinerary (trekking for 6 days), you can join one of many Open Group Challenge climbs throughout the year, departing from the UK. You can even climb with us over New Year for a celebration with a real difference!
The Challenge
Reach the Roof of Africa in 6 days...
Our 6 day Kilimanjaro Machame Route trek heads in from the south western side of the National Park, initially through the dense rain forest, and approaches the summit of Kibo via Barafu Camp and Stella Point. It is currently the most popular route on Kilimanjaro and not without good reason, even though it’s perhaps a bit tougher than the 7 day climb on the Lemosho Route (which actually mirrors the Machame Route from Day 3 onwards). There’s an acclimatisation allowance by trekking up to Lava Tower on Day 3, and combined with varied topography and features along the way, makes it one of the most interesting ascents of Kilimanjaro for those who feel confident. On reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro you will feel on top of the world!
- 10 day trip - 6 day trekking
- Most popular route - less camping!
- Approaches from the South West
- Mirrors Lemosho Route from Day 3
- Rainforest to glaciers - varied scenery
- Trek through the Lava Towers
- Scale the mighty Barranco wall
- Great acclimatisation route profile
- Summit on New Year's Day date
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The Experience
Life On The Trek
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on a Kilimanjaro adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough on summit day, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships that will stay with you for many years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local Kilimanjaro logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ Kilimanjaro trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.
free ultra challenge
FREE 50KM ULTRA CHALLENGE PLACE
Join us on one of our UK Ultra Challenges,
get active and kickstart your training with
a free 50km entry worth £139.
APPLY FOR YOUR CODE AFTER SIGNING UP
Itinerary & Route
Please note that some details of the itinerary may change, you will be provided with a detailed itinerary once you are signed up to the challenge.
Departing London, we fly overnight before landing into Tanzania. Upon a morning arrival, we transfer to our hotel, check in, before a welcome briefing & kit check. We have an evening meal together before an early night.
Setting out from Machame gate, to the South East of the mountain, we set out from the foothills through lush vegetation. Our 1st night is spent camping at ‘Machame Camp’ (2,780m). The next day we trek our way slowly towards Shira Camp where the landscape turns more into ‘Moorland’ with unique shrubs & flora. We camp at the Shira Plateau which is above the cloud line, at 3,850m. From here we head towards Barranco Camp, past Lava Tower & under the ice field of Kibo – tonight’s camp is at 3,972m, just below the infamous Barranco wall.
Heading out from Barranco camp, we scramble up to the top of the Barranco wall, before heading along to Karanga Camp 3,995m. After lunch we set out from Karanga to Kosovo Camp at 4,800m which takes us about 6 hours. It is here that we prepare ourselves for our summit attempt, getting in a few hours of sleep before waking up approx. 11pm.
And so to the Kilimanjaro summit day! We awake just before midnight – and after a hot drink & snacks we begin our climb. For the next 6 hours we trek the steepest and most demanding part of the route by torch light. This is a long and gruelling trek to reach Stella point (5,730m) at Kilimanjaro’s crater rim. After a short rest we make our final traverse to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the African continent at 5,895m. The rising morning sunlight gives us spectacular views across the plains below and of Mount Meru in the distance – and we feel on top of the world! After some photos we have a tough decent back to Kosovo Camp where we stop for a rest and brunch, before continuing down to Millennium Camp at 3,950m. After a long and exhilarating day we can finally rest our tired legs and get a good night’s sleep!
We descend to the gate from Millennium Camp which takes us between 4-5 hours, before boarding a bus to head back to the hotel. After a rest & a hot shower we have the afternoon to relax by the pool before a celebratory dinner. The next day we have a free morning, before heading to the airport for an overnight flight back to the UK.
OUR NEW YEAR'S EVE CLIMB
- 2024 & 2025 Trips
- Departs 26 Dec
- Summits NY Morning
Join our once in a lifetime challenge to the summit of Kilimanjaro reaching the top in time for sunrise on New Years Day. Flying out from the UK on Boxing Day, to get away from the excesses of Christmas and the cold of December, we set out along the 6 day Machame route which sees us spending an ‘all nighter’ as we climb through the hours of darkness on New Year’s Eve to reach the summit for New Year’s morning. You will hear the cheers & celebrations of your fellow climbers all the way up the mountain, in what can only be described as the best way to start any New Year!
Costs & Fundraising
We’ve three payment & fundraising options for you to take on this challenge.
Self Funding
Sign up from £295 online deposit & balance payment due 12 weeks before, with no fundraising target.
Fundraise for Charity
Sign up from £295 online deposit & fundraise for a charity of your choice, with different target options.
Our Brochure
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, dates & prices – download for a full run down of the challenge details.
