8 Days Machame-Mweka route

HIGHLIGHTS

A very direct and fast way down the mountain providing limited views across the Southern Glaciers. The track in the forest is often impassable even to 4WD vehicles. Beyond the roadhead the path is steep and slippery in parts. Above the Mweka Huts water must be carried. Sometimes a long walk is required at the Barafu Hut to find snow or ice for water.

ITINERARY

Day 1:
Depart Nairobi by shuttle bus for Moshi via Namanga border post. After going through the Immigration office, you proceed on to Arusha where you get a brief stop over for lunch. Later proceed on to Moshi arriving by 4 p.m. Overnight at the spring land hotel on B/B basis.
Day 2:
Breakfast and transfer to the Machame park gates where you enter the rain forest. The hike keeps you amongst the giant trees for about 4 hours. Picnic lunch en route, after which you are almost at Machame camp 3000m for dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
After breakfast, you climb out of the rain forest and into a moorland zone. After 5 hours hike, take picnic lunch and arrive at the Shira plateau – Shira hut at 3840m for dinner and overnight.
Day 4:
After spending the night at near zero degrees Celsius, rise early and head straight towards Kibo. After about 2 hours, gain altitude sharply toward Lava Tower 4570meters. Descend to Barranco camp at 3900m.
Day 5:
After spending a night at the Great Barranco wall, you will appreciate how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. A long hike through the Karanga Valley joins with Mweka route. This is preferred route down the summit. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu hut, 4750m and you will now be at same altitude as the day before at Lava Tower.
Day 6:
A steep and difficult hike of about 6 hours brings you to the crater rim at Stella Point. Proceed on to reach Uhuru peak before turning back to Barafu and then Mweka camp 3100m for overnight.
Day 7:
After an early breakfast, it is a short and scenic hike back to the park gate where you get your certificate of achievement for having reached the summit. Transfer to spring land hotel Moshi for overnight.
Day 8:
After breakfast, you are transferred to connect your transport vehicle back to Nairobi