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Price
£1565
What's Included
• Two nights bed and breakfast in Moshi, one night before and one night after the climb.• Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro airport.
• Transfers from the bed and breakfast to the start point and return.
• Services of experienced and dedicated local guides, porters and cooks, supervised by Samson Lauwo.
• 3 meals a day and drinking water.
• All park fees including park rescue fees.
• Air Ambulance, emergency medical & air evacuation included with with AMREF Flying Doctor.
• Quality equipment including professional mountain tents.
There is NO local payment payable on our Kilimanjaro treks.
Contact us for overland camping safari + kilimanjaro combination discounts
Countries Visited
Tanzania
Trek Overview
The 6 day Machame route approaches Kilimanjaro through forest and moorland from the south-west, and joins the Shira route before traversing beneath the southern ice fields of Kibo. The rainforest is extremely beautiful and there is a tangible sense of 'wilderness' once the higher elevations are reached. The views of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable. The final ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro is made via the Barafu route.
Variations Available
Itinerary
Day 1
We head off at 8 a.m. to the Machame Gate, the entrance to Kilimanjaro National Park. A group of local men from the Chagga tribe will be waiting for us at the gate. They will soon become your friends as they assist day to day with your climb.
We make our final arrangements for our self contained expedition and then head out on the long walk through the cloud forest, a land of beauty and of perpetual mists that shroud in mystery the huge mountain above. Our first stop is Machame Hut for dinner and where we camp overnight. Tonight we are at 3,100m.
Days 2 - 3
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 3,600m and 3,900m. This mountain traverse stands with the finest in the world; as we do it, however, our main motivation will be acclimatization.
During the trek 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 5,895m the highest point in Africa. We have dinner and overnight at Shira Camp.
Day 4
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 4,785m for dinner and overnight at Barafu Hut.
Day 5
Summit day has arrived. We are 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 5,790m, 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! We descend down to Mweka hut for dinner and our overnight camp.
Day 6
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 vehicles waiting for us at the park gate. Here we formally thank the Chaggas who have worked with us. They will be returning by private bus back to their families on the farms of Marangu. We are going in the opposite direction, heading to a warm welcome, a great meal and a hot shower at our bed and breakfast, Bristol Cottages.
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Budgeting Summary
6 days Machame Route Budget
The costs to consider when trekking Kilimanjaro are:
What's included
Your Kilimanjaro trek price covers:
At a glance what you get on the 6 day Machame trek:
Two nights bed and breakfast in Moshi at Bristol Cottages, one night before and one night after the climb.
Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro airport.
Transfers from Bristol Cottages to start point and return.
Services of experienced and dedicated local guides, porters and cooks, supervised by Samson Lauwo.
3 meals a day and drinking water.
All park fees including park rescue fees.
Air Ambulance, emergency medical & air evacuation included with AMREF Flying Doctor
Quality camping equipment including Mountain Mess tent for meals essential for keeping out wind and cold. Incl. Kelty and North Face Mountain tents.
There is NO local payment on our Kilimanjaro treks.
Equipment available for hire. Contact us for further details.
All transfers to and from Nairobi (either the airport or The Heron Hotel) to Moshi can be arranged.
Spending Money
Spending money is very individual and will mainly depend on what you spend before and after
your climb on meals, drinks and other personal needs, for example internet.
There is not a lot to purchase once you head out except a map of the mountain, which can be bought
at the Park Gate. A suggested budget would be £60 - £180
It is important to realise too that tipping is expected for good service on the route and can work out between 250 - 300 USD including tips to your guide, cook and porters. Suggested amounts are: for the guide US$12-US$20 per day; cook US$10- $15 per day; porters US$7-US$30 for the trek
Visa
Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 - 9 months after your trip finishes. Ensure as well you have adequate pages in your passport for each country you visit. Up to 2 consecutive blank pages can be required. If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport for the entire trip, whilst bringing both is wise as a back up. More information can be found in the different country listings on the FCO website under entry requirements.Below is an estimation of current visa requirements and their costs. If your passport is not detailed below please dont hesitate to contact us for further details of your requirements.
Visas for most passport holders including British, Australian, New Zealand, Irish, South African, German, French, Canadian and American passport holders can be arranged in Africa on route. This includes the Kenyan visa which for most passport holders can be easily arranged upon arrival in Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Visas can only be paid for in US Dollars cash.
This information is given as a guide only. Visa requirements can change without prior notice. We recommended you also check your personal current visa requirements with the relevant embassies well in advance before you travel.
| VISA CHART | Kenya | Rwanda | Uganda | Tanzania | Malawi | Zambia | Zimbabwe | Botswana | Namibia | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PASSPORT | ||||||||||
| Australian | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| New Zealand | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Africa | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Canadian | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| American | $50 | - | - | $100 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| British | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| German | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dutch | $50 | - | - | $50 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Irish | $50 | - | - | $100 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other exciting ADD-ONs
Pre and post climb please click here.
Remember you then need to budget for flights, insurance, vaccination costs and any equipment you might need such as a sleeping bag.
Any queries? Call our office on +44 (0) 208 742 0226, email us at absaf@absoluteafrica.com or skype us on skypeabsoluteafrica
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6 days Machame Route
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Before You Go
6 days Machame Route
Click on the link below to download the predeparture dossier for this trek "Climb Kilimanjaro (6 day Machame Route)".
Climb Kilimanjaro (6 day Machame Route) - pre departure packThis information has been developed over 30 years of experience overlanding in Africa.
It includes all you might need to know to prepare for this trip and more. We know many people love to plan their trip in detail and we hope you will find lots of "stuff" in here to help!
We also send out personal updates about 6 weeks before departure to all participants heading out on each departure date. This includes final confirmations of pre safari transfers and accommodation and other details relating to your specific travel arrangements so you can check all is as you need.
We recommend once booked on a 6 days Machame Route to trip that you periodically check back here as this information is regularly updated. It is also a good idea to keep an eye on the news area of this site.
And if you are not excited enough about heading to Africa already, check out our facebook page, listen out for our tweets and keep up to date with our blog to stay up to date with all that is happening on the road on the trucks.
Overlanding in Africa is a very different destination from your usual package holiday! You may find some information in this dossier different from what you expected. Whatever your question don't hesitate to ask. We are here to help so feel free to get back to us.
We are more than happy to advise as to what is the best plan for your particular Africa travel needs.
Give us a call, or skype or email. We look forward to planning your trip to Africa with you.
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