Known as Whisky Route, this is one of the most scenic and therefore popular routes on the mountain and offers adventurous climbers stunning scenic vistas. With paths through magnificent forests to gain a ridge leading through the moorland zones to late sunsets at Shira Plateau to the misty revelations of Kibo at the great Barranco Wall.
It then traverses beneath the glaciated precipices of the Southern Ice fields to join the Barafu Route to the summit. Because it can be done over longer periods and the incline is more manageable it has a much higher success rate of summit.
Upon arrival to Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred for overnight accommodation at your hotel. Your head guide will meet you for your briefing, gear check and arrange for you to hire any equipment you may need.
DAY 1: MACHAME GATE – MACHAME CAMP| RAIN FOREST
Trekking Time: 4-6 hours | Distance: 9 km | Altitude Gain: 1210 m
A one-hour drive from Moshi lays the gate to the Machame route, where we complete park formalities, meet our crew of porters and start to climb! The first section of the route climbs steadily and involves real jungle-bashing through magnificent forest. This path is less well-trodden & often wet & muddy underfoot. We camp at Machame camp (3100 m)
DAY 2: MACHAME CAMP – SHIRA CAMP| MOORLAND
Trekking Time: 4-6 hours | Distance: 9 km | Altitude Gain: 740 m
The route continues on up through the forest until we are at the steep ascent on the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt. Meru rising high above Arusha town. We camp at Shira caves (3840 m).
DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP – LAVA TOWER – BARRANCO CAMP| SEMI DESERT
Trekking Time: 6-7 hours | Distance: 15 km | Altitude Gain: 60 m
Walking now on high moorland, the landscape changes the entire character of the trek. We traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach and finally reach camp at Barranco camp (3900 m). The day has been spent at altitude (up to 4600 m), but we have followed the mountaineering code of walk high, sleep low to avoid altitude sickness by aiding our bodies in acclimatization.
DAY 4: BARRANCO CAMP – KARANGA CAMP| ALPINE DESERT
Trekking Time: 5-7 hours | Distance: 5 km | Altitude Gain: 100 m
We start the day by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up what has been termed the Breakfast Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It is a climb over rocks, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga Valley (4000 m) for overnight.
DAY 5: HIKE KARANGA CAMP – BARAFU CAMP| ALPINE DESERT
Trekking Time: 2-4 hours | Distance: 4 km | Altitude Gain: 600 m
The day is characterized by a short hike on terrain formed by scree. We walk through arid and desolate land towards Barafu camp (4600 m).
DAY 6: BARAFU CAMP – SUMMIT| GLACIERS
Trekking Time: 6-8 hours | Distance: 7 km| Altitude Gain: 1296 m
We avoid walking too long in the heat of the sun today by starting around midnight, walking steeply upwards to the Summit glaciers. You will be climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours but you gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5750 m) as the first rays of the sun emerge. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hours walk takes us to our goal, the summit of Uhuru (5896 m), the highest point; Uhuru means freedom in Swahili.
We begin the descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope back to Barafu camp for breakfast and a rest before finally heading down to Millenium Camp (3000 m) for a well-earned rest. On our descent we have fabulous views of the plains and Mawenzi peak.
Trekking Time: 6-8 hours | Distance: 12 km | Altitude Loss: 2896 m
DAY 7: MWEKA CAMP – MWEKA GATE – MOSHI| RAIN FOREST
Trekking Time: 4-5 hours | Distance: 10 km | Altitude Loss: 1360 m
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to the Mweka Gate (1640 m), where we complete park formalities, are met by our vehicles, receive your certificate of ascent courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority and drive back to your hotel to Moshi.
Group Price
$1,850 per person when 1 person travels alone
$1,600 per person when 2 – 4 persons travel together
$1,550 per person when 5 – 7 persons travel together
$1,500 per person when 8 – 15 persons travel together
What is included
• Private transport to & from Kilimanjaro International Airport to your accommodation in Moshi.
• 2 nights of accommodation
• Transportation to & from the Kilimanjaro gate
• Park entry fees,
• Camping fees
• Kilimanjaro Rescue fees
• 18% VAT on tour fees & services
• 4 Season mountain tents
• Double layered Sleeping Mats
• Professional mountain guides, cook and porters
• 3 hot meals daily while on the mountain
• Enough treated & filtered drinking water throughout the trek
• Hot water for washing
• Fair treatment of our crew
• Government taxes
• Portable oxygen tanks & ox meter
• Emergency first-aid kit
What is not included
– Lunches, dinners and drinks at your hotel before and after climb.
– Travel insurance
– Portable flush toilet with a toilet tent is available for extra charges $ 70 for the entire trek.
– Flights
– Laundry (Available at hotel)
– Personal items and toiletries
– Tips for guides, porters and cook