KILIMANJARO | MACHAME ROUTE TANZANIA, AFRICA
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with our Kilimanjaro Climb in Tanzania, Africa. Summiting Uhuru Peak at 19,341 feet, this journey promises breathtaking vistas and making unforgettable memories. At World Wide Trekking, safety is our top priority, and we’re committed to providing you with a luxurious mountain experience. Our dedication to safety is reflected in every aspect of the trek, from our medically certified guides who ensure safe acclimatization to running daily medical checks to ensure your well-being throughout the journey. Indulge in the ultimate comfort with our luxury amenities, including spacious The North Face 4-person tents, a large dining dome illuminated by solar lighting, and flushing toilets with expansive privacy shelters. Delight your palate with delicious and nutritious meals carefully crafted by our chefs, enhancing your experience on the mountain. Join us for an unforgettable Kilimanjaro adventure, where safety, luxury, and breathtaking scenery await.
Trek Summary
Mountain Trek
10 D / 9 N
Up To 14
June 14 - 23, 2024
3rd Annual CLIMB 4 KIDS
June 29 - July 10, 2024
SOLD OUT
September 2 - 11, 2024
NOW BOOKING!
THE WWTREK ASSURANCE | OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGE
Kilimanjaro Activity Rating: STRENUOUS
Challenge:
On Kilimanjaro, we trek and camp multiple days above (12,000′). The main challenge for most guests is the summit night. We trek from the Kosovo camp (16,000′) to the summit of Uhuru Peak (19,341′) and then descend to the high camp for a short rest before descending to the final camp at (12,000′). Although this is a long day the reward of climbing Kilimanjaro is worth every step!
Reassurance:
Our World Wide Trekking camps on Kilimanjaro camps on Kilimanjaro camps are the best in the business. Our professional guides do medical checks daily to make sure each of our guests is acclimatizing safely. They also trek with a Gammo bag (Hyperbaric Chamber), AED, and Oxygen in case of emergency. If a guest struggles on summit night and wants to return, they can return to the high camp and descend afterward with the group. Kilimanjaro also offers routes off the mountain if guests want to end the trip early. We boast an extremely high safety and success rate with our groups, but it is nice to have reassurance.
The World Wide Trekking Difference
Our Kilimanjaro Machame Route trek is one of our most rewarding offerings. We have worked so hard to ensure our guests experience the rich culture of Tanzania throughout their trek and witness the most sensational views from the world’s largest standalone mountain.
Vat Tax
WWTrek Mountainside Camps
Our World Wide Trekking Mountainside Camps are infamous along the Machame Route. We provide spacious 4-person tents to our guests at a 2-person occupancy, providing plenty of room for you and your gear. We also have a large dining tent with flooring, lights, and a table and chairs for our guests to eat comfortably. We set up our dining dome for all our meals to ensure our guests have the time and comfort to rest during our long days of hiking. One of the most frequently voiced concerns for guests is where they can go to the bathroom as they hike– we have multiple bathroom tents that have light, space, and the luxury of flushable toilets. If you travel to the bathroom at night, you don’t have to worry about getting lost in finding your tent. We number each guest tent, and everyone’s luggage bags, to ensure everyone is keeping up with their belongings.
Luxury Lodges
Spend three nights in Tanzania’s premiere luxury lodges. Enjoy delicious cuisine, relax in spacious accommodations, and take advantage of all amenities offered.
Welcome and Celebration Dinners on site are unique, private experiences that enhance the overall Kilimanjaro experience.
WWTrek Meals
Wake up each day to a hot beverage and warm towel to prepare for long days of trekking. Our mountain chefs provide fresh food and drinks to our guests daily. Each meal is prepared in real-time and is served hot to each guest. You can rest assured knowing your nutrition is a top priority as it helps protect your health along the hike. We take all dietary or allergy-related restrictions seriously and accommodate everyone on the mountain. We deliver a fresh hot towel and beverage of your choice when you wake each day to ensure we start our day’s trek on the right footing. If there are any specific needs, contact our team before travel.
WWTrek Team
Our team of medically certified and practically trained Guides is here to help you every step of the way. From the first point of contact with the office through the end of your trekking experience with us, World Wide Trekking will work with you to ensure you feel comfortable and prepared to embark on your journey.
WWTrek Experience
We think it’s imperative to offer our guests the ability to hear from one another. This way, guests can get the nitty-gritty details about the trek… like finding out just how challenging that hike is!
“Our Kilimanjaro Trek was INCREDIBLE!!!!! Amazing experience with professional staff to walk us through each and every step. The guides were incredible, and the whole experience felt super bougie despite camping for 7 days! Staff that made incredible food, set up tents and a table and chairs for us to enjoy each meal, provided our group with our own toilet tents, and carried hot tea up the mountain on summit night to help warm our frozen bodies! Forever grateful for the experience and those that made it possible. We ended the trip with a 4 day safari which included some cultural experiences…truly remarkable.” – Amber
“Kilimanjaro – the ultimate trek for part-time adventurers like myself. I have trekked all over the world including in the Indian Himalayas, but nothing has matched the challenge and experience of Kilimanjaro. The altitude alone is daunting (19,341 ft.) but add to that the trail intensity and going through five climate zones and you end up with something that will take you beyond yourself. It is at these times you need folks like Dean and his crew to help you fill the ability void. Never have I experienced such a professional group. They are experts on Kilimanjaro, and most importantly, they are a part of the Tanzanian culture. The guides, porters, and attendants are well cared for and treated with respect. This attitude is reciprocated by them being kind and compassionate to you. World Wide Trekking also has the philosophy to leave the places of adventure better than when they came. The Human Outreach Project is a prime example of this philosophy in action. So, with World Wide Trekking, all the boxes were checked: challenging trek, climbing a mountain, knowledgeable staff, supportive staff, and caring for the people who welcomed us to their land.” – Jack
WWTrek Guest Services
Once you sign on with WWTrekking, we are here for you every step of the way! Your team of Adventure Specialists is here to help you along the way. Whether your questions or needs are regarding flights, packing, early arrivals, departures, or accommodations, you have 24/7 access to information on your PRIVATE & PERSONALIZED Trip Detail Site!
Once your trip begins, World Wide Trekking boasts an extensive support crew. We provide medically certified, Professional guide(s) for all adventures as well as a plethora of local professionals to aid the group on the mountain including porters, a tent crew, chefs, servers, dishwashers, and toilet attendants. Additionally, you have access to a Local Operations Manager throughout your adventure. From the planning through trek completion, your support team has years of experience and is here to help you feel prepared!
Trek Itinerary
Welcome to Tanzania (4,600')
- Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) Tanzania Africa.
- A World Wide Trekking representative will meet you and transfer to the lodge in Arusha, Tanzania, where we will hold a private welcome reception.
- Overnight: Serena Lodge or comparable
- Meals included: Welcome Reception
Cultural Walking Tour (4,600')
- After breakfast this morning, your guide(s) will conduct a trip briefing to go over the itinerary and what to expect on your trek.
- We will then explore the foothill villages surrounding Kilimanjaro, stopping to take a tour of a coffee plantation along the way.
- In the afternoon we will conduct individual gear checks to ensure guest preparedness before our hike begins the next day.
- You will pack one duffel for your porter to carry on the mountain and pack another to leave at the hotel with your travel and safari gear.
- Overnight: Serena Lodge or comparable
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Trek from Machame Trailhead (5,380') to Machame Camp (9,350')
- Today we will travel to the Machame trailhead, winding through coffee fields, small villages, and forests of ferns and flowers.
- At the trailhead, we will meet the rest of our crew and mountain team and register with the Kilimanjaro Park Service.
- We will trek underneath a beautiful rainforest canopy to the Machame Camp, stopping for a sit-down lunch along the way.
- Overnight: Machame Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Rainforest
Trek from Machame Camp (9,350') to Shira Camp (12,500')
- This morning we will leave the Machame camp to cross the valley and continue our ascent.
- The environment changes from heath forest to moorlands.
- Halfway up the trail we meet the river gorge and ascend across the Shira Plateau.
- Each day along the trail, we stop for a sit-down lunch in our large dining dome outfitted with tables and chairs, as well as setting up our private, flushing toilet tents.
- Overnight: Shira Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Heath | Moorland
Trek from Shira Camp (12,500') to Lava Towers Pass (15,190') to Barranco Camp (13,077')
- Today we will ascend from the Shira Camp up the Shira Plateau.
- While crossing the ridge at the Lava Tower, we will have great views of the African plains far below.
- Here we will eat lunch, acclimate, and admire the ancient glacier ice of the Breach Wall from the Lava Tower.
- We will then descend about 2,000 feet into Barranco Camp for the night.
- Overnight: Barranco Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Alpine Desert | Moorland
Trek from Barranco Camp (13,077') to Karanga Valley Camp (13,106')
- Today after breakfast, we will climb the Great Barranco Wall, also known as the Breakfast Wall.
- We will top out at about 14,500 feet before traversing across the Karanga Valley to our camp at the Karanga River.
- This completes another day of acclimatization as we pass below the famous Breach Wall, the largest ice and rock face in Africa.
- Overnight: Karanga Valley Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Moorland | Alpine Desert
Trek from Karanga Valley Camp (13,106') to Kosovo Camp (15,995') and Leave for Summit at Midnight
- From the Karanga Valley camp, we trek to Barafu (Ice) Camp, where we will enjoy a sit-down lunch and a short rest.
- Afterwards, we will wind through a sparsely traveled high desert plateau, littered with volcanic boulders. Looking south, we view the desert plains as the pinnacles of Mawenzi Peak tower before us.
- After lunch, we will continue up to the Kosovo Camp. Staying at the Kosovo Camp puts us roughly 1.5 hours closer to Uhuru Peak than most other trekkers. This makes our trek to and from the summit an even more enjoyable experience.
- While our cook staff prepares our dinner, we will spend our time packing and preparing for our midnight departure, the final push for a sunrise summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
- Overnight: Kosovo Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Moorland | Alpine Desert
Summit Day! Trek to Uhuru Peak (19,341') and Return to Millennium Camp (12,556')
- We climb wearing headlamps until the predawn light is reflected off the African plains and high mountain glaciers.
- Following a distinct ridge, we approach the crater’s rim, then traverse northwest along the rim to the main summit of Uhuru Peak!
- We are now on the highest freestanding mountain in the world, as well as the highest point on the African Continent!
- After enjoying the view from the “Roof of Africa”, we descend to Kosovo Camp where we will rest, eat lunch, break camp, and begin our trek down the Mweka route on the southern side of the mountain.
- We descend into the jungle to the Millennium Camp for our last night on the mountain.
- Overnight: Millennium Camp
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Ecozone: Alpine Desert | Arctic | Alpine Desert
Descend from Millennium Camp (12,556') to Mweka Gate (5,413') | Celebration Dinner
- The sun’s rays congratulate us with a spectacular light show as we awake below the towering mountain on the final day of our Kilimanjaro journey.
- We descend through the lush green landscape of the Mweka Route into the thickest jungle we have encountered yet.
- After reaching the Mweka Gate we say our farewells to the mountain staff and drive back to our lodge for a well-deserved shower and private group celebration dinner.
- Overnight: Serena Lodge or comparable
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Private Celebration Dinner
- Ecozone: Rainforest
International Departures
- After breakfast, you can relax at the lodge and prepare for your departure flights home. (JRO)
- Decide to enhance your trip to Kilimanjaro by adding on Safari, Gorilla Tracking, or a trip to Zanzibar Island.
- Meals included: Breakfast
- Ecozone: Cultivation
What's Included
- Pre-trip planning, consultation, and customization
- Transportation by private vans, vehicles, and buses throughout
- 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 9 dinners, and a welcome reception
- 6 nights accommodations in World Wide Trekking Kilimanjaro camps (4-person The North Face tents with 2 guests per tent)
- 3-night hotel accommodations in Lodges/Hotels
- Drinking water throughout trek
- Transfers and baggage handling on program arrival and departure for all participants
- Baggage handling throughout the adventure
- World Wide Trekking Lead Guide(s) and local Tanzanian guides based on group size
- Services of local English-speaking guides throughout
- Services of local porters and staff
- All services, tours, hikes, entrance, and excursion fees described in the attached itinerary
- Any necessary permits for trekking, national parks, etc.
- Services of World Wide Trekking Operations Manager in Tanzania
- Services of local crew, cook staff, tent manager & staff, servers, porters, and additional staff
- One local Tanzanian licensed guide per every two guests on Kilimanjaro
Not Included
- International airfare (origin > Tanzania > origin)
- Passport and Tanzania visa expenses and handling fees (1-year visa is: $100, paid before arrival at JRO airport)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Beverages outside of provided drinking water
- Meals outside of the scheduled itinerary
- Personal trekking gear other than that which is provided with the guest amenity package
- Optional excursions or deviations from the scheduled tour
- Excess baggage charges
- Items of personal nature, laundry, wifi charges, incidentals, etc.
- Expenses incurred due to circumstances outside of World Wide Trekking’s control
- Gratuities for local Kilimanjaro Mountain Crew
- Gratuities for WWTrek Lead Guide
- Tourism Taxes When Applicable
4-Day SERENGETI LUXURY SAFARI
The World Wide Trekking Difference
Professional Guides
Our Professional Guide Team is outfitted with medically and practically trained guides. Every step of this trek you will have Guides that are prepared for any situation. On top of that, our team will conduct daily wellness checks ahead of trekking each day. Guest safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to all of us at World Wide Trekking.
Mountain Camps
Our distinctive mountain camps boast spacious dining and kitchen domes, flushable toilet tents, and four-person North Face tents to allow for comfort, rest, and relaxation.
Mountain Menu
Throughout this trek, your Mountain Chefs will prepare delicious meals to help refuel you and prepare you for days of trekking. Delight in a changing menu daily, helping ensure you get the most out of every meal.
Acclimatization & Safety
Acclimatization plays a critical role in our trek; Guides travel with a Gammo bag (hyperbaric chamber) and oxygen in case of emergencies. They also perform daily medical checks on every guest to ensure proper acclimatization. You can rest assured knowing that your health and comfort are our top priorities, a large part of what makes our trek notoriously successful.
Trip Add-Ons
You can extend your trip to include a Safari expedition, a trip to Zanzibar Island, or Gorilla tracking! We recommend the 4-Day Serengeti Safari to follow up on your summit, but you’re guaranteed to be blown away by the wildlife and culture found within each experience.
Human Outreach Project
OUR PLANET… HELPING OTHERS, CHANGING LIVES
Tanzania is a focal point of the Human Outreach Project (HOP). Our efforts in Tanzania are some of our most visited and utilized across our projects. We are proud to have an orphanage, two school lunch programs, and offer support to small businesses in the local region.
Travel Notes
Best Time of Year to Visit
Our favorite time to travel is from June through September or December through February. The rainy season has just ended, providing plentiful vegetation and biodiversity with less dust in the air. Additionally, late June through early August offers cooler temperatures. January, February, and September are the driest and warmest months in Tanzania, and therefore the busiest months. March through early June is a rainy season, and visibility is low, though the crowds are gone.
Arrivals and Departures
All flights should be made through the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) located in Tanzania. Often, arriving at this location is most easily done through Amsterdam (AMS) on KLM Airlines (one direct flight daily). You will go from AMS and connect on KLM Airlines into Tanzania (JRO).
*Many guests prefer to leave after the scheduled itinerary to head on Safari, go Gorilla Tracking, or visit Zanzibar Island. We will happily help you make these arrangements. Additional charges for transportation, lodging, meals, and activities will apply.
Recommended Flights
Although there are many flight options to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), flying through Amsterdam offers the best route.
International airfares are not included in program pricing. When booking international travel, we recommend working with an experienced travel agent. One that World Wide Trekking is proud to coordinate with is Brian Mei from Eastern Travel. You can reach Brian directly by calling 801.792.1721 or by email at brian@easterntravel.com. Additional support is always available by calling the Eastern Travel Office at 801.466.8811 or by emailing Michelle at michelle@easterntravel.com.
The benefit of using a travel agent is in the event of itinerary changes, the travel agent will find the best flight connections, and land arrangements, for you. Though third-party travel websites are convenient, we do not recommend using them, due to instability in the itineraries. We also recommend that you protect your flight with travel insurance and a refundable ticket.
We also recommend that you protect your flight with travel insurance and a refundable ticket. Contact AIG Travel Guard to get more information.
Travel Insurance
We recommend you safeguard your trip by purchasing travel insurance. World Wide Trekking has partnered with AIG Travel Insurance as our preferred travel insurance provider. For a price quote, or to purchase travel insurance, visit
Please Note: You must purchase this plan within 14 days of your deposit payment. Please send us a copy of your plan if you choose to purchase one.
Customs, Visas, Immigration
Before arrival in Tanzania, you will be required to purchase a 12-month multiple-entry tourist visa for $100. Please keep your landing card (received in flight) and a pen handy for customs.
Contact G3 Global Services for more information on how to receive your visa before your arrival.
*Please be sure to have at least six months of validity on your passport. Most countries won’t allow travelers in their country unless their passport is expected to expire six months after the last day of travel. Make two copies of your passport, leave one at home, and bring the other with you to Tanzania. Ensure you provide a copy of your passport to WWTrek 90 days before your departure date.
Accommodations
Luxury Lodges:
- Pre/Post trek you will stay in some of Tanzania’s premiere lodges.
Mountain Camps:
- Tents: 4-person, large guest tents (2 guests) with closed cell foam sleeping pads.
- Dining Dome: Our large solar-lit dining tent with tables and chairs.
- Private Toilet Tents: Portable flushing camp toilets will be available to you.
- Food: 3 nutritious meals daily, along with snacks and drinks (tea, coffee, cocoa).
All of this is with the help of our mountain crew which includes, cooks, waiters, tent crews, porters, and more.
Transportation
A World Wide Trekking representative will privately transport you from the airport to your lodge. During the trek, travel light while carrying just your daypack. Porters carry all other bags and equipment up and down the mountain.
Meals
Proper nutrition plays a vital role in the success of all our adventures. Rest assured that our full kitchen staff including chefs, dishwashers, and servers prepare hearty, western-style meals every day. Typical meals include breakfast complete with coffee and tea, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy all of your meals in our luxurious dining tents complete with tables, chairs, dinnerware, and solar lighting.
*Please contact us if you have any special dietary needs or food restrictions. We can accommodate any special diets. We are happy to help!
Health and Safety
Our stringent commitment to safety means you have access to our medically certified Professional Western Guide(s) before and throughout your trip. Our staff also carries emergency medical equipment such as a medical kit, a Gamo Bag (hypobaric chamber), and a satellite communicator. Ahead of each day, we do high-altitude medical checks with each guest; ensuring everyone is healthy and safe along our journey is what leads to such a high success rate.
Before the trip, we recommend you bring a prescription for Acetazolamide (Diamox) to aid in acclimatization and Malarone for malaria. In addition, we recommend visiting your International Local Clinic one month before your trip. Needed vaccinations include a current tetanus shot, annual influenza shot, Varicella, Typhoid, Hep A, Yellow Fever, and MMR.
For more information, feel free to contact us directly with any questions, at 801-943-0264. We can schedule a phone call with our medical advisor, Dr. Levy, to answer any specific questions regarding your personal needs. Visit our trek tips series on YouTube.
Gratuities
In many parts of the world, gratuities are given in appreciation for a job well done. Our guides will take care of tipping service personnel along the way so that you don’t have to think about it.
For any additional services outside of our itinerary, plan to tip 10% (transport, restaurants, baggage, lodges, etc). We will provide you with detailed tipping recommendations on your ‘Trip Detail’ site once you sign up.
At the trail end, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a group tipping pool that will be presented to your WWTrekking guides and trekking staff as we say our goodbyes.
Currency Exchange
We recommend exchanging a small amount of money at the airport as soon as you clear customs. We will offer additional exchange opportunities, but it is the most convenient at the airport. We always recommend bringing $500 cash with you on your trip for incidentals and gratuities.
*Credit cards are accepted at lodges for extra amenities.
Fitness and Nutrition
We provide a complimentary 6-week extensive fitness and nutrition program to help our guests prepare for their journey ahead. The program is tailored specifically for our trips and includes virtual 1 on 1 coaching sessions with our Fitness and Nutrition Specialist.
Gear List
General Information
Country
Tanzania is one of the world’s oldest inhabited regions. For three million years, man has roamed its regions, savanna to mountains, carving out an existence from the African countryside. Drawn to exotic Africa, explorers have tried to tame her wildness to no avail. The story of Tanganyika, Tanzania, is one of unaltered wilds and progressive politics. “Kilimanjaro,” according to the President of Mozambique, Chissano, “carried the torch that liberated Africa.”
Population
49.25 million
Time Zone
Tanzania operates on East Africa Time Zone – UTC+03:00, putting it 8 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 11 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (PST).
Capital City
Dodoma, Tanzania
People
Tribes of Tanzania
Sukuma comprise the largest tribe with three million Tanzanians. Living in the northwestern area of Tanzania, they speak Bantu and are traditionally cattle herders and farmers of subsistence crops such as cassava.
Nywamwezi, also known as the “people of the moon,” is the second largest tribe in Tanzania. Similar to the Sukuma, they are also historically cattle herders, farmers, and Bantu speakers. Living in the northwest of Tanzania, near Lake Victoria, the tribe has about 1.5 million members.
Members of the third largest tribe of Tanzania reside on the south and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, and Mosh. The Chaga speak Kichagga, a Niger-Congo language. They were one of the first tribes to convert to Christianity. Among the richest and most powerful people in Tanzania, they hold a strong sense of identity. Known for their advanced farming techniques, trade, and politics, they thrive as a successful tribe.
Descended from Persia, the Shirazi encompass the majority of the people of Zanzibar island. They speak Swahili and practice Sunni and Shia Islam.
Culture and Religion
Tanzanians bear a surprisingly strong national association, or ujamaa (family-hood). They rarely identify themselves by tribe upon an initial meeting. This collective attitude comes from the Julius Nyerere days and his push to unify over 120 tribes in a socialistic type society. This national mindset allows Tanzania a relatively peaceful existence with tribes coexisting. Christians and Muslims live side by side with minimal friction.
Currency
The official currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling abbreviated TZS. TZS replaced the East African shilling in 1966. Currency exchangers subdivide the shilling into 100 senti and it is written as x/y where x is the amount over one shilling and y is the senti. Due to the fluctuating exchange rates, we recommend searching online to find out the current rate.
