These Mount Kilimanjaro photos take you along the Machame route.
(The Lemosho Route and Shira Route also join the Machame Route on day 3 and follow the same trail for the remaining days.)
Follow the Machame trail, a tough climb traversing Kilimanjaro's slopes beneath its southern glaciers.
This trek can be done in six days, but the seven day version has a much higher success rate.
(Read in detail about climbing Kilimanjaro on the Machame route.)
The last kilometers of the road to Machame Gate are unsealead...
The day begins with the transfer to the Machame Gate. Pray that the weather at Kilimanjaro will be reasonable. If it rains too much the last kilometres of the unsealed road can become impassable and you have to walk...
Climbers at the Machame Gate
On a dry day you arrive at the Macham Gate in your vehicle. You complete registration formalities, meet your guides, all your gear is distributed amongst the porters, and then you are off...
The first day on the Machame trail leads through a dense fairy tale forest of tall trees with moss covered branches, tree ferns and dangling lichen.
The well maintained path on the Machame Route, photo by Styg Nygaard.
As you climb higher and higher towards your first camp, the forest gradually opens up.
Your first camp is called Machame Huts, but there is no hut accommodation here. You only get hut accommodation on the Marangu Route. On the Machame route you camp all the way.
The Machame Huts marked the altitude where the forest disappears and gives way to the giant heathers of the Moorland Zone.
The trail is much steeper today, and yes, Machame is the most popular and crowded of all Kilimanjaro routes...
After a few hours you reach the edge of the Shira Plateau and the path levels out. The huge Shira Plateau is what's left of Kilimanjaro's third peak (the other two being Mawenzi and Kibo).
From here it's not far to the new Shira campsite, a site with great views and even greater sunsets:
Camp on the Shira Plateau, photo by Harsh1.0.
View from Shira Plateau, photo by Harsh1.0.
The sunset viewed from the Shira Camp, photo by Pave M.
Approaching the Lava Tower, photo by Rob.
Day three is a long and tough day. The first part of the day is spent climbing towards the Lava Tower to a height of 4640 m/15220 ft. You are now so high, the vegetation disappears altogether.
There is a camp at the Lava Tower, but you won't be using it (people on the Shira or Lemosho routes may.) After lunch you continue, losing all that hard earned altitude again as you descend into the Barrano Valley.
It's cooler and moister in the protected valley, perfect conditions for the giant senecios and lobelias that grow here.
The Barranco Camp, photo by Appenz.
The Barranco Camp is in a stunning location, right underneath the great Barranco Wall and with spectacular views all around.
The Barranco Wall, photo by Rob.
This is it, the Barranco Wall. And you will be tackling it first thing in the morning.
The Barranco Wall takes about one and a half hours to scale, and it looks a lot more difficult than it is.
Climbers on the last metres up the Barranco Wall, photo by Stig Nygaard.
These climbers are on the last metres up the wall.
Enjoying the views from the top of the Barranco Wall, photo by Stig Nygaard.
Once you reach the top you have a good rest (it IS a strenuous climb after all) and enjoy the great views all around.
A porter descends from the Barranco Wall, photo by Stig Nygaard.
You continue down a much easier slope, towards the Karanga Valley.
To get to Karanga you cross several smaller valleys on the way, and your camp for tonight is on the other side of the Karanga Valley. Another climb...
It is this constant up and down that makes the climb on the Machame Route so much harder than the Marangu Route or Rongai Route.
Approaching the Barafu Camp (located on top of the ridge), photo by Stig Nygaard.
Today is a short day. You leave the Karanga Valley on an easy but steep path through an increasinlgy inhospitable landscape. The path keeps getting steeper until you reach the Barafu Camp for lunch.
Barafu Camp sits on an exposed, rocky ridge. Better have a good look around in the afternoon so you don't accidentally step off it at night...
This is the benefit of having the extra day at Karanga Valley in your schedule. You now have all afternoon to rest, recover and prepare for tonight...
You will be setting out on your trek to the summit some time around midnight. The way to the rim is an endless succession of switchbacks on a steep scree slope, but you won't be seeing any of it. You'll just see the little circle of light from your head torch, your feet, and the feet of the person in front of you.
Here is a daylight aerial view of the path you'll be taking:
The upper part of the Kilimanjaro summit path, photo by Gerald Davison.
You can't see the switchbacks in this aerial view. What you can see—just—is the wide trail from the people scree running and sliding down the slope on their return from the summit.
It's a very steep slope, but one little step after the other you will conquer it. Take your time.
Some people manage to make it to Uhuru Peak in time for the sunrise, but you can see the sunrise from any point on the crater rim or even on the way up. No need to rush...
The sunrise viewed from Stella Point, with Mawenzi to the right.
This is what a sunrise on Kilimanjaro looks like from Stella Point, the point where you will be reaching the crater rim.
If you make it to Stella Point the park authorities will reward you with a certificate for climbing Kilimanjaro. And for some people the temptation to turn around now is too big...
The way back to Barafu Camp seen from Stella Point, photo by Rob.
This is the way back down to the Barafu Camp, seen from Stella Point. The summit path is so steep, you can't even see it any more...
But I hope you won't think about turning back now!
To continue to Uhuru Peak from here allow another hour or so, and up to two for the round trip.
For many people the walk along the Kilimanjaro crater rim is the best part of the whole experience, and this is the part where you will be passing what's left of Kilimanjaro's glaciers.
(Kilimanjaro glacier and crater rim page coming soon.)
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