Total Lunar Eclipse – Machame Route, 7 Days
7th of September 2025
Blood Moon Edition
Blood Moon Edition
“Experience Africa’s highest peak under the ethereal glow of a Blood Moon.”
🗓️ Day 1
📍 Moshi → Machame Camp
🏔️ Elevation: 1,800m → 3,000m
🚶 Distance: ~11 km
⏱️ 5–7 hours
🌿 Highlight: Rainforest & Wildlife
After breakfast at your hotel in Moshi, we’ll drive you to Machame Gate, the entry point to Kilimanjaro National Park. After registration, your trek begins through a beautiful and humid rainforest trail. Expect sightings of exotic birds, monkeys, and vibrant flora. You’ll stop for a packed lunch midway and continue to Machame Camp, where you’ll spend your first night under canvas.
📅 Day 2 – Machame Camp → Shira Camp
🏔️ Elevation: 3,000 m → 3,850 m
🚶 Distance: ~5 km
⏱️ 4–6 hours
🌄 Terrain: Heather & Moorland zone, views of Kibo and Shira peaks
🌅 Highlight: Sunset over the Shira Plateau
🏕️ Camp: Shira Camp
📜
Today’s trek continues through the heather and moorland zone. As the landscape opens up, you’ll enjoy expansive views of Kibo and Shira peaks. You’ll arrive at Shira Camp, located on a rocky plateau with incredible sunset vistas and a clear view of the summit peak ahead.
📅 Day 3 – Shira Camp → Lava Tower → Barranco Camp
🏔️ Elevation: 3,850 m → 4,630 m → 3,960 m
🚶 Distance: ~10 km | ⏱️ 6–8 hours
🧗 Strategy Day: “Climb high, sleep low” – acclimatization
🌋 Highlight: Lunch break at Lava Tower, descent into the Barranco Valley
🏕️ Camp: Barranco Camp (views of the iconic Barranco Wall)
📜
A crucial day for acclimatization. You’ll ascend gradually to Lava Tower, where you’ll have lunch and rest at high altitude. Then, descend into the beautiful Barranco Valley, home to the iconic Barranco Wall. This climb-high-sleep-low approach helps your body adapt and significantly increases your chance of a successful summit.
📅 Day 4 – Barranco Camp → Barafu Camp
🏔️ Elevation: 3,960 m → 4,640 m
🚶 Distance: ~9 km | ⏱️ 6–8 hours
🧗 Focus: Climbing the Barranco Wall – thrilling and scenic section
🌨️ Terrain: Glacial valleys
🏕️ Camp: Barafu Camp (summit base camp)
📜The day begins with a thrilling scramble up Barranco Wall, offering epic views and a sense of achievement. You’ll cross several glacial valleys before reaching Barafu Camp, your base camp before the summit attempt. After an early dinner, you’ll rest and prepare for a midnight start.
📅 Day 5 – Acclimatization & Lunar Eclipse Night
🏔️ Elevation: 4,640 m → max 4,800 m → return to Barafu
🚶 Distance: ~7 km | ⏱️ 1–2 hours
🩺 Purpose: High-altitude adaptation – “Climb high, sleep low”
🌌 Special Feature:
🌕 Total Lunar Eclipse observation
🌌 Dark-sky conditions, clear eastern horizon
🏔️ Views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks
🏕️ Camp: Barafu Camp (fully acclimatized)
📜This is a standard acclimatization tactic before summit day.
Rest, hydrate, and enjoy views of Kibo and Mawenzi from above Barafu.
Return to Barafu for lunch, rest, and early dinner.
Evening: Eclipse Night at Barafu
Optimal Eclipse Conditions: Camped at Barafu, ready with cameras and warm clothing, fully acclimatized and relaxed — the perfect setting for a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.
Comfortable and fully acclimatized at high camp altitude (4,640 m), offering:
◦ Dark-sky conditions
◦ Clear eastern horizon
◦ High-altitude atmospheric clarity
📅 Day 6 – Summit Day: Barafu → Uhuru Peak → Mweka Camp
🏔️ Elevation: 4,640 m → 5,895 m → 3,100 m
🚶 Distance: ~17 km | ⏱️ 10–14 hours
⏰ Start: Around midnight
🏔️ Summit: Uhuru Peak – Highest point in Africa
📸 Highlight: Sunrise at the summit
🏕️ Camp: Mweka Camp – well-earned rest
📜
Your guide will wake you at midnight for the final ascent. The climb to Stella Point is steep and mentally demanding but incredibly rewarding. From there, it’s a short push to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa! After celebrating and taking photos, you’ll descend via the Mweka route to Mweka Camp for a well-earned rest.
🏔️ Elevation: 3,100 m → 1,640 m
🚶 Distance: ~10 km | ⏱️ 3–4 hours
🌿 Finish: Descent through rainforest
🎉 Celebration: Summit certificates, transfer back to Moshi, hot shower & festive dinner
📜
Descend through the rainforest, enjoying your last moments on the mountain. At Mweka Gate, Celebrate summit certificates and share tales of lunar grandeur. Transfer back to the hotel in Moshi, where a hot shower and celebratory hot meal.
