You’ll rise up early at Machame Camp and after breakfast, climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for 2 hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. After a short lunch and rest, you’ll continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira Plateau. By now you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike, you will reach the Shira Campsite at 3,840m. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m), definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch, you’ll descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area. After reaching the high altitude of 4,600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco Camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner.

Make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with the Mweka Route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you’ll reach Barafu Hut. The last water stop on the route is the Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu Camp. Barafu is the Swahili word for “ice” and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night. You will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. Go to bed at round about 7:00 pm and try to get some precious rest and sleep for not more than 5 hours.