Take on Kilimanjaro’s legendary Machame Route, trekking through dense rainforest, high moorlands, and dramatic terrain. Conquer the Great Barranco and Barranco Wall, walk beneath glaciers, and reach the summit at Uhuru Peak as the sun rises over the crater, all with the guidance of experienced leaders, an expedition doctor, and a dedicated local crew. Finish your adventure descending through rainforest to Moshi, celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this unforgettable experience – join us and make a difference!
This trip is graded a Red 3 – please click here to see how trips are graded and what this means.
How to sign up:
We’d love you to join #TeamSpinal! Click on the button below to sign up for the event.
There are multiple fundraising options for this challenge. Please click here for full details.
Got your own place?
If you already have a place confirmed on this event we’d love you to join #TeamSpinal. You will receive all the perks of being part of the team and all we ask is that you raise as much as you can. All sponsorship will help us develop treatments to restore feeling and mobility for people paralysed as a result of a spinal cord injury. Email the Events Team today or click below to get started.
Trek itinerary:
Day 1: Depart London
Fly from London and begin your adventure to Tanzania.
Day 2: Arrive Moshi
Arrive in Moshi, admire views of Kibo, meet your crew, and prepare your gear for the trek ahead.
Day 3–4: Machame Route & Shira Plateau
Start the climb through lush rainforest on the Machame Route, then ascend onto the Shira Plateau for sweeping mountain views and high moorland landscapes.
Day 5–6: Great Barranco & Barranco Wall
Trek dramatic terrain across high moorlands, descend into the Great Barranco, and conquer the Barranco Wall, getting closer to Kilimanjaro’s glaciers.
Day 7: Barafu Camp & Summit Day
Traverse rocky slopes beneath glaciers, then start the pre-dawn push to Stella Point for sunrise and reach the summit at Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point. Descend to Millennium Camp for rest.
Day 8: Rainforest Descent & Celebration
Descend gently through verdant rainforest to Mweka Gate, collect your certificate, and return to Moshi for showers, cold drinks, and celebration.
Day 9: Moshi & Departure
Enjoy free time to explore or relax before flying back to London.
What can you expect from us:
Everyone in our team will receive a full support package including:
- 1-to-1 personalised fundraising support
- Team e-newsletters
- A Spinal Research technical t-shirt
Not to mention heaps of encouragement, help and advice!
We are pleased to be supported by GH Training, a service designed to help you train for the marathon. Run by personal trainer Graeme Hilditch (author of our training guides and previous Spinal Research runner!)
Sign Up Now!
FAQs:
What comes included with the trip package?
Your trip package includes:
- Return flights from London to Moshi
- All known airline taxes
- Transport and transfers as part of itinerary
- All accommodation on twinshare basis – hotels and camping
- Group camping equipment
- All meals except where specified
- Discover Adventure crew (number dependant on group size)
- Local guides, cooks and porters
- Back-up equipment and support
- Entry permit to National Park
For a full list of what is and isn’t included with your package, please click here.
Is accommodation provided?
You’ll camp in two-man tents; these are usually expedition-style (ie sleeping room only). Camps are usually simple, in remote locations with great views! You’ll have communal dining areas (usually with tables and chairs/stools) and toilet tents, and the local crew look after you very well. You stay in hotels (of a 2-3* standard or equivalent) at the start and end of the trip; standards may vary between different hotels, but they are generally clean and comfortable with good facilities.
How do roomshare arrangements work?
From the Discover Adventure website:
Our trips are sold on a shared accommodation basis, usually twin-share. Occasionally we may use hostel-style accommodation.
You can tell us if you are travelling with someone else on the trip when you book or within your passenger portal, and we will do all we can to accommodate this request. It is important that both people complete the room share request on their bookings. For customers booking and travelling together, including same-sex couples, a double bed can be requested if available.
If you’re not familiar with anyone in the group, rest assured, we always pair you with someone of the same gender (as per the information you provided when booking, or passport markers), and a similar age where possible. We’re actively working to improve our system’s gender restrictions to be more inclusive, and we’ve recently made significant strides in this area. If you identify differently from the gender marker on your passport and would like to discuss this before booking, please feel free to reach out to us.
Do I need a certain level of fitness to do this challenge?
Discover Adventure provide the following advice:
This is designed to be a challenge, and it is vital that you train sufficiently for it. We will supply you with a thorough training guide once you have registered. We expect all participants to train hard in advance, but we respect everyone’s limits and do not expect everyone to maintain the same pace. Inadequate training is likely to have an impact not just on your chances of completing the challenge, but enjoying it too – and we want you to have the time of your life!
Our challenges attract people of all levels of experience, fitness and ability as well as all ages and backgrounds. We design our challenges so that everyone can go at their own pace: this is not a race. If you have concerns about your fitness or if you have reduced mobility please do contact us for a confidential chat about whether this challenge is appropriate for you.
For logistical and safety reasons we sometimes need to re-group, so the front-runners may find themselves waiting for the slower ones. Please relax, and remember that this is a team effort that enables people to achieve their personal goals and earn sponsorship.
This trip is graded a Red 3 – please click here to see how trips are graded and what this means.
Is this suitable for me if I have any dietary requirements?
From the Discover Adventure website:
The food provided is plentiful, often local in style and freshly-cooked, and will give you plenty of energy. Sometimes we enjoy a buffet-style lunch-stop, other times we might have packed lunches. On some trips we stop at small local restaurants. Dinners are generally eaten at our accommodation each evening. In some regions there may be less variety than you are used to, and in others fresh meat or produce can be harder to come by. Any meals not included are listed in the itinerary and are generally on travel / free days, giving you the opportunity to explore and try other culinary experiences! There is always something to suit different budgets.
Being vegetarian or having other dietary requirements is not usually a problem provided you let us know well in advance. Please do not expect as much variety as you would have access to at home – we may be in very rural or remote areas, or among people of a different culture who may not understand your requirements, however willing they are to help. If you know there are plenty of foods you cannot eat we strongly recommend you bring extra snacks from home so you can top up your energy supply. Please feel free to ask us for advice.
Is there a minimum age for taking part in this challenge?
Yes, all participants must be aged 18 or older – you will be asked to confirm your age when you sign up.
These dates don't work for me - are there more trips?
Yes! Discover Adventure run a series of trips throughout the year – click here to see the full list of dates.
What is the registration fee and how much do I have to fundraise?
The registration fee is £499.00 and we ask all our charity place fundraisers to raise a minimum of £5,600.00
Please note there is a first fundraising target of £4,200.00 which is due 10 weeks before departure. The remainder of your fundraising target is due 2 weeks after your return.
There are multiple fundraising options for this challenge – please click here for full details.
Will I get a fundraising top to wear on the day?
Absolutely, we love to send our team a technical t-shirt to wear for their challenge.
These are usually sent out after your first fundraising target.
Can I take part in a wheelchair?
Unfortunately due to the nature of the course this challenge isn’t suitable for wheelchairs. Please click here for a list of wheelchair-accessible events.
I have my own place on this challenge and would like to fundraise for Spinal Research. Can I do this and will I have a fundraising target?
Congratulations on securing your own place – we would love to have you join #TeamSpinal! Please fill out this form.
Please only fill out this form if you have your own place on this challenge.
As an own place runner, you won’t have a fundraising target. We just ask that you raise as much as possible so you can to help us fund essential research.
Who are Discover Adventure?
Our partner Discover Adventure are a third-party organisation who connect fundraisers with charities to support, and are a fantastic way to guarantee a place on incredible challenges connected with a good cause. More information can be found on their website here.
Have another question?
If you have any other questions or need support, please contact us through the button below.
Email us