Machame Route

Machame Route

The Machame Route, often referred to as the Whiskey Route, is an enchanting and popular path up Kilimanjaro. Its seven-day trekking period provides ample time for acclimatization, making it an excellent choice for climbers. Travellers opting for the Machame thoroughly enjoy their Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing along this route. So, let’s delve deeper into the features of the Machame Route and understand whether it's the perfect fit for your adventure.

• The Machame Route has got high traffic of all Kilimanjaro Routes.
• As per statistics, around 50% of Kilimanjaro climbers use this route.
• It is one of the most scenic routes that offer breathtaking views of varying landscapes.
• The route approaches the summit from the south direction.
• It’s a challenging but rewarding trek with a high success rate, especially for climbers who choose the seven-day option.

The Machame Route at a Glance

• Distance: 62 km/ 39 miles
• Difficulty: Medium
• Duration: 6-7 Days
• Success Rates: High
• Height: Reaches the summit of Kilimanjaro at Uhuru Peak at a height of 5895 meters (19341 feet)
• Location: The trek approaches Kilimanjaro from the southern side, and begins with a short drive from Moshi to Machame Gate.

Uniqueness

• The major attraction of the Machame Route is its scenic beauty which offers hikers panoramic views, varying landscapes and hiking terrain.
• The Machame Route Kilimanjaro gives plenty of time to acclimate, thus resulting in higher success rates for scaling up the mountains.

Note: Machame Route is not an easy trek to venture out on. The trail is steep and it’s a difficult route up the mountain. This Kilimanjaro Route is especially for those who consider themselves an experienced hikers and come with some kind of trekking experience.

Weather and Climate

The weather on the Machame Route can be unpredictable and varies depending on the time of year. The Best Times To Climb Kilimanjaro are during the dry seasons, from mid-June to October and from January to mid-March.

During these periods, the weather is generally more stable, with clear skies and moderate temperatures. The wet seasons, from late March to May and from November to December, bring heavy rainfall and the possibility of snow at higher altitudes.

Success Rates

The Kilimanjaro Machame Route offers ideal opportunities to ascend high and subsequently sleep low, resulting in an outstanding acclimatization profile. Although there are no formal data exists, the average Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing success rate across all operators is 85% for the 7-Day Machame Route. Although, the same data drops to 73% for the six-day option.

Crowds on Machame Route

As this Kilimanjaro Climbing Route boasts its beautiful scenery and an amazing acclimatization profile, hence the route attracts a large number of climbers each year. Also, a lot of budget operators use this route because of its shorter itinerary and good acclimatization profile.

The Scenery on the Machame Route

The Machame Route is renowned for its stunning scenery, as it passes through five distinct climate zones. Trekkers start in the lush rainforest, where they can spot monkeys, birds, and exotic plants. As they ascend, the landscape changes to moorland, followed by an alpine desert with unique vegetation such as giant lobelias and senecios.

The final stretch takes climbers through the Arctic zone, with snow-capped peaks and glaciers. One of the highlights of the Machame Route is the breathtaking view from the Lava Tower and the Barranco Wall. Also, the Machame Route passes through some locations that are known to offer some of the most spectacular sunsets and sunrises on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Accommodation on the Machame Route

This Kilimanjaro Climbing Route offers only camping accommodation. Make sure to carry your camping equipment. If not, then there are provisions for providing camping equipment as a part of your Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Packages.  

Brief Description of Machame Route Itinerary

The Machame trail is steep and difficult, which is mostly because of its short itinerary length. Also, the hikers have to ascend the Barranco Wall on day 4, which appears a difficult climb initially (but it’s not). Then, the hikers have to adjust to a steep incline on the summit night up Kibo.

Although none of this implies that one needs technical climbing skills to embark on the Machame Route, still this route is only recommended for those who have some experience with long and steep walks on higher altitudes for the safe side.

Moreover, it takes around a 6-to-7-day itinerary to complete the Kilimanjaro Climb via Machame Route. A climb-high and sleep-low acclimatization day is included in both options.  Here we will represent you a detailed breakdown of the 7-day itinerary for the Machame Route Kilimanjaro.

Our Take on Kilimanjaro Machame Route

The Kilimanjaro Machame Route is popular because of the variety of scenery, and adequate acclimatization profile. The only downvote for this Kilimanjaro Climbing Route is that the route gets crowded more often.

So, in our opinion, you can choose the Machame Route for Kilimanjaro Climb only in case you want to ace this challenging trek as the route has got a high chance of summiting the mountain. Also, if you have got no problems with the trail being a little crowded, then also you can choose this Kilimanjaro Climbing Route-the Machame.