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The Ultimate Guide to climb Machame Route

Machame Route Machame Gate is where all climbers of the Machame route starting their climb.

Table of Content

History of the Machame route?

Machame is pronounced maa- chaa-mee

In Tanzania, Machame is found in the Kilimanjaro Region, in the Hai district. The Machame is also a very popular village located in the southwest part of Kilimanjaro Mountain. The name Machame is originated from the ethnic group of people who live in that area, as this area was their home. As we know in Africa’s history, there were Kingdoms and states in different parts of Africa. At Kilimanjaro, the original tribe is called Chagga, and the people are called the Chagga people. There were many Chagga states in Kilimanjaro, and among one of the states was the Machame. The Machame also was one of the largest, tremendous, and mighty Chagga states at Kilimanjaro. The leader of this Machame state was compelling and influencing other Chagga states. Many other small states surrounded the Machame also were owned by the Machame state. During the colonial period, the surrounded states around Machame state join their force and attack the Machame state and their leader, which causes the degradation of power and becomes a powerless state. Machame’s name originated from the Machame route because this route lies in Machame village, southwest of Kilimanjaro. When you want to start climbing the Machame route, you will pass through the Machame village and head to the start point of the Machame route, which is called the Machame gate.

Where is the Machame route?

Machame route is found within the Machame village, situated on Mountain Kilimanjaro’s southwestern slope. The Machame route is a 25.9 km drive from Moshi for the climber who starts their climb in Moshi and 81.4 km drive from Arusha for the climber who starts their climb in Arusha City. On the first day at the Machame route, the climber and the mountain crew (guide, porters, and cook) will have to drive from either Moshi or Arusha, passing through the Machame village and head to the beginning of the Machame route trial, which is called the Machame gate. During your drive to the beginning of this route, you will see the green vegetation and banana found in Machame village.

Where does the Machame route start? 

When a climber wants to start climbing the Machame route usually involves a drive from Moshi or Arusha city to the start point of the Machame route, which is called the Machame gate; this depends on where the climber spends the night before starting the climb; When a climber is from Moshi, he or she will drive 25.9 km from Moshi to Machame gate; and 81.4 km drive from Arusha to Machame gate. The Machame Gate (1,640 meters) is the start point of the Machame route, whereby all the climbers and the mountain crew(guides, porters, and cooks) will start their climb at this point. At Machame gate is where every Kilimanjaro operator company obtains the Kilimanjaro permit, allowing their clients (climbers) to enter the Kilimanjaro National Park, all the payment for Kilimanjaro Park fees are paid here together with the registration of all the climber who climbs the Kilimanjaro route using this Machame route. The loads, food, camping gear, and all luggage that porters carry are also weighted here by the Kilimanjaro ranger to ensure every porter on Mountain Kilimanjaro carries not 20 kg for the entire climb. At the Machame gate, the climber can have lunch and take some pictures before starting the Kilimanjaro climb using this Machame route.

Where does the Machame route end?

When a climber gets the opportunity to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro at Uhuru peak(5895 meters) use this Machame route, he or she will have to descend to either the Millennium Camp (3950meters) or Mweka Camp (3100 meters), this will depend on the fitness of the climber when descending on the Mountain as the climber will have two options as below.

  • Option ONE: To spend the last night on the Mountain at the Millennium Camp at 3950 meters above sea level.
  • Option TWO: To spend the last night on the Mountain at the Mweka Camp at 3100 meters above sea level.

The selection of the two options above will depend on the health and fitness state of the climber after the summit, as when a climber gets high altitude sickness, he or she will suppose to get to the lower camp, which is Mweka Camp at 3100 meters and when the climber gets problem due to the fitness issues as fail to walk very well he or she will have to descend to Millennium Camp at 3950 meters first and spend the night there as the major challenge after the summit, Kilimanjaro is also the descend as it is very steep.

So the Mountain guide will discuss with the climber to decide where to camp the night on the Mountain. On the last day of the Machame route, the climber from Millennium Camp or Mweka Camp will descend to the Mweka Gate (1,640 meters), the endpoint of the Machame route. At the mweka gate is where the climber will check out Kilimanjaro National park permit, and he or she will be awarded the Kilimanjaro Certificate for summit Kilimanjaro. When you reach these three points, Uhuru peak(5895 meters), Stella point( 5756 meters), and Gilman’s point(5685 meters), you will be awarded the Kilimanjaro Certificate. After getting your certificate and done with all the check out at the mweka gate, you can get the chance to have some photos, wash your boots, take a bath, have a cool beer or soft drink, and do some shopping in a shop at mweka gate. Then you will be pick by your driver from the mweka gate then drive to your hotel in Moshi town or Arusha city, as this will be the end of your climb. Mweka Gate is the gate used by a climber for descending only and used by Kilimanjaro tour operators to resupply foods at the Mountain Kilimanjaro.  

How many days does it take for a climber to climb this Machame route?

The climber can climb the Machame route in either six days or seven days. According to the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities, the minimum number of days you are allowed to pay to get the permit to climb the Machame route is six days, except for those climbers who make the day trip on this route. Most experienced climber and budgeted one preferred six days Machame route climb most over seven days. The seven days Machame is preferred by many climbers since it offers one more day for acclimatization, making the climber be in an excellent position to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro use this route. We are Eco-Africa Climbing; we recommend seven days Machame route for our climber for them to have a higher success rate to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro in Africa.

How long is the Machame Route?

From the start point of the Machame route trial (Machame Gate-1640m) then ascend to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro Uhuru peak(5895m), then descend to Mweka Gate(1640m), which is the endpoint, this Machame route is almost 62 km from the start point to its endpoint. The Machame route favored both experienced climbers and non-experienced climbers. This route became very popular and used by almost half of the climbers who attempt Mountain Kilimanjaro annually.

Does the Machame route among the best route on Kilimanjaro? 

The Machame route is among the seven climbing routes offered on Mountain Kilimanjaro; it’s gained popularity after the Marangu route.   

On Mountain Kilimanjaro, there is no so-called “best route” because climbers always succeed and fail on every route, so we can not say a specific route is the best over the others. Every route on Mountain Kilimanjaro has its good and bad sides, resulting in its advantages and disadvantages when a climber uses such a route. Because every climber has their fitness level, the climber should define their own best route based on their needs. When a climber chooses the correct route that fits his or her needs, they will enjoy the Kilimanjaro climb rather than suffer during the climb when choosing the wrong route. The Machame route has become very popular now, but it may be the best route for some climbers and may not for other climbers; this depends on whether it fits the climber’s needs. As we take the climbers to the Mountain Kilimanjaro for more than five years now, we usually ask our climber fitness level and hiking experience before recommending them which route to choose for their Mountain Kilimanjaro climb. We advise our climber when choosing the Kilimanjaro route to select the route that suits their stamina, desire, strength, fitness level, and comfort level.

What are the factors a climber should consider before selecting the Machame route?

Before you choose this Machame route, there are some factors you should take into consideration.

Below are the six factors the climb should before choosing this route.

One: It would be best if you considered yourself as a climber;

  • What kind of climber are you?
  • Are you a beginner climber (novice climber)? 
  • What about your age? 
  • Have you ever experience a high-altitude climb before? 
  • Does your body react when you climb on a high-altitude area? 
  • Do you prefer a cheap route or an expensive route? 
  • As the climber, you know yourself well, and you will have the answer to these questions above so that you can see if the Machame route is the route you should choose or not.

Two: It would be best if you considered your budget and your time;

  • Does your budget allow you to climb this route? 
  • Do you choose a short itinerary or a long one?
  • It means you will have to pick the route which you will have more time on the MountainMountain (spend more days), 

For example, the Kilimanjaro routes like the Northern circuit route are the long route, making this route expensive compared to the Machame route because you will spend more days on the Mountain.

 The answer to the above question would help you know how much money you will need and how many days you will spend on the Kilimanjaro climb and does the Machame route six days or seven days fits your budget and your time or not.

Three: It would be best if you considered the difficulty of the route;

  • Do you want a climb Kilimanjaro to use the problematic trail (more strenuous) or less strenuous one?

Choosing the problematic route while not preparing for it physically and psychologically can bring a lot of discomfort during your Kilimanjaro climb. Some climber doesn’t want to push hard while aspiring to conquer Mountain Kilimanjaro. Some climbers have a high pace while others have a low speed, so this while climb in the group will result in some climbers spending more time on the trail while others will have more downtime at the camp to socialize. The answer to the above question will help you know if you should consider using the machine route.

Four: It would be best if you considered a beautiful route;

  •  Do you want to climb a beautiful trail with the natural features of the landscape?

Some Kilimanjaro routes have good scenery while others are not; for example, the Kilimanjaro western routes like the Machame route and Lemosho route are more scenic since they cover more of the MountainMountain. Also, more scenic routes are suitable for taking good photos. The answer to the above question will help you choose this Machame route as it is the more scenic route.

Five: It would be best if you considered your summit goal;

  • Is it crucial for you to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro and reach Uhuru Peak (5985m)?

For our experience, we have climbers whose Kilimanjaro summit’s goal was to reach the Barafu Camp (4,645 m), Kibo hut(4,730 m), some they summit at the Gillman Point(5,681 m), Stella Point(5,685 m), Crater Camp (5730m), other Uhuru Peak(5895m). In contrast, others only want to enjoy the Mountain, and they have no summit goal. If your summit goal is to reach the Uhuru Peak(5895m), you should choose the Kilimanjaro route, which has a higher rate for a successful summit. Your decision here will help you select this Machame route or not.

Six: It would be best if you considered either the crowded route or less crowded route;

  • Do you wish to climb a route which you will get away from people?

Then choose the less crowded route like the Northern circuit or Rongai route, mind you that the Machame route is trendy and makes it crowded every season. Also, it would be best if you thought about climbing during the low season to keep yourself away from the crowd. Still, most of the Kilimanjaro climb low season or shoulder season is during the rain, so some routes are not doable while other roads/paths on the trails are washed up by rain while some routes have less rain.

 Your decision here will help you not choose this Machame route because it crowded route.

Does the Kilimanjaro Machame route have a higher success rate?

Some climbers who have failed to summit Kilimanjaro use this Machame route. In contrast, others have succeeded, so when we talk about any Mountain Kilimanjaro route’s success rate, the number of days is mainly concern than the route itself. To summit Mountain Kilimanjaro, the minimum days allowed by the Kilimanjaro National Parks authority are starting from five days only at the Marangu route; for others’ camping routes, the minimum days allowed is six days include the Machame route.

We have some data reported about the success rate for Kilimanjaro routes based on the number of days, mainly.

  • Five days Kilimanjaro climb, the success rate is the range between (25%-27%).
  • Six days Kilimanjaro climb the success rate is the range between (35%-44%).
  • Seven days Kilimanjaro climb the success rate is the range between (50%-%64%).
  • Eight days Kilimanjaro climb the success rate is the range between (69%-85%).

A climber can climb the Machame route starts from six days and above.

The reported data above shows that the success rate for six days is a range up to 44%, while for the seven days is 64%. For the climber to have a higher success rate at the Machame route, they will have to take a seven-day Machame route; in contrast, we have witnessed some climber summit using the six-day Machame route. Therefore when a climber picks the wrong route, they will experience an arduous trek, get sick or injured, and failed to summit Kilimanjaro, so it necessary to compare different factors for each route and its number of days which makes the particular route unique.

It is the right of the climber to pick the correct route. Simultaneously, prepare to climb Mountain Kilimanjaro and not the Tour Company to choose the route as many sell Mountain Kilimanjaro packages. Most Tour Company have a sales team who sells Kilimanjaro tours, but they have never been to Mountain Kilimanjaro. If you don’t know about the different routes offered at Mountain Kilimanjaro, is it best to ask the Tour Company’s opinions and do more research? We have guided climbers who climb a specific route based on the idea of their friend who summited Kilimanjaro use that route.

The below are the factors that will help you know the success rate of each route on the Mountain Kilimanjaro, including the Machame route.

  • When you choose the longer route, you will have more time on the Mountain; hence you will acclimatize well. If you’re not sure about your acclimatization ability, you can increase one or two more days to increase your success rate. The report above shows that the higher number of days on the Mountain Kilimanjaro, the higher the success rate for the successful Kilimanjaro summit.
  • When you climb the Kilimanjaro during the best time to climb, which mainly falls in the dry season, and the weather is good.
  • The best months to climb Kilimanjaro are in January, February, mid-March, mid-June, July, August, September, October, and December. You will do your climb easily and have a higher summit success.
  • Use the best guide service (Kilimanjaro Tour Company), which has proven experience with Mountain Kilimanjaro with a well-trained professional Mountain guide, good Mountain equipment, Great food which will fuel during the climb, and the best mountain services. (What Mountain does that company offer on the Mountain Kilimanjaro).
  • Their Mountain Guide should be trained well and know how to physically and psychologically handle any climber together in a different situation as Mountain sickness (altitude sickness). 

On the Mountain, any other uncertain event may occur because the Mountain Kilimanjaro is unpredictable.

An ethical Kilimanjaro operator like Eco-Africa Climbing will provide you with better Mountain service like (well-trained Mountain guides and porters, good food, good tents, and other camping equipment) successfully Kilimanjaro summit. Don’t fall for the cheap operator (unethical operator) and expert the good Mountain service on Kilimanjaro.

You should take your Kilimanjaro training seriously as the Mountain Kilimanjaro is not an accessible mountain. Many climbers underestimate Mountain Kilimanjaro as an easy the Seven Summit Mountain to the summit. Still, we have witnessed climbers fail to summit this Mountain during their summit day as on the Mountain Kilimanjaro, the long ascend and descend during the summit day is a very tough part of the Mountain. Imagine descending from 5895 meters to 1640m meters, how tired you will be.

It would be best if you came with the right and quality personal gear for your Kilimanjaro climb to keep yourself warm and dry during your entire trek. If you also rent gears in Moshi, make sure all the gears are correct and have quality and avoid cheap gear because you save a few dollars. Keep in mind that if you come with broken gear, you will spend a lot of time with them, take care of yourself, and be healthy; Kilimanjaro Mountain is not a joke Mountain.

Does the Machame route have good scenery?

While climbing the Machame route, you will encounter a good landscape, which varies from the beginning of the trial until the summit. The mountain Kilimanjaro Mountain has five climatic zones. which are  Summit zones, Alpine Desert zone, Forest zone, Heather-Moorland zone together with the Cultivation zone. As you climb Kilimanjaro use this Machame route, you will begin from the forest zone pass through these five climate zones until you reach the Uhuru Peak found on the summit zone. You will start from the rainforest zone, leave the forest behind, and enter the moorland zone of the giant heather and alpine area, passing through the rocky hills of the Shira plateau. Then reach the high alpine zone before you get to the summit zone, which has the glaciers. On the Machame route, features like Shira Plateau, Lava tour, and Barranco Wall are magnificent. There is a very beautiful view, for example, the Mountain Meru view at Shira Camp, and the view of the clouds on the Karanga and Barafu Camp is awesome.

What is the Machame route itinerary days by days?

 A climber can climb the Machame route for six days or seven days to summit the Mountain Kilimanjaro. For the six-day Machame route, the climber ascends and descends the mountain Kilimanjaro for six days only. For the seven days Machame route itinerary, he or she uses seven days for ascending and descending. 

The below is the six days Machame route itinerary. 

  • First Day: We will be hiking from the Machame Gate, which is 1640 meters above sea level, and heading up to our first camp, the Machame Camp, at 2 835 meters above sea level.
  • Second Day: We will be hiking from the Machame camp, which is 2 835 meters above sea level, and heading up to our second camp, the Shira Camp, at 3,850 meters above sea level.
  • Third-Day: We will be hiking from the Shira Camp, which is 3,850 meters above sea level, and ascending to the Lava Tower 4,600 meters above sea level, and descending to our third camp, the Barranco Camp, at 3900 meters above sea level.
  • Fourth Day: We will be hiking from the Barranco Camp, which is 3900 meters above sea level, conquering the Barranco Wall, and heading up to our fourth camp, the Barafu Camp, at 4,680 meters above sea level.
  • Fifth Day: We will be hiking from the Barafu Camp, which is 4,680 meters above sea level, and ascending to the Uhuru peak to the summit at 5895 meters above sea level and descending to our fifth camp, the Mweka Camp, at 3,100 meters above sea level.
  • Sixth Day: We will be descending from the Mweka Camp, which is 3,100 meters above sea level ) and heading down to Mweka Gate at 1,640 meters above sea level.

 The below is how the seven days Machame route itinerary look like. 

  • First Day: We will be hiking from the Machame Gate, which is 1640 meters above sea level, and heading up to our first camp, the Machame Camp, at 2835 meters above sea level.
  • Second Day: We will be hiking from the Machame camp, which is 2835 meters above sea level, and heading up to our second camp, the Shira Camp, at 3,850 meters above sea level.
  • Third-Day: We will be hiking from the Shira Camp, which is 3,850 meters above sea level, and ascending to the Lava Tower 4,600 meters above sea level, and descending to our third camp, the Barranco Camp, at 3900 meters above sea level.
  • Fourth Day: We will be hiking from the Barranco Camp, which is 3900 meters above sea level, conquering the Barranco Wall, and ascending to Lava Tower, our fourth camp, the Karanga Camp, at 3,960 meters above sea level.
  • Fifth Day: We will be hiking from the Karanga Camp, which is 3,960 meters above sea level, and ascending to the Barafu Camp, at 4,680 meters above sea level.
  • Sixth Day: We will be hiking from the Barafu Camp, which is 4,680 meters above sea level, and ascending to the Uhuru peak to the summit at 5895 meters above sea level and descending to our fifth camp, the Mweka Camp, at 3,100 meters above sea level.
  • Seventh Day: We will be descending from the Mweka Camp, which is 3,100 meters above sea level ) and heading down to Mweka Gate at 1,640 meters above sea level.

As you can see from the two above itineraries, the itinerary for six days the Machame route differs from the seven-day Machame route as on Day four; on this day four, a climber will climb from Barranco Camp (3,900 meters) and conquer the Barannco wall passing through the Karanga Camp then heading to Barafu Camp for the overnight, which is the Base Camp before the summit of Mountain Kilimanjaro while the seven days itinerary the climber on day four will climb from Barranco Camp (3,900 meters) to Karanga Camp (3,960 meters) for overnight which means he or she will have more day for acclimatization.

 What are the campsites found on the Machame route?

The Machame route is one of Mountain Kilimanjaro’s camping routes except for the Marangu route with sleeping facilities called the hut. While climbing this route, you will pass through different campsites from the beginning of your climb, the Machame gate, until the end of your climb, the Mweka gate. There are campsites within this route you will use for camp for five nights when you climb for six days and six nights when you climb for seven days.

The below are the campsite found on the Machame route

  • Machame Camp-2835m
  • Shira Camp-3850m
  • High Camp-3950 m
  • Lava Tower -4600m
  •  Barranco Camp – 3900m
  • Karanga Camp-3960m
  • Barafu Camp-4680m
  • Crater Camp- 5730m
  • Millennium Camp-3950m
  • Mweka Camp- 3100m

When you climb using the Machame route, you will use some of the above campsites for camping; this depends on your itinerary.

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When to climb the Machame route?

Many climbers want to know when to climb this Machame route, as this route is the camping route. The good time to climb the Kilimanjaro on any route will be during the dry season and good weather; mind you that the weather on Kilimanjaro is not predictable. It may be sunny in one minute and start raining in the next minute. The months to climb Kilimanjaro are in January, February, mid-March, mid-June, July, August, September, October, and December. So climb Kilimanjaro using the Machame route during the above good months; you will climb easily and have a higher summit success than the rainy season, which comprises heavy rain and strong wind, making the climb not be good. A climber should have waterproof gears for the entire climb due to this bad weather in those months (May, April, November).

Does the Machame route has much traffic?

Yes, the Machame route is a trendy route on Mountain Kilimanjaro now days hence many climbers who have the experience and who are beginners are interested in the climb this route, so automatically, it has more traffic nowadays compare to the Marangu route, from the first campsite of the Machame route which is the Machame camp you will find many climbers camping on this campsite, the same applies to Shira camp, Barranco Camp and Karanga Camp as these two camps the climbers from Machame route will meet with the climbers from Shira routeUmbwe route and Lemosho route. At the Barafu is the Base Camp of the Kilimanjaro mountain as the climbers from the Machame route, the Lemosho route, the Shira route, and the Umbwe route will all spend the night at Barafu Camp before they attempt to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro.   Since the Machame route is a stunning route with the best landscape and a good route for taking photos, it loses its magnificent and splendid appearance due to high traffic.

Is the Machame route challenging?

We can not say that the Machame route is significantly challenging compared to other Kilimanjaro routes because it is tough to explain the difficulty of the Kilimanjaro routes. After all, climbers fail and succeed in every route. Seven routes are found on the Mountain Kilimanjaro, and every route differs from other routes in terms of which is acclimatization is taking into consideration. The Machame route is very steep, and the Barranco wall’s presence may cause this route to seem like the challenge route that is not, and the advantage of these two make the better choice for the climber to climb high and sleep low, which makes the climber get acclimatize well. We can say that acclimatization may be the influence that contributes to a climber to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro. Climbers may climb Kilimanjaro; some may acclimatize well and summit Kilimanjaro while others not. The Machame route is not a challenging route to all the climbers who attempt to use it, as many climbers succeed to summit Kilimanjaro with it while others fail. A climber may have a better opportunity to succeed on this route.

How many climbers climb this Machame route per year?

The famous and trendy route on Mountain Kilimanjaro is the Machame route. It gains its popularity recently and overtakes the old route, which is the Marangu route. The Machame route is among an excellent landscape route established on mountain Kilimanjaro. With the superb landscape, the best view for taking photographs and its various relief involves making this route the trendy route for years now. This route is among the camping route that offers a minimum of six days of climb at an affordable rate. The above factors make this route has a lot of traffic every season. Accordingly, to Kilimanjaro National Park, the Machame gate office said that almost more than half of the climbers who attempt Kilimanjaro each climbing season use this route. As a Kilimanjaro guide, we can say that this Machame route is among our most selling routes on Mountain Kilimanjaro, together with the Lemosho and Northern circuit routes.

Which one is the best itinerary between six days and seven Machame Route?

The Machame route is offered for six days climb and seven days climb. Many Climbers get confused on which days to use on this route. One of the essential factors we will consider at this Machame route is acclimatization, as this route is allowed to climb high and sleep low. Most climbers who have done their research well before climbing Kilimanjaro consider the acclimatization factor a crucial factor to a successful summit Kilimanjaro. Acclimatization is when the body of an organism adjusts itself according to the change of any environment. It may be temperature, altitude, humidity etc.. For Mountain climbing, we can say that acclimatization is when the climber’s body adjusts according to the change of mountain environment. When you climb Kilimanjaro, you will pass through five different climatic zones, so the change of weather and altitude is a must. The body of the climber has to adjust it accordingly, whereby when the climber body acclimatises well, it makes his or her body be in a good state and be at the higher rate to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro. When the climber body fails to acclimatize well, this will result in the possibility of the climber’s chance not adapting to the mountain environment and failing to summit. So the climber needs to spend more time on the mountain to get his or her body to acclimatise well. For this case, a seven-day Machame route is best for the climber who wants to get acclimatised well, and most climbers are beginners. The six-day Machame route will be an excellent choice for the experienced climber who has climbed many mountains without any problem. Therefore, both itineraries are best, but choosing one over another depends on how your body acclimates to the mountain.

How busy is the Machame route?

The Machame route is a very busy route due to many climbers use this route every climbing season. As the Mountain Kilimanjaro involves porters, who carry all the climbers, duffel bags, camping gears, food supply, and all other facilities needed for camping during the Mountain Kilimanjaro. Therefore, on the Machame route trial, we can witness many porters and climbers in this route from the start of this route at the Machame gate, whereby as they will be porters measure their loads and climber registered to use this route. Even in most camps like Machame camp, Shira Camp, Barranco Camp, Karanga camp, and barafu camp, climber and porters are from this Machame route are many compare to climbers and porters from different routes like Lemosho, Shira and Umbwe routes. For the climber who likes to socialize, this Machame route will be the best route as he/she will find many climbers and porters on trial and at the camps. As many climbers and porters on this route make this route very busy and noisy, therefore, for the climber who doesn’t want to socialize and don’t like noise, this Machame route will not be the right choice.

Where To Book the Machame Route?

When you select the Machame route as your route to climb up to the summit of the Mountain Kilimanjaro, either you choose six days or seven days, this depends on how many days you will prefer to climb according to your climb ability. You will also have to book this climb to a Travel agency that offers the Kilimanjaro guide service and serves the Machame route. The Machame route is straightforward and affordable. Most packages offered on this route are started from six days climb. It will not be easy to get the perfect Travel agency that provides guide service on this route since this Machame route is offered almost by all travel agencies who guide mountain Kilimanjaro. When you do the research on what Travel agency to choose, you may find that there are different offers by different travel agencies.

Some agencies have complete package comprise of (flights, the climb, hotels, transfer,) other agency offer you the package which comprises of the (hotels, the climb and transfers) while other provide you only the climb package especially for the climbers who are already in Moshi or Arusha. You may also be surprised by the prices offered on this route as there are High-end travel agencies who offered the luxury climb on this route, there are local travel agencies which are own and manage by Tanzanian and, there are abroad travel agencies which are mainly the agents with the sale offices in abroad and subcontract their operations to the local operators in Moshi and Arusha. Also, we can categorize the operator into two categories as the ethical operator and the non-ethical operator. There is big exploitation of porters on Mountain Kilimanjaro for many years. All most all the cheap operators on Mountain Kilimanjaro are non-ethical as they offer cheap packages to the climber in order to get the climber while exploiting the porters, and they have poor camping facilities, so be aware of these issues on Mountain Kilimanjaro and stay away from them. Then there are ethical Kilimanjaro operators who are doing the ethical climbs as they treat their porters fair and take care of them, and they don’t sell the cheap climb because the cheap climb means they will exploit their porters. To make sure the Kilimanjaro operator does an ethical climb, their company should be the Partner (members) of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP).

KPAP is an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC), and in Tanzania, KPAP is registered as A non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro by promoting socially responsible Kilimanjaro climbs in 2003. Every climb done by these Kilimanjaro operators who are Partner (members) of KPAP, it audited and monitored by KPAP; therefore, it will not be easy to cheat. Becoming a Partner member with KPAP and IMEC’s Partner for Responsible Travel Program is free for every Kilimanjaro operators who have a legal licence to operate the Mountain Kilimanjaro business, but fun enough, only 148 operators are Member of KPAP accordingly to their 2021 list of Partner(member) of Responsible Travel on their website.  Ninety-eight of these partners (member) are from outside Tanzania, while only the fifty Partners (members) are Local Kilimanjaro operators ( Companies that are owned and managed by Tanzanian), so it may be a shock to you why few Tanzania owned companies are Partner(member) of KPAP this is due to the fact that most of the local operating companies who are owned and managed by Tanzanian are offer cheap price climbs which are non-ethical as they get the profit of the climb themselves as the CEOs and directors of those companies while their porters are being exploited by getting low salaries with the poor working condition on the Mountain Kilimanjaro. For you can never find companies like these on the KPAP as the member which is free to join, and most of them claim they are local and they are ethical, which is not. When you become a Partner (member) of KPAP, you can not cut the corner as all your climbs are audited, so it very hard to cheat when it comes to the matter of Fair treatment of porters. As Eco-Africa Climbing, we are doing an ethical and responsible climb, and we are proud to be a Partner (member)of KPAP and spread the awareness of Fair and treatment of Mountain Kilimanjaro Porters.  Therefore to book your climb with an ethical company like us is a great choice.

What is the price value for the Machame route?

The Machame route can be either the economical route or the modest route. The Mountain climbing packages prices can differ from one Kilimanjaro tour operator to another; this depends on the climbing services this Kilimanjaro tour operator provides. If this Operator does the ethical climbs or non-ethical climbs. Unfortunately, many climbers who want to climb mountain Kilimanjaro are looking for a cheap price without researched the cost for Mountain Kilimanjaro in details and how this Kilimanjaro operator operates their climb. Many of them fail at the hand of the wrong operator, which results in the climbers fail to summit Kilimanjaro since there are more than 500 licensed Mountain Kilimanjaro tour operators. Unfortunately, there are only a few reputable operators on Mountain Kilimanjaro that provide the best Mountain service and ethical climbs at an affordable price; it is difficult for a climber to choose a reputable tour operator due to the different prices charged by these operators.  For example, you may find online that the six-day machine route packages are offered from the US $1400 by many Kilimanjaro tour operators while other few operators pro $2200 for that package.

Climbers confused about these big difference in cost from one operator to another. Choose a reputable Kilimanjaro operator is essential for your Kilimanjaro experience and summit success. Don’t choose the Kilimanjaro operator based only on the price; the price should be your last decision while selecting the Kilimanjaro operator to use. It would be best to consider the Mountain services the operator provides; you can check the things below.

  • The gears this company offers have quality, Camping gears, Mountain Tents, and all other gears like the (portable toilet, chair, Table) as the Machame route is the camping route.
  • What Quantity and quality of the food they provide?
  • The Safety measure they use on the Mountain, do they monitor climber status day by day?
  • Are their Mountain guide and porters well trained?
  • How many porters do they provide for your climb?
  • Are the porters treated fair? As on Mountain Kilimanjaro, the porters are the backbone for your climb.
  • Are they doing the ethical climb? The ethical climb is when the tour company conducts their climb operator while not exploiting the Mountain crew (porters, guides, and cook)

The Kilimanjaro tour company that does Kilimanjaro ethical climbs always makes sure that all mountain crews rights are provided on the mountain. All are treated well on the mountain. The company offers all the necessary shelters like Sufficient food, Quality Accommodations(tents, camping gears ) for their mountain crew to use during the climb. The Pack Weight Regulations to be observed by the company ensure that every porter carries only 20kg of the loads during the climb. The company ensure that the sick or injured mountain crew is descending and treated well. The company should ensure proper transparent tipping procedures as the climber provides each tip at the end of the climb received by very porters. All the mountain crew are paid the recommended salary and on time. Therefore if you read carefully the above, you will find out that only a few reputable Kilimanjaro tour operators offer the above. Most of them are Partners of Kilimanjaro Assistance Project (KPAP), which monitors the treatment of porters rights on Mountain Kilimanjaro; their prices usually reflect what they do on Mountain Kilimanjaro together with their Mountain service. Most cheap operators offer a low price by cutting the cost of their mountain service by providing low-quality camping gears and tents. They provide insufficient food for climber and mountain crew, pay meagre salaries to their mountain crew, poor safety measure, use untrained mountain guides, and not treat their mountain crew right. The cheap operator companies like these are doing non-ethical climbs, and they are not Partner for KPAP, which is free to join. Mountain Kilimanjaro climb involved climb in high altitude, so there are risky involve; therefore, the climber should be aware of the risk they may encounter when falling into the hand of the cheap operator and failing to summit due to saving some few dollars. Remember that Climbing Kilimanjaro is a past life experience, so be wise to choose the operator and not base it on price only.

 Eco-Africa climbing, we are doing ethical Kilimanjaro climbs; as a proud partner of the Kilimanjaro Porter Assistance project.

 We are offered a six-day Machame route from US $2450 and seven days Machame route start from US$2650, which is an affordable price for ethical climbs.

Which one is the best itinerary between six days and seven Machame Route?

The Machame route is offered for six days climb and seven days climb. Many Climbers get confused on which days to use on this route. One of the essential factors we will consider at this Machame route is acclimatization, as this route is allowed to climb high and sleep low. Most climbers who have done their research well before climbing Kilimanjaro consider the acclimatization factor a crucial factor to a successful summit Kilimanjaro. Acclimatization is when the body of an organism adjusts itself according to the change of any environment. It may be temperature, altitude, humidity etc.. For Mountain climbing, we can say that acclimatization is when the climber’s body adjusts according to the change of mountain environment. When you climb Kilimanjaro, you will pass through five different climatic zones, so the change of weather and altitude is a must. The body of the climber has to adjust it accordingly, whereby when the climber body acclimatises well, it makes his or her body be in a good state and be at the higher rate to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro. When the climber body fails to acclimatize well, this will result in the possibility of the climber’s chance not adapting to the mountain environment and failing to summit. So the climber needs to spend more time on the mountain to get his or her body to acclimatise well. For this case, a seven-day Machame route is best for the climber who wants to get acclimatised well, and most climbers are beginners. The six-day Machame route will be an excellent choice for the experienced climber who has climbed many mountains without any problem. Therefore, both itineraries are best, but choosing one over another depends on how your body acclimates to the mountain.

Advantages of the Machame Route?

Machame route is among the camping routes found n the southern west part of the Mountain Kilimanjaro; this route gains popularity and is ranked the number one route used by many climbers nowadays compared to the old route, the Marangu route.

The below are the advantages of the Machame route.

  • The Machame route is a very affordable camping route, as this route is offered from six days climb. Most of the budgeted climber prefer to climb this route for a six-day climb, but the six-day climb may not be suitable for the first time climber, as the first time climber need to spend more days on the mountain, so seven days Machame route will be the best for them.
  • When you climb the Machame route on day three, the climber will climb up to 4600 meters above sea level ( lava tower). The climber will camp at Barranco camp 3900 meters on that day three; this allowed a climber to climb higher and sleep low and make the climber acclimatize well and have a higher Kilimanjaro success rate.
  • The Machame route is among the scenery route found on Mountain Kilimanjaro. A climber will encounter a good landscape, which varies from the beginning of the Machame trial until the summit and makes this route a popular one.
  • Machame route is the best route for a photographer who likes to take the photo on the lovely view with different feature and landscape.
  • The Machame route is the best for extrovert climbers as they will enjoy talking to and being with other climbers on the trail and at the camp and socialize with each other as many climbers use this Machame route.

Disadvantages of the climbing Kilimanjaro use the Machame Route?

Machame route is among the camping route found n the southern west part of the Mountain Kilimanjaro, and due to its popularity, it has some demerit also.

The below are the disadvantages of this.

  • The Machame route has a steep trail, making it difficult and challenging for climbers when they pass through five climatic zones up to the summit of the Uhuru peak, so the climber will have to be fit and prepare for this challenge on this route. For the first time, the climber must use seven days Machame route to avoid tiredness and not get well acclimatized.
  • When something is popular, it attracts a lot of attention, so this Machame route attracts many climbers every climbing season; therefore, it has higher traffic with many climbers. The Machame route is not suitable for the introverted climber who doesn’t like to socialize and enjoy the mountain by themselves.
  • Machame route has many climbers use this route; therefore, throughout the climb, this route is bustling; from the trial up to the camps, there will be many climbers, porters, tents, and many other activities at the Camp make this route busy.
  • Since this route has many climbers, porters, so at the Camps are very noisy, as many porters sing, so the climber who doesn’t like the noise this route is not for them.
  • The Machame route is the Camping only, and there are no huts facilities like those offered on the Marangu route, so for the people who don’t like to sleep in the tent, this route is not for them.

How to reach the Machame route?

Before reaching the Machame route, You will have to take your flight to the United Republic of Tanzania either in Moshi Town or Arusha before you start your climb. Most climbers prefer to spend one or two nights in Moshi or Arusha Town before the Kilimanjaro climb. As a climber, you will need to know how you will get to Tanzania from your home country. Most climbers fly from their home to Tanzania and the best and famous airport to get to Kilimanjaro Mountain is the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) with  IATA code JRO. This Kilimanjaro Airport is the best airport to land before climbing the Machame route because this airport is located near Moshi and Arusha city, which are the best place for a climber to spend some days before starting the climb. There are different Airlines that land at Kilimanjaro Airport as below.

  • Ethiopian Airlines 
  • KLM
  • Ethiopian Airlines 
  • Emirates
  • Qatar
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Rwanda Air
  • Kenya Air

 The above airline has a direct flight to Kilimanjaro Airport.

We know that climbers may find it difficult to get the flights that land directly to Kilimanjaro Airport. These climbers may land at Julius Nyerere Internation Airport (JNIA) with IATA code DAR; this airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s biggest city for business, so many Airlines lands there compare to Kilimanjaro Airport. When climbing land at Dar es Salaam, they will use domestic flights like Air Tanzania and Precision Air to fly to Kilimanjaro Airport to start their climb. Climbers may also land in Kenya or Rwanda if they fail to get the direct flight to Tanzania. Climbers from Kenya may fly with Kenya Airways to Kilimajaro airport or use the land way and cross the Namanga border (Tanzania-Kenya border) to enter Tanzania as the Namanga border is located at Longido area, which is found at Arusha City. Climbers who will land in Rwanda may use Rwanda Air to fly direct to Kilimanjaro. The best way to get to the Machame route is to land at Kilimanjaro airport and stay either at Arusha or Moshi before these two places are near the Machame route’s start point.

Do I need a Mountain guide to climb the Machame route?

To climbing the Machame route, you will need a licensed Mountain guide to leads you to the summit of Mountain Kilimanjaro. According to Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), only the licensed Mountain guide, Tanzanian, guides the climbers to the Machame route and all the Kilimanjaro routes. Every year, the Mountain guide is supposed to have a valid license to enable him or her to guide climbers to Mountain Kilimanjaro. The international Mountain guides are not allowed to guide their climbers on Mountain Kilimanjaro. Still, they will be termed as the climbers as they will pay the normal Kilimanjaro park fees like other climbers; therefore, during the climb, they will only act as the tour leader and cooperate and cooperate with the Mountain Kilimanjaro guides. The mountain guide is the one who holds the Kilimanjaro permit for the whole climb and walking with the climber for the entire climb.

Do I need porters to climb the Machame route?

To climbing the Machame route, you will need porters to support you to the summit of Mountain Kilimanjaro.  According to Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), no climbers are allowed to climb Kilimanjaro without porters in all routes.

Every year, the porters are supposed to have a valid registration card to enter Mountain Kilimanjaro to support the climbers. On Mountain Kilimanjaro, porters are the backbone of the climb; they lift all the climb loads (food, camping gears, climber bags) from the start of the climb until the end of the climb. Without these porters, mountain climbing will be challenging to climb for many climbers. Therefore, the climbers make sure they book the Kilimanjaro climb with a company that does ethical and responsible trekking to ensure these porters are treated fairly during the climb.

BOOK YOUR MACHAME ROUTE PACKAGE NOW

Why Climb Machame route with us?

  • We are a KPAP Certified Company.
  • Best Local Guides.
  • Quality Camping Gear.
  • Best Services on the Mountain.
  • Reasonable Price
  • Fair Treatment of climb crew
  • Guarantee Departure
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What approval do I need to climb the Machame route?

 For the person to climb the Machame route, she or he will need to get the permit from Kilimanjaro National Park Authority at Machame gate. You will have to book your Kilimanjaro climb with the tour operator who has a legal license (TALA)to run the Mountain Climbing and Trekking Business. Every year, the tour operator must pay to get this license provided by the Tanzania Ministry of Natural Resource and Tourism. The tour operator who has a valid license will be allowed to guide people on Mountain Kilimanjaro. During your first day on the Machame route at Machame gate, your tour operator will ask for this permit for their client to enter Mountain Kilimanjaro National park. The tour operator will have to complete all the formalities together with the payment of for the All, the park fees of their client so that this permit can be granted. For the Machame route, the minimum number of days the permit will be granted will be six days. For the climb, who will climb for seven days, the Machame route will have to ask for the seven-day permit. This permit is the one that will allow the climber to enter Kilimanjaro National Park and camping on each camp throughout this Machame route. The price for the permit of 6 days Machame route is approximately the US $830 per, while for the seven days will be approximately the US $970 per person. The permit for camping at the crater is the US $100 per person. This Kilimanjaro permit is valid only 12 hours every day, so on the last day, the climber will have to check out at the Mweka gate before 12 hours pass to avoid the extra charges.

Does a person need any requirements to climb the Machame route?

The Machame route is one of the challenge routes on Mountain Kilimanjaro, so the person who wishes to climb this route must prepare for this. Many people underestimate Mountain Kilimanjaro, but climbing up to 5895meters above sea level is not a joke; you have to prepare for it physically and physiologically when climbing it. Mountain Kilimanjaro does not need any technical skills; this doesn’t mean this mountain is very easy. One of the recommended requirements someone will need to have when considering climbing this Machame route is to have a certain fitness level to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro. Ensure you are training your body not to get injured and get an extra day to acclimatize your body while climbing this route. It important, especially for anyone who has never been to any mountain (first-time climber). We have guide people to the Machame route for years, and we have seen that the first time climber s experienced the difficulty, especially to their body muscles due to the steepness and climb and low of this Machame route. Therefore some level of fitness will be required by anyone who considers climbing the Machame route.

What is the Personal gear list for the Machame route?

The Machame is the camping routes, so the camping gears like Mountain tents, chair, table, mattress, and all food utensils are provided by all tour operators, some tour operators they provide, even the sleeping bag to their clients. You as a climber, you will also need the person gears for your Kilimanjaro climbs. We have categorised these gears in Technical Clothing, Headwear, Handwear, Footwear, Personal Equipment, Toiletries, Accessories and Paperwork. To understand what gears are included in each category, kindly see our Mountain Kilimanjaro gear lists. Most of the challenge people have while pack for the climb the Machame route is they overpacking many personal gears. Keep in mind that porters can carry only 15 kg of your gears on the duffel bag. Therefore read our gears list carefully when you pack for Kilimanjaro.

Have you seen our  Machame route Video?

The Machame route is very popular, and many people have used it to summit the Mountain Kilimanjaro. See our Machame Video below

Play Video

How do I training for the Machame route?

 Machame route is the challenge route so that you will require some physical intensity and mental strength; in this case, the training for this climb is highly recommended. The training aims to make your body fit and in good shape to increase your physical and mental strength. You will need to do aerobic exercises, working on your core muscles, which will help you carry a pack during the climb. You will need to do body strength exercises that will maintain your lower and upper body, balance, and flexibility. Most people prefer to book the climb early and start the training, while others start to train and book the climb after they are ready to climb. 

People who have experienced climbing take three months for training. In comparison, people who have no experience with climbing or hiking take up to 6 months to train to climb this Machame route. The better way to do the training is walking and hiking. If your home is surrounded by hills or mountain, these are the best places for training, so do your best to make use of them. For the beginner, you will have to start with short walking and hiking for an hour or two while carrying from a 10 to 15 kg day pack and then adding more hours as you continue to gain the momentum. After you get the momentum now, you will have to go the long hiking for 4 hours and more, do this for few months without forget to carry your 15kg day pack. If you get the chance to climb your nearby highest peak, it will be excellent training to test your ability to endure. Kilimanjaro climbing involves climbing for 4 hours while carrying your day pack. Therefore training is essential before climb this Machame route.

How do I make myself ready to climb the Machame route? 

To climb the Machame route, you will need to prepare yourself in different aspects like Financial, training, Gears, and all other things which incur during your trip to Kilimanjaro. For Financial here, we mean that you will have to book this Machame route package and buy tickets for your flight as you will need to travel to Tanzania to start your climb using this Machame route. You are buying the Climbing gears for your Kilimanjaro climb and all other gears and clothing needed for this trip. You will also need to pay for food and drinks during your hotel stay as many tour operators will offer a climbing package that includes two nights of hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. It would be best if you tipped the Mountain crew as tipping is one of the Kilimanjaro climbing cultures whereby during the end of the climb, the climber provides this tip to their Mountain crew(guides, porters and cook). You will also need money for emergency as you will never know what will happen during your trip or buy your travel insurance, which will help you cover during your trip to Kilimanjaro. You will have to start training also to keep your body fit to climb. Therefore, as the person prepares to climb the Machame route, you will also need to prepare yourself in all aspects above and your mind.

What will the daily schedule be like on the Machame route?

The day by day schedule on the Machame route will always start by walking up in the morning, whereby our Mountain guide will wake up all our climber from their tents and ask about their night and how they feel on that day. Then our waiter will serve the climb with warm water for washing the face and hands as every day will provide these hot; also if the climber needs the tea or hot chocolate, our waiter will give him or her inside tent. After all, our clients finish washing; the breakfast will be ready in the Mess tent. We provide a mess tent with a table, chairs, and tableware and handwashing facilities every day on the Machame route. After breakfast, our mountain guide will monitor all the climber oxygen level using the oximeter and provide the climb briefly for that day.

 Then our climbers will go to their tents and assemble their day pack, and then we will leave the campsite and start the hiking, usually at 8 am. When we leave the camp, our porters will assemble all the foods, camping gears and other gears; then, they will also start hiking to the next campsite, which will depend on which campsite we will camp on that day. Walking and hiking on the Machame route usually varies from day to day, but it usually 6 hours on average as this depends on the climber walking pace. Our guide will continuously monitor the climber’s speed to make sure that all the climbers are walking together; therefore, there will be a short break for climbers to take water, pictures, etc. On the trial of this Machame route, we will provide the climbers with packed lunch, and on other days they will have a hot lunch. Our porters usually walk significantly faster than the climber for them to reach the campsite early than a climber and set the camp with tents, mess tents, and prepare water, foods, and all the necessary facilities for the climbers to use the campsite. After our climbers reach the camp, they will be welcome with a hot towel for washing their hand and face; then, we will provide a glass of juice and snacks. In the evening, we will serve the climbers a delicious dinner. After the dinner, our guide will monitor our climber oxygen level for the second time every day; they will also provide the climbing briefly for the next day. After this, the climbers will have time to socialize with each other, with our mountain crew, before they go for sleeping as the climber needs time to sleep to recharge their bodies. During the summit day, the climbers wake up at midnight and start their journey to the Uhuru peak. Therefore these will be the activities of the climbers day by day on the Machame route.

Why is it important to climb the Machame route with tour company support KPAP?

 It is essential to climb the Machame route with the tour operator, a Partner(member) of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). The majority of tour operators don’t treat fair their Mountain crew, especially the porters who work for their company. Most of these companies exploit their porters in different ways, as below. They provide an inadequate meal to their porter, which is one meal per day during the climb. Their porters carry more than 20kg, which is standard by Kilimanjaro National Authority KINAPA. They provide few and poor sleeping tents, which cause the porters to sleep many in one tent. They pay their porters a meagre wage and cause the porters to depend more on the tip at the end of the climb. They don’t care about their sick porters. The above are just a few exploitations done by these tour companies to their porter on Mountain Kilimanjaro. The companies like these are the budget tour operator, and even midrange tour operators exploit their porters inspect of the claim that they do responsible climb, which is not. Therefore, it is crucial to climbing the Machame route with a tour company that is a Partner (member) of KPAP. These companies adhere to all the protocols for an ethical and responsible climb on Mountain Kilimanjaro. Eco-Africa Climbing is a proud partner of KPAP, and a porter from KPAP audits all the climbs we conducted, which makes us comply with the ethical and responsible climb.

Where Will I Sleep while climbing the Machame route?

The Machame route is among the camping route found on the Mountain Kilimanjaro.  The person who climbs for six days of the Machame route will spend five nights camping on five different campsites, while a person who climbs seven days of the machine will spend six nights camping in various camps on this Machame route. The climbers will sleep inside the  Mountain Tent for the entire climb on this route. Eco-Africa Climbing we provide Four Season Mountain Hardware tents to our client during the Machame route climb to keep our climber warm, comfortable and waterproof. This four-season have more space, and we allow a maximum of two people to stay in one tent to let the climber have more room for their daypacks and duffel bags. We also provide a sleeping mattress, which is one point five inches from which is comfortable for the climber to sleep. We offer a cosy tent and sleeping mattress to make the camping environment suitable even for the first-timer camper or for the people who don’t like to camp a lot.

What will summit day be on the Machame route?

The summit day on the Machame route usually begins at midnight to get to the top of the Mountain Kilimanjaro Uhuru peak (5895 meters) during the sunrise. On the Machame route, the base camp is the Barafu camp; when the climbers get to the base climb, they will have more time to rest as they will sleep early as soon after dinner to prepare themselves for the summit ascent. Usually, the Mountain guide will wake up all the climbers to get a light snack then start attempt to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro via the Machame route. The summit day involves walking in the darkness for hours on a single line as the guide will lead the way, and both climbers and guides will wear summit clothing and have a headlight and walking poles. As you ascend on a steeper slope, you will enter the summit zone so that the climber will experience the cold, wind and few oxygens. The summit day is a tough day due to this condition as a very long climb as you will walk from 11 to 16 hours on this day as this depends on our pace and healthy state on that day, but the great effort will be needed to make you conquer this Kilimanjaro and reach the Uhuru Peak. During this ascent to Uhuru peak is common to find some climber fail and turn around due to Mountain sickness, fatigue or give up to reach the Uhuru Peak. When in the group of climbers and during the summit day one of the climbers fails to climb and turn around, the Mountain guide and summit porters will assist him or her to descend to the Barafu camp, while the rest of the group will continue with their journey to reach the Uhuru peak (5895 meters). When you reach the Uhuru peak (5895 meters) is where you will get the chance to celebrate, taking photos and thank your almighty God for reach the Roof of Africa. Ater spends few minutes at Uhuru peak; you will have to descend to the Barafu camp to eat lunch and rest a bit before we descend to the Millenium Camp or Mweka camp. The descending part is also a challenging part on this Machame route as it will involving long descend, and most of the climber get very tired. Their bodies energy are usually low as they use most of their enegry to get to the top of Uhuru Peak, which is very typical to anyone.

 Does the seven days Machame route best for Acclimatization?

Seven days Machame route is the best for acclimatization as you will have more time on the Kilimanjaro. When a person climbs to a higher altitude, the oxygen decrease, the body usually reacts; how the body of a climber reacts on high altitudes is called Altitude acclimatization. This altitude acclimatization is vague as some climbers’ bodies respond well to the decrease of oxygen while others do not. To acclimatize well, the climber will need to spend more days on the Mountain as there is an excellent relation between devote more time on the Mountain and get a higher success summit rate. As the human body adapts slowly to the high altitude environment, the body will need more time to spend on the high altitude. The climber’s success is to have a higher chance to acclimatize well at a high altitude than to his or her physical ability to ascend the Mountain. The climber who acclimatizes well has the ample opportunity to get to the Uhuru peak. Therefore, we recommend our client take a seven-day Machame route to spend more days on the Mountain to have a higher chance of a successful summit on Mountain Kilimanjaro.

What is the state of the Machame route trial? 

The trial on the Machame route is always cleary and well maintained in every season inspect of the enormous traffic on this route. This route does not need any technical skill when you ascend or descend. The only place where you will use your four limbs(legs and hand ) while climbing is at the Baranco wall. On your way to summit Kilimanjaro, we will enter the summit zone, which comprises ice, so it usually slippery while ascending and when you descend. The only challenge we can encounter on the Machame trail is bad weather, such as rain, fog, and snow which cause the path to be wet, loose, muddy, icy. Therefore, the climbers should always prepare themselves for the weather on Mountain Kilimanjaro because the weather on this Mountain is unpredictable.

Do we have a toilet on the Machame route?

Each campsite has public toilets for the climber and Mountain crew (guides, porters, and cooks) to use on the Machame route. These toilets are the Africa style toilet which has a long hole usually it is the squat toilet. Squat toilets are used in  African countries, Asian countries, Southern European countries. These public toilets are not suitable for the western style. On the Machame route, these public toilets are made of block and wooden. There are no sitting facilities on these toilets. All you have to do is to position yourself in a squatting place while inside the toilet. You will need to have toilet paper or water while using this toilet. The high crowds on this Machame route comprise many porters, guides, cooks, and climbers; these public toilets get busy and get very dirt with the bad smell. Since these public toilets are very dirt with an unpleasant odor and not suitable for many western people, we provide the private portable toilets with the private tent to all our customers on this Machame route.

BOOK YOUR MACHAME ROUTE PACKAGE NOW

Why Climb Machame route with us?

  • We are a KPAP Certified Company.
  • Best Local Guides.
  • Quality Camping Gear.
  • Best Services on the Mountain.
  • Reasonable Price
  • Fair Treatment of climb crew
  • Guarantee Departure
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Do we have the bathroom on the Machame route?

On the Machame route, there are no shower or bathroom facilities.  Most of the tour companies on Mountain Kilimanjaro provide hot water in the morning and evening for their climbers to wash. Keep in mind that you will not shower on the mountain for either six days or seven days that climb the Machame route unless you request the private shower on the mountain for an additional cost. Most high-end tour operators who offer luxury services on mountain Kilimanjaro provide these shower facilities for their climbers.

Can I camp at crater camp while using the Machame route?

Yes, you can climb the Machame route and camp at the crater camp before summit Mountain Kilimanjaro or after the summit Kilimanjaro. You will have two options as below.

  •  The First Option: You will leave the barafu camp heading to Uhuru Peak for the summit, then heading to Crater camp overnight. The following day you will wake up and hiking the crater rim and see the sunrise; then, you will start to descend to the Millenium camp or the Mweka camp.
  • The Second Option: You will leave the barafu camp heading to the crater rim for hiking, see the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers, and explore the crater, then heading to the crater camp overnight. The following day you will wake up and go to the Uhuru peak for the summit, then you will start to descend to the Millenium camp or the Mweka camp.

The above is how someone can camp at the crater camp when using this Machame route.

What are the food and drinks we offer on the Machame route?

On the Machame route, we offer different varieties of food and drinks to our climber to make sure the food fuels them to the summit of Mountain Kilimanjaro. Since it is common for people to lose appetites during the climb, we have the designed special foods for our climber to make them healthy and have all the energy they might need during this Machame route climbing. We are serving the best food on the mountain as all our meals are fresh-cooked every day, and this keeps surprised some of our climbers how we make this possible. We also have fresh fruits and vegetables on our climb. We also have meals for people who are vegan and vegetarian. We usually ask our clients for food requirements to provide the meals that will be the best for them as we understand that every client has different needs regarding food. We also offer drinks like water, juice, tea and hot chocolate, and sometimes even wine during the climb. We make sure our foods are fresh by resupply the new foods at Karanga camp. Our foods are the best as we serve food like a five-star hotel on top of Kilimanjaro Mountain. 

What kind of transport do we use on the Machame route?

Our Machame route packages either six days or seven days; it includes the two ways Airport transfer from Kilimanjaro Airport when you arrive in Tanzania and Kilimanjaro Airport when you leave to your home. It also includes two ways to transfer to the Machame gate, whereby you will start the Machame route climb and from the Mweka gate after finishing your climb. We are using private Hiace, minivans, and coaster for pickup up and drop off our clients to the Airport while on transfer to the start of the trial, and at the end of the trail, we use hiace and coaster. Every vehicle we are using is of a high standard and comfortable. Our drivers are professional as they will drive you at a reasonable speed and keep you safe. In Tanzania, it is widespread for the traffic police to stop the vehicles and inspect the vehicles and drivers’ licenses, so this happens frequently, so don’t be afraid about this. When the traffic police officer stops the vehicle, this does not mean that the vehicles and the driver have a problem. But it is just a standard traffic police inspection.

What is the weight of the climber’s luggage allowed on the Machame route?

On the Machame route at the Machame gate, the weight of every piece of luggage carried by porters is mentioned there by Kilimanjaro National Park Warden. The porters are not permitted to carry climber luggage that exceeds 15kg. Therefore, we recommend that our clients pack their duffle bag-wise and not carry many climbing items as the weight limit is 15 kg or 32lb. This 15kg will include the client all climbing items together with the sleeping bag. As our company does ethical and responsible climb and a partner (member) of Kilimanjaro Porters Assitance Project, we follow this protocol of 15 kg for our porters. Our porter will not carry more than this. If a client happens to have many climbing items, he or she will need to leave some of the items to the hotel or hire a personal porter to carry his or her belongings. The cost of hiring a personal porter will be the US $30 per day.

 What is the tipping guidance on the Machame route?

On the Machame route, tipping is not a mandatory thing. We are taking care of our porters well while on the Mountain, and we are paying our porters a recommend salary, therefore for our company, our Mountain crew (porters, guides, cooks) are not dependent on the tip. The tip is just the way for the client to show appreciation for the services they provide on the Mountain Kilimanjaro while using the Machame route. We usually have the tipping recommendation for our clients who are will to tipping the crew to follow: 

The below is the tipping recommendation for our Mountain crews as recommended by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP).

  • Head Guide – $15 to $20 per day
  •  Assistant Guide – $10 to $15 per day
  • Cook – $10 to $15 per day
  •  Porter – $5 to $8 per day per porter

The above is just the guideline on how you will tip the Mountain crew; we understand that for some of the clients who climb alone, these tipping may be higher for them but for the clients who are climb with the group, these tips may be splitting according to the number of the client on the group. For example, in five clients climb together, each client will contribute $3–$4 per day for the Head guide tip. Some of our clients find it challenging to do the tip estimate, but we calculate the estimate and send it to them.

What is the tipping procedure on the Machame route? 

The tipping procedure on the Machame route as following

  1. We first provide our client with the tipping guideline.
  2. We provide our client the exact number of the Mountain crew (guide, porter, cook) who will accompany him or her on the Machame route as this number is provided at the Machame gate after we obtain the Machame route permit.
  3. At one of the Machame route camps, the head guide will introduce all of his or her Mountain crew (assistant guide, cook, and porters) to the client.
  4. The head guide should also introduce each person in the crew with his name and his responsibility on the climb as they are cook, waiter, tent crew, the pilot for a portable toilet, summit porter, etc.
  5. The guide should have the tipping paper, which contains the exact name and number of every Mountain crew.
  6. The tipping ceremony will be conducted either on the last night of the climb (Millenium camp or Mweka camp) or at the Mweka gate after finish this Machame route climb.
  7. The client will use the tipping paper to write and indicate the tip on every member of the crew; if the client cannot do this, he or she will have to tell the guide what exactly each mountain crew will get.
  8. When a climber provides some of the tips, for example, $1000 to the Mountain crew, this tipping will be distributed with the help of the guide and our office staff member to ensure transparency.
  9. After the client writes and indicates each amount every member of the mountain crew will get, he or she will have to announce by reading each name and the exact amount he./ she indicates to each member of the Mountain crew or the guide will assist reading this.
  10. After tipping announcements, every member of the Mountain crew will be hearing what she or he got; therefore, the client or guide will put on the total tipping three envelopes: guide, porters, and cook for distribution later.
  11. The tipping will be distributed to every mountain crew according to what the client provides to each member with the transparency to make sure each member of the Mountain crew gets what was provided by the clients.
  12. If the client provides tipping in the hotel after the climb, we will send three crew members as the representative who will be a guide, porter, and cook to receive the tip on behalf of the Mountain crew.
  13. After the tipping distribution is over; the office will keep the tipping papers for reference.

What Mountain service do we offer on the Machame route?

The Machame route is among the camping route found on mountain Kilimanjaro. We ensure we provide the best experience to all our clients from the first day to the last day.

On the Machame route, we offer mountain services like below.

  • We provide camping facilities on the Machame route by offering the Mountain hardware four-season tents for sleeping, Chair, Table, Dining Tent, sleeping mattress.
  • We provide all the food and drinks on the mountain every day as we cook fresh meals every day; our meals are curated specially for the climbers.
  • We provide the guide services as all our Mountain guides are Wilderness First Responder Certified and know how to handle climber.
  • We provide oxygen tanks and the first aid kit for an emergency to our client.
  • We monitor our clients’ healthy twice a day and record their data to track their progress during the climb.
  • We have set evacuation procedures for our clients to ensure our climbers are safe and take precautions to ensure all our clients descend safely.
  • We are using mobile and radio for communication for climb updates as we post daily climber progress on our social media during the climb.
  • We provide our clients with the porter’s support throughout the climb as these porters are the backbone of our climb.
  • We provide the transport to the start of the Machame Route, the Machame gate, and from the end of the Machame route, the Mweka gate.

What do our Machame route packages include?

All our Machame route packages are guaranteed departure even if you will be the only one book the tri; we will not charge you extra fees or a single supplement fee.

Our Machame route packages, either a six-day Machame route or seven days Machame route, include the below.

  • Detail itinerary for both six days or seven days packages.
  • Gear list or Rented gear list.
  • Information guides on our Mountain services.
  •   Kilimanjaro airport transfers both pickups and drops off.
  • Government 18% Value Added Taxe on all park fees and taxes.
  • The adequate and appropriate number of guides, porters, and cooks for your group.
  • All the Kilimanjaro Nationa Park fees.
  • Transport to take you to the Machame gate to begin the climb and to take you from Mweka gate at the end of the climb.
  • Sleeping mattress.
  • Dining tent.
  •  Mountain Hardware Four Season sleeping tent.
  • Tables and chairs.
  • You will spend two nights at Hotel in Moshi, one night before the climb and one night after the climb.
  • Three full fresh meals daily. We provide fresh food on the mountain in plentiful and well prepared by skilled professional cookers (we also consider the food choice you would prefer -Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian). Menu especially designed for climbers.
  • Hot drinks on the mountain and Hot water for washing will be provided every day on the mountain.
  • 3-4 liters of mineral (per Climber) provided daily during the climb.
  • Portable toilets for the trek with the tent for the Kilimanjaro trek.
  • Emergency evacuation covers with AMREF Flying Doctors for Kilimanjaro trek.
  • Carbon Offset
  • Hotel accommodation includes storage facilities for excess luggage during hikes.
  • Kilimanjaro National Park rescue fees (Kilimanjaro Rescue Team).
  • The chief guide carries a Pulse Ox meter, used to take blood-oxygen level readings of clients twice a day.
  • Emergency oxygen (for use in emergencies only – not as summiting aid).
  • Basic first aid kit (for use in emergencies only).
  • Salaries for the mountain support crew, as required by MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND NATURAL RESOURCES and KPAP.
  • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as hot drinks on the mountain.
  • Porter to carry your duffel bag, with a maximum weight of 15kg / 32 lbs, from one camp to the next camp.
  • Kilimanjaro National Park certificate for your successful summit attempt

What do our Machame route packages not include?

Both our six days and seven days Machame route packages do not include the below.

  • International flight.
  • Domestic flight.
  • Airport taxes.
  • Visa to enter Tanzania.
  • Tipping for Mountain crews.
  • Required vaccination to enter Tanzania example, yellow fever.
  • Travel and Medical insurance.
  • Personal Hiking gears.
  • Sleeping bag.
  • Personal first aid and Medicine.

When I fail to climb the Machame route, will I be refunded my money?

When a client fails to climb the Machame route, he or she will have to descend and check out the Mountain.  There will be no refund which our company will refund the client since Kilimanjaro Permits are non-refundable once you pay no refund at all. The clients also have to pay for the extra nights at the hotel, apart from the two nights hotels offered on both six days and seven days Machame route packages.

What are the safety measures we take on the Machame route?

We ensure that all our clients are on the Machame route are well taken care of with our porters and our Mountain guide.

The below are the safety measures we take during the climb.

  • We make sure all the guides who lead our climb are Wilderness First Responder Certified.
  • We make sure that we know our client’s health status before the climb.
  • We monitor our client’s health throughout the climb.
  • We carry emergency oxygen on every climb.
  • We monitor our client’s oxygen levels by making sure we measure their oxygen level two times a day using an oximeter.
  • We descend to the lower camp immediately when a client gets Mountain sickness and fails to continue with the help of our guide and porters.
  •  When we get our client to the lower camp, he or she will get the first aid; then we will take him or her to a place where the road is accessible, so that will use the Ambulance from Kilimanjaro National Park to evacuate our client from the Mountain.
  • For the clients who have high altitude emergency insurance covering up to 6000m above sea level, we called the Kilimanjaro Search and Rescue helicopter to evacuate our client from the Mountain.
  • When a client gets out of the Mountain, we will take him or our case to the High Altitude dispensary in Moshi, which deals with the High Altitude problem.
  • The cost of all the medication at this High High Altitude dispensary in Moshi will be cover by the client or his or her Insurance.

Therefore we recommend all our client to Insurance for their climb especially this Insurance which covers covering up to 6000m above sea level,

What is the difference? Machame route versus marangu route?

There are many differences between the Machame route and the Marangu route.

The below are different.

  • The Machame route is the well-liked route on Mountain Kilimanjaro, while the Marangu route is the first route and the oldest route.
  • The Machame route is the camping route people will have to camp and use a Mountain tent for sleeping, while the Marangu route has the hut whereby people will sleep inside the hut with beds and mattresses like the dormitory-style.
  • The Machame route is the best route for people who have experience with camping and sleep inside the tent, while the Marangu route is the best for people who have no camping experience or hate to camp.
  • The Machame route has no dining facilities as the people will have to take their meal on a designed mess tent provide by tour companies. In contrast, the dining lodge on the Marangu route is comfortable and clean for people to use while taking their meals.
  • People can climb the Machame route for six days as the minimum days allowed by the Kilimanjaro National Park authority. On the Marangu route, the minimum number of days allowed is five days.
  • People will start to climb the Machame route at Machame gate and finish at Mweka gate, while on the Marangu, they will start and finish at the same point: the Marangu gate.
  • The descend on the Machame route is more challenging, especially after the summit down to the Mweka gate, while on the Marangu route is easy as it descends more gradually.
  • Nowadays, the Machame route has more traffic of people climb this route than the Marangu route despite both these routes having a good number of people using them to summit Mountain Kilimanjaro.
  • For the acclimatization, the seven days Machame route offers better aclimatization than the six days Marangu route because when you spend more days on the mountain, you will acclimatize better.
  • The cost of climbing the Machame route will be higher than Marangu dues because the Machame route is the camping route, so it involves the carry of tents and other camping gear, making the number of porters increase and the cost.

What is the difference? Machame route versus Lemosho route?

When climbing Mountain Kilimanjaro, both climbers from the Machame route and Lemosho route join in the midway and camping together at the Barranco Camp.

Despite both the Machame route and the Lemosho route being stunning routes and the camping route on Mountain Kilimanjaro, these two routes have some differences. 

The below are the difference.

  • The minimum number of days allowed on the Machame route is six days, while the Lemosho route is seven days.
  • The Machame route packages are more affordable compared to the lemosho route packages.
  • For acclimatization on the Machame route, we recommend our client take a seven-day Machame route, while on the Lemosho route, we recommend eight days of the Lemosho route.
  • The Machame route has more traffic than the Lemosho route.
  • The Machame route offers a low wildlife experience due to high traffic compared to Leomosho, which has much wildlife because this route has no much traffic.
  • The Machame route has a short distance from the start point at Machame gate to the endpoint Mweka gate, while the Lemosho has the extended distance from the start point of the Lemosho gate to the endpoint of the Mweka gate.
  • The Machame route start point the Machame gate is located at the south part of the Mountain Kilimanjaro. The Lemosho route start point, the Lemosho Gate, is located at the West of the Mountain Kilimanjaro.

What is the difference? Machame route versus Rongai route?

On both the Machame and Rongai routes, the minimum number of days allowed is six days, and they both among the camping route found on Mountain Kilimanjaro. But these routes have some differences also.

The below are the difference.

  • The Machame route trial starts at the south part of Mountain Kilimanjaro and ends at MWeka gate. In contrast, the Rongai route trial begins at the northern part of Mountain Kilimanjaro near the Kenya border, and its endpoint is at the Marangu gate.
  • The Machame route is more scenery than the Rongai route, which is more wilderness.
  • The Machame route has more traffic from the start to the end than the Rongai route, which has low traffic when ascending and high traffic when descend using the Marangu route.
  • The Machame route is demanding compared to the Rongai route.
  • You can get a mobile network signal on the Machame route trial compared to the Rongai route, which has none.
  • The Machame route has less wildlife experience compared to the Rongai route, which has many wildlife experiences.
  • The Machame route has a short drive to the start point, while the Rongai route has a long drive to the start point of the climb.
  • The Machame route packages are more affordable compared to the Rongai route packages.

What is the Machame route and safari Package?

Machame route and safari package comprise the Kilimanjaro climbing using the Machame route and a wildlife safari after the climb. Most people who like to climb the Mountain Kilimanjaro also want to experience the wildlife. People prefer to start with the climb first at the Machame route, then summit Mountain Kilimanjaro and relax a bit and go for the SafariSafari. We have special packages comprising the seven-day Machame route and four-day SafariSafari to the beautiful Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro crater. This tour package is special for people who like to summit Kilimanjaro and get the test of Tanzania Wildlife Safari for a short period. This package is for 15 days and 14 nights, whereby you will start with the seven days Kilimanjaro climb via Machame route, then followed by the Safari to Serengeti and Ngororongo crater. The Machame route and safari Package cost the US $4550 per person sharing when two people (couple) traveling together.

This package can be a suitable package for the couple who like to have an adventure and experience the Tanzania Safari quickly while visiting Tanzania.

What ways of communication do we use on the Machame route?

When people climb the Machame route or any other Mountain Kilimanjaro routes, they usually wonder how the communication will be with their relatives who are very mile away from Mountain Kilimanjaro and Tanzania. While climbing, most people want to update their relatives about their progress while attempting Mountain Kilimanjaro on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Still, on the Mountain Kilimanjaro, there is a low network signal and poor internet access. But on the Machame route, there are some locations on the Machame trail where there is a good and robust network signal for making a call and having access to the Internet. Still, you will have to have a Tanzania mobile line to access make calls and the Internet. Eco-Africa Climbing during the climb, our guide on the Mountain usually communicates with our staff at Moshi’s office using mobile calls or radio calls.

 Also, our guide will have to send us a video or photo of our clients to post on our social media channel so that our clients’ relatives can get daily updates regarding the climb.

BOOK YOUR MACHAME CLIMB PACKAGE BELOW

Ethical Kilimanjaro via Machame Route 6   Days 

Machame (“Whiskey”) Route is also known as the “Whiskey” route, the Machame route is now the most popular route on the …

From USD $2450

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7 days machame route

Ethical Kilimanjaro via Machame Route 7   Days 

Machame (“Whiskey”) Route is also known as the “Whiskey” route, the Machame route is now the most popular route on the …

From USD $2650

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