7 Days Machame Route_Mt.Kilimanjaro Trek

Known for being beautifully scenic, the Machame Route also has the best summit success rate. This route allows you to “climb high, sleep low”, giving your body time to adjust to the changes in altitude over several days. Climbs can take six or seven days; the difference between the six and seven days Machame routes is that with six days, you won’t camp at Karanga campsite, so you will walk for a longer distance to reach the base camp passing Karanga campsite.

The climb begins at Machame Gate, at an altitude of 1800 meters, with an approach to the southwest of the mountain. It passes through the majestic rainforest on the first day, before continuing up the mountain to reach Shira Camp, where the Lemosho route joins from the west. From here you traverse the southern side of the mountain to Barranco via Lava Tower and climb the Great Barranco Wall on your way to Barafu Camp. After reaching the summit, you will descend by the Mweka trail, rather than retracing your steps along the ascent route.

The Machame route is nicknamed the ‘Whiskey Route’ as it is considered more difficult than the ‘Coca Cola Route’, the nickname for the Marangu route. In reality, it is not more technically difficult but is longer and in places steeper. The longer distance and the opportunity to ‘walk high, sleep low’ offer much better acclimatization and as a result a very high success rate.