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The Machame route, also referred to as the Whiskey route, is one of the most popular routes on Kilimanjaro and a favorite for us. Machame route is one of the highest summit success rates given the topography and nature of the route which allows climbers to “trek high & sleep low” hence making it a more favorable route for acclimatization. This route offers some of the most spectacular scenery while on the mountain. The Machame route starts in the south west side of the mountain and proceeds steeply north, traversing the Shira plateau and eventually joining the Shira and Lemosho routes just after the Shira cave camp. The Machame route can be done in minimum 6 days but a 7days trek is recommended to allow climbers been well rested and acclimatized before making the final ascent to the summit.
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Arusha town; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.
After breakfast transport to the Machame gate. From the gate of the recently repaired path leads through the last foothills of the fertile cultivated land. Shortly afterwards, the path rises and leads through the dense, deep green and still moist mountain rain forest up to the Machame Camp.
Through Busch forests and moorland leads past the way of powerful Lava bridges. A little later the first Seneca’s and lobelia can be seen. Around noon, where this section is mostly shrouded in dense fog.
The ascent through the dark, almost vegetation-free gravel desert of lava rock. With a bit of luck here the Kili shows for the first time up close! The path leads up to just below the Lava Tower (up to about 4450 m) and then down into the Barranco Valley. This area with its alpine vegetation is one of the highlights along the Machame Route.
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day meant for acclimatization.
After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
The path leads to a mostly wet, slippery path through the dense cloud forest steeply downhill to Mweka Gate. Transport back to your hotel or lodge.
Kilimanjaro Is Climbable All Year Round. The Best Months To Climb Are December-March, And September-October, Which Are The Warmest And Driest Months. The Next Best Are June To August, But They Are Colder. July, August, And September Are The Busiest Months. Summiting On Or Soon After A Full Moon Is Very Beautiful And Helps Illuminate The Landscape Without Using Headlamps. However, It Is Also Very Bright For Sleeping And Stars Are Not As Visible.
Malaria Is A Serious Problem In East Africa So You Must Consult Your Doctor About Getting Effective Malaria Prophylaxis For Your Visit. Many People Are Avoiding Lariam Nowadays And Using Malarone. You Cannot Catch Malaria Above 3000 Metres On Kilimanjaro, But You Must Be Careful Below That Altitude, Particularly If You Visit The Coast Where The Strains Of Malaria Tend To Be Especially Virulent.
Temperatures Range From 25 To 30 Degrees Celsius At The Foot Of The Mountain And -15 To -20 Degrees Celsius On Top Plus Wind Chill. Lower Down, It Can Be Wet And Humid, But Higher Up, There Can Be Snow. Rain And Snow May Be Encountered Any Time Of The Year!
Your Decision Will Depend On Where You Want To Sleep And The Hiking Distance Each Day And Number Of Days Of Each Route. On The Marangu Route, You Sleep In Huts With Simple Beds, While On All The Other Routes, You Sleep In Tents. There Are Two Main Routes On The Mountain: The Marangu And Machame. You May Also Want To Consider The Rongai Route As It Is Far Less Traveled. The Lemosho Route Is A Good Choice If You Want A Longer Route (8+ Days). Kindly Visit Our Kili Routes Page.
Physically, The Marangu And Machame Routes Are Rather Different. The Main Force Of Kibo's Volcanic Activity Occurred Out Towards The West (The Machame Side) And So Machame Is Steeper - Especially In The First Day And A Half - And More Rugged Than Marangu. It Is Often Considered More Scenic Because The Views Of Kibo Are More Impressive Than From The South-East (The Marangu Approach), But Many Consider The Vegetation On Day 2 Of The Marangu Route To Be More Attractive Than Anything Seen On The Western Side. As Always With Mountains, Every Route Has Its Advantages And Drawbacks. The Difficulty Grading Has Marangu As A 1, And Machame A 1+, So There's Not A Great Deal In It.
Always Remember To Maintain A Slow, Steady Pace From Beginning To End. Going Slowly Allows The Body To Acclimatize While Hiking. Those Who Start Out Too Quickly Will Have Troubles Higher Up The Mountain As The Body Will Be Overexerted. This Still Holds True If You Are Spending An Extra Day On The Mountain.
It Will Depend On The Route You Pick And Your Pace. It Can Take From 4-8 Hours To Reach The Summit From The High Camp.
A Weatherproof Jacket, Such As Gore-Tex.
A Woollen Sock That Fits Over The Head With Slits For Only The Eyes And Mouth.
Most Groups Will Start For The Summit On Ascent Day At 11 PM To 12:30AM, Depending On The Perceived Fitness Of The Group, The Weather And The Route. The Pre-Dawn Hours, While Cold, Are Also The Calmest And Clearest. The Best Views From The Summit Are At Dawn. Often Clouds And High Winds Develop Not Long After Sunrise Making The Summit Much Less Attractive And The Descent More Difficult. Guides Who Have Been To The Summit Scores Of Times Report That It Is Very Rare To Find It Cloudy At The Summit At Dawn In Any Season. The Ascent Day Is A Very Long Day Of Hiking. Some People May Require 15 Hours To Reach The Summit And Descend To The Campsite For That Day.
No, But We Can Schedule Transfer From Nairobi By Riverside Shuttles For An Additional Charge.
If A Client Cannot Walk Because They Are Injured Or Sick, At Least Two Support Staff Will Assist This Climber Down. There Is No Extra Charge For Coming Down And Taken Back To The Hotel, But You Will Get No Money Back For That Mountain Days You Missed, And You Will Be Responsible For Medical Assistance And Extra Hotel Nights. We Highly Recommend Travel Insurance To Cover Any Medical Expenses And Further Evacuation
The Typical Tip Is: Porters $10 Per Day Per Porter Cooks $12 To $15 Per Cook Assistant Guides $15 To $20 Per Guide Kilimanjaro Guides $20 Per Day And Up Per Guide *Tip Amounts Listed For Kilimanjaro Are Per Group, Not Per Individual Traveler. For Instance, If Four People Are On Kili, They Should Each Contribute $5/Day If They Want To Tip The Lead Guide $20.
A 30% Deposit Is Required At Time Of Booking To Hold Your Climb/Safari.
