7 Days Machame Route

Machame is a challenging but non-technical trek. The days are longer and steeper than on the Marangu Route, the Barranco Wall involves some easy scrambling, and summit night is cold and tiring. You do not need climbing experience, but you should be fit enough to walk 5 to 8 hours a day for several days in a row. Regular long hill walks in the months before your trip make a big difference.

Altitude, more than fitness, is what stops most climbers. Medical guidance from the CDC and the Wilderness Medical Society advises raising your sleeping altitude gradually and adding extra acclimatization time on high mountains. The 6-day Machame skips the night at Karanga Camp, and a 2012 study of trekkers on the 6-day version found that most had symptoms of acute mountain sickness on summit day. Our 7-day itinerary adds that night so your body has more time to adjust. If you have more time, the 8 days Lemosho Route gives you even more.

The Machame Route covers about 62 km from Machame Gate to Mweka Gate, including the descent. You gain roughly 4,100 m from the gate to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m (19,341 ft). Daily distances are short, mostly 4 to 11 km, because at altitude a slow pace matters more than distance.

The best conditions are in the two dry seasons, from late December to early March and from June to October. January and February are often warmer with clear mornings, while July to September is cooler, drier and busier. The long rains from late March to May make the forest trail muddy and the views cloudier. We run private climbs all year and can help you choose your dates.

The Barranco Wall is steep but non-technical, so you do not need ropes or climbing gear. In a few spots you use your hands for balance, and your guides go at your pace and show you where to step. Most climbers find it easier than it looks from camp, and the views from the top are among the best on the route.

Mild symptoms such as a headache, poor appetite or tiredness are common and usually settle with rest, water and a slower pace. Your guides ask how you feel and check your oxygen saturation and pulse with a pulse oximeter every day. If symptoms get worse, the safest treatment is to go down, and your guides will take you lower straight away. We carry emergency oxygen and a first aid kit, and rescue fees are included in your park fees. Travel insurance that covers trekking up to 6,000 m is essential.

Tipping is optional, but it is encouraged and an important part of what your crew earns. As a guide, per day for the whole group: head guide 20-25 USD, assistant guide 15-20 USD, cook 12-15 USD and each porter 8-10 USD. Tips are handed over at a small ceremony with the whole crew on your last morning on the mountain. Bring cash in US dollars or Tanzanian shillings. Our Kilimanjaro tipping guide explains how it works.

The Tanzania National Parks Authority sets the minimum age for a Kilimanjaro summit climb at 10 years, and younger children need special permission from the park. Because Machame is one of the steeper routes, families with younger teens may also want to look at the 8 days Rongai Route.

You need warm layers for summit night, when temperatures near the top can drop well below freezing, plus a waterproof jacket, broken-in hiking boots, a headlamp and a daypack. The porters carry your main duffel, which has a weight limit we confirm before the climb. Please bring your own climbing gear. If you are missing something, such as trekking poles or a sleeping bag, you can rent it through us before the climb. Leave plastic carrier bags at home, as Tanzania has banned them since 2019. See our full Kilimanjaro packing list.

The two routes join on the way to Lava Tower and share the same trail from there to the summit and down the Mweka trail. Lemosho starts on the western side of the mountain, crosses the Shira Plateau and is usually quieter in its first days. Our 8 days Lemosho Route also has one more night on the mountain for acclimatization. Machame is the better pick if you want the same summit approach in one day less.

Yes, and it is a favourite way to end the trip. After your night in Moshi you can head straight out on a private safari to Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, or fly to Zanzibar to rest your legs on the beach. Many climbers do both. Have a look at our safari and Zanzibar holidays or tell us your dates and we will put it together.