The Machame Route, also known as the "Whiskey Route," is one of the most popular routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It typically takes 6 or 7 days, offering a good balance of scenery, acclimatization, and summit success rate. Below is the 7-day itinerary, which allows better acclimatization and increases summit success chances. Key Notes on Machame Route ✔ Scenic route with diverse landscapes. ✔ Good acclimatization (climb high, sleep low). ✔ Challenging sections, including Barranco Wall and the long summit night. ✔ Higher success rate (7-day version: ~85-90%) than shorter routes..
Distance: 11 km Hiking time: 5-7 hours Vegetation: Rainforest Trek through lush rainforest with tall trees, ferns, and moss-covered trails. Possible sightings of monkeys and exotic birds
Distance: 5 km Hiking time: 4-6 hours Vegetation: Moorland Climb out of the rainforest and enter the heather and moorland zone. The trail gets steeper with rocky terrain and stunning views of Shira Plateau.
Distance: 10 km Hiking time: 6-8 hours Vegetation: Alpine Desert Ascend to Lava Tower (acclimatization point), then descend to Barranco Camp. This day follows the “climb high, sleep low” principle, helping with acclimatization.
Distance: 5 km Hiking time: 4-5 hours Vegetation: Alpine Desert Climb the famous Barranco Wall (a fun but challenging scramble), then trek through valleys to Karanga Camp.
Distance: 4 km Hiking time: 4-5 hours Vegetation: Alpine Desert A short but steep trek to Barafu Camp. Rest early to prepare for the midnight summit attempt.
Distance: 17 km (7 km to summit, 10 km descent) Hiking time: 10-14 hours Vegetation: Arctic to Rainforest Start the summit attempt at midnight, reaching Stella Point (5,756m) at sunrise and then Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the highest point in Africa. Descend to Barafu Camp for rest, then continue down to Mweka Camp.
Distance: 10 km Hiking time: 3-4 hours Vegetation: Rainforest A gradual descent through the forest to Mweka Gate, where you receive your summit certificate.