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Gosheni Safaris
Machame Route
The classic adventure route

Machame Route

7
Days on the mountain
5,895 m
Summit
Moderate
Difficulty
Camping
Accommodation

For travellers who want to feel Kilimanjaro beneath their boots.

Machame is Kilimanjaro's most popular route: steeper and more varied than the western approaches, through rainforest, the Shira Plateau, Lava Tower, the Barranco Wall and Karanga to Barafu and the summit. It is non-technical, but athletic, and it can be busy.

What is the adventure?

The classic Kilimanjaro trek. Rainforest, the Shira Plateau, a climb-high-sleep-low day past Lava Tower, the Barranco Wall, the southern glaciers, Karanga and Barafu, then the summit.

There is more vertical movement and more dramatic terrain than "trekking holiday" suggests.

How is the Machame route different?

Machame reaches the high mountain relatively quickly and takes in some of its most recognisable terrain. The Barranco Wall is a hands-on scramble that needs no equipment: steep, memorable, non-technical.

How high does the Machame Route go?

2,500 m3,500 m4,500 m5,500 m6,500 mDay 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 74,328 m
7-Day Machame Route Climb elevation profile: from 3,048 m to a high point of 4,328 m.
7-Day Machame Route Climb elevation profile
DayPlaceElevation (m)
2Arusha- Machame Hut Camp3048
3Shira Camp3804
4Barranco Camp3962
5Karanga Valley Camp4100
6Barafu Hut Camp4328
7Summit Day and Mweka Hut3200

Where you sleep on the Machame Route

Camp by camp on our 7-Day Machame Route Climb.

  1. StartMachame Gate

Is this route right for you?

Best suited to

  • Physically active travellers
  • Hikers who enjoy varied, steeper terrain
  • Travellers with seven days rather than eight or nine
  • Climbers who enjoy a sociable mountain

Not quite right?

Consider another route

Highlights

On the Machame

1

Lava Tower

2

The Barranco Wall

3

Views across the southern glaciers

4

Karanga Valley

5

Uhuru Peak

Choose your expedition

Machame expeditions

Private climbs on your own dates, with scheduled group departures where they run.

7-Day Machame Route Climb
From $1,970
8 days

7-Day Machame Route Climb

Explore Mount Kilimanjaro. 8 days fully guided

Mount Kilimanjaro | Arusha
From
$1,970 - $5,000
per person
Request a Quote

Upcoming group departures

  • 16 Jan 2027 - 23 Jan 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 13 Feb 2027 - 20 Feb 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 13 Mar 2027 - 20 Mar 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 19 Jun 2027 - 26 Jun 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 17 Jul 2027 - 24 Jul 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 14 Aug 2027 - 21 Aug 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates
  • 18 Sept 2027 - 25 Sept 20277-Day Machame Route ClimbUSD 1,970 ppView dates

Questions

Machame Route FAQs

Gosheni runs Machame as a 7-day climb: seven days on the mountain, including a night at Karanga that adds acclimatisation before the summit push from Barafu.

Other ways up Kilimanjaro

Compare the routes

The balanced flagshipLemosho RouteThe best balance of scenery, pace and acclimatisationThe premium wilderness expeditionNorthern Circuit RouteMore wilderness, privacy and time on the mountainThe quiet northern alternativeRongai RouteA quieter northern approachThe classic hut routeMarangu RouteHut accommodation instead of tentsThe serious adventurer's routeUmbwe RouteA steeper challenge for experienced trekkers

All Kilimanjaro routes compared →

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Machame Route

Kilimanjaro's classic adventure, exceptionally well supported.

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