Machame route is the most of popular route on mount Kilimanjaro also its the unique route & recommended route on Kilimajaro mountain. According to stastic from Kilimanjaro national park its appropriate 50% of climbers they use machame route to ascend Kilimanjaro mountain the route is very beautiful and marvelous its providing climbers incredible views of different natural and amaizing featureand varying landscape.
This route on Mount Kilimanjaro is nicknamed the "Whiskey route" as it is considered more difficult than Marangu route sometimes called Coca Cola route the nickname. 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 acclimatisation and as a result a very high success rate.
Machame route climb can be done in a minimum of 6 days (5 nights) on the mountain Kilimanjaro. However, it is most often tackled over 7 days, for a better altitude acclimatization schedule. The success rate is significantly higher when using the seven day route. The trek begins at Machame Gate, located in the southern base of mountain, which is just a short drive from Moshi or Arusha.
The hike starts within Kilimanjaro’s lush, fertile, montane rainforest. As you might expect, the lower slopes receive a quite a bit of precipitation. The trail may be steep and slippery, so trekking poles are advised. As the route heads toward the Shira Plateau, the trees disappear and are replaced by low brush in the heather zone. Then the route climbs high to the volcanic plug, Lava Tower, before dropping and circling below the South Icefield. This circular pathway from Barranco to Karanga to Barafu is known as the southern circuit. As it traverses halfway around the mountain, climber’s are exposed to great vistas.
The Machame Route is approximately 62 km/ 37 miles from gate to gate. It is designed for physically fit people with some hiking experience, but plenty of first time trekker use the route as well and do just fine. It is rated as one of Kilimanjaro’s better routes and thus is recommended. It is certainly a better choice than the typical tourtist’s route – Marangu.
6 days Machame route on mount Kilimanjaro is a difficult route. In particular, day four combined with day five makes for a very hard schedule. Day four is a full day of hiking from Barranco to Barafu. Then after dinner and a partial night’s sleep, the very long and strenuous summit day begins around midnight. The 6 day Machame route requires 19-24 hours of demanding walking, at extremely high elevation, with only 4-6 hours of sleep.
For those who only have 6 days to climb Kilimanjaro, the Machame is the best choice because of its acclimatization profile. Compared to other six day routes, the Machame route exposes the climber to higher elevations quicker (day three) which kickstarts the body’s adaptation to altitude. However, this route requires that a person be in good shape to be able to tackle the challenging elevation gains and losses.
7 days Machame route is the ideal schedule for this route. On the 7 day Machame, the trek from Barranco to Barafu is broken up into two days, allowing for a short day just prior to the summit attempt. This is important because summit day begins very early, around midnight, so climbers are sleep deprived going into the toughest day on the mountain. By having a short day beforehand, climbers can be better rested.