MARANGU OR MACHAME?

MARANGU OR MACHAME ROUTE? WHAT’S THE BEST ROUTE TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO

The Marangu and Machame routes are two popular climbing routes on Kilimanjaro. The Marangu route is the shortest and most direct route to the summit at Uhuru Peak, offering spectacular scenery for photography and hut accommodations with comfort. However, it has a lower success rate of 65% due to poor acclimatization. The Machame route, also known as the Whisky Route, is longer and more challenging than the Marangu route, offering strictly tents only. It is considered a difficult route and is better suited for more adventurous folks and those with some hiking or backpacking experience. The Machame route has an 80% summit success rate, while the Marangu route has a lower success rate of 65% due to poor acclimatization.

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa attracting over 35,000 climbers annually. Trekkers can choose between seven different route options (Marangu, Machame, Lemosho, Shira, Rongai, Northern Circuit, and Umbwe). Here we take a closer look at the Marangu, and Machame routes which are the most popular options and combined account for nearly 85% of visitor traffic to the mountain. Each route offers a uniquely different experience so it’s worth getting the facts before you make a selection.

Huts (Marangu Route) vs Camping (Machame Route)

The hut experience on Marangu vs. the camping experience offered by Machame is perhaps the biggest consideration and difference between the two routes. Marangu offers an extensive system of well-developed huts, shared dining lodges, and developed bathrooms. The huts are commonly shared between 4 persons although the higher Horombo Hut has a mix of dorm and quad shared rooms and Kibo is completely dormitory style. The bathrooms at Horombo Hut and Mandara are well maintained with flush toilets and solar lighting. The dining lodges are comfortable, and clean and offer a good place to get out of the weather and socialize. If you are not used to camping and are looking for a slightly more comfortable experience the Marangu Route is the way to go. Even if you’re an experienced backpacker and are looking at going during one of the wetter times of the year it’s also a good choice as the huts are comfortable and dry. If you are excited about camping and this is an important part of the experience consider Machame or one of the other less-used routes.

Route Popularity: Marangu vs Machame

The Machame Route is the most popular with 45% of trekkers using this route as compared to 40% on the Marangu Route. This was not always the case but has steadily increased in popularity as it gives trekkers a longer period for acclimatization and hence slightly higher success rates. Both routes see a good number of trekkers and the options for solitude are not as good as the lesser-used, Lemosho, Shira, Rongai, Northern Circuit, and Umbwe Routes. The Tanzania National Park Service does a relatively good job (considering it’s a third-world country) of maintaining the trails and keeping them clean. Even if you take one of the lesser-used routes you will still encounter a decent crowd on the summit day when all the routes converge neat the top.

Distances Walked: Marangu vs Machame

The Machame Route is 62 km which is typically hiked over 6 days and the Marangu Route is 70 km and hiked over 5 days so the average daily hike is a bit longer.  The Machame route while shorter involves more up-and-down climbs so while the distances are shorter it’s not necessarily easier hiking. However, it does leave one better acclimatized for the summit day.

Acclimatization: Marangu vs Machame

Machame is a six-day route and Marangu is a 5-day route so Machame offers a better opportunity for acclimatization mostly due to the time factor. It’s possible to add an extra day for acclimatization to either route. If Marangu is done as a 6-day trek it’s probably about equal to Machame in terms of the opportunity for acclimatization. Some might argue the adage “climb high and sleep low” makes Machame a better option even if the amount of time is equal since it brings hikers to a higher elevation and then back down for sleeping.  This seems a moot point for me since the body can only acclimatize so quickly (about 300m a day) and extra acclimatization hikes are not a substitute for time. The 5-day Marangu route means you need to climb 4,000m/13,000 to reach the summit in just 3 and a half days making acclimatization more of a challenge.

Scenery: Marangu vs Machame

The Machame route probably has a slight edge on the scenery in large part because the route up and down is different (starting at the Machame Gate and ending at the Mweka Gate) while the Marangu retraces the same route in both directions. Regardless, both routes are scenic and traverse the same range of ecosystems from tropical jungle to mountain heath, alpine, and finally apex or arctic.  The Lava Tower site and the steep Barranco wall are standout features on the Machame Route. The Marangu Route offers superb views of Mount Mewenzi, an extinct cone of Kilimanjaro and Africa’s third-highest peak.

The Summit Day: Marangu vs Machame

Reaching the summit from Machame is probably easier but only by the slightest amount. The trail to the summit ridge from Barafu camp is probably slightly better but just as steep. The distance to the actual summit is shorter once the summit ridge is obtained from the Machame route and less time is required on the summit ridge where the elevation is the highest on the climb. Whatever differences exist between these two routes are small and I don’t think this should be a deciding factor in picking a route.

Costs and Time: Marangu vs Machame

The Marangu route is known as the “Coca-Cola” route for a reason. It’s the shortest and least costly route to the summit. The lower costs can be explained by the difference in time and the fact that fewer porters are needed as camping gear does not need to be carried. We offer both routes with Marangu as an 8-day package and Machame as a 9-day package.

The Other Routes: Lemosho, Shira, Rongai, Northern Circuit and Umbwe

Lemosho Route:  The first 2 days before connecting with the Machame or beautiful and pristine with chances for wildlife sightings. The trek from day 3 onward follows the Machame Route. The extra time gives one an opportunity for acclimatization.

Shira Route:  The drive to the trailhead is spectacular with views of wildlife and the Rift Valley. The downside is the trail quickly ascends to 4000m so unless climbers are already pre-acclimatized it’s not the best option.

Rongai Route: The Rongai route ascends the mountain from the northeastern side and requires a long drive to the trailhead.  Trekkers are rewarded with solitude and a unique mountain experience.  It’s usually done in 8 or 9 days and provides a good amount of time for acclimatization.

Northern Circuit: This 8 or 9-day circuit connects the north and west sides of Kilimanjaro. It is pristine and scenic with plenty of solitude and time for acclimatization.

Umbwe: This route previously used the Western Breach (now closed) to reach the summit and instead now connects with the Machame Route and traces the same route. The first night is spent in the scenic Umbwe Cave Camp.

Success Rates on the different Kilimanjaro Routes.

The park service does not keep track of success rates to the summit for the various routes so published estimates are derived from local sources and may not be correct. According to a variety of online sources, the Machame Route has nearly a 95% success rate and the Marangu Route has nearly 80%. Other routes such as the Rongai and Lemosho routes are approximately 95% and the Shira Route is 86%. In general, the success route is directly correlated with the amount of time spent on the mountain (more time equals better acclimatization).