Machame Camp Elevation: 2,835 m
The Machame Camp also known as Machame Hut Campsite is the first accommodation point you come across after leaving the Machame gate. This campsite is an overnight camping point situated along Mount Kilimanjaro’s Machame route.
Machame Hut campsite is only used by climbers when they go up the mountain since the Machame route is exclusively used for ascent to climb up the mountain. Descent uses the Mweka Route through Mweka hut proceeding towards the exit at Mweka Gate.
Originally, a long time ago, a metallic hut existed here and it belonged to the Rangers since the early days. This hut gave that campsite the hut name, therefore.
Ironically Machame Camp is an area reserved only for tents and there is no sight of a single cabin or any other structures for that matter.
Climbers with the intent to use this campsite for overnight accommodation are required to bring their own tents.
There is a mix of two types of toilets found on Mount Kilimanjaro one of them is the dry toilets in the form of pit latrines while the other type is the recently built Water Closet (W.C Toilet) using water from streams nearby. There is no other structure apart from the toilets is the Ranger’s house made out of wood which is located at the center of the campsite.
Location of Machame Camp
Located beneath the South Western side on the foot slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Machame hut campsite is encompassed by the montane forest vegetation of the Mount Kilimanjaro.
Machame Camp lies along the popular and one of the oldest routes on Mount Kilimanjaro, the Machame Route. This one of the routes that lead to the summit of the Mountain, Uhuru Peak, and it is offered in two variations, the 7-day Machame Route and the 6-Day Machame Route. The 7-day route is ideal because it offers an extra day for acclimatization.
Due to its location on the low elevation of the mountain and the ever-wet rainforest zone, this area receives plenty of rainfall and has a lot of windbreakers hence it is less windy.
Unfortunately while on Machame Camp it is not possible to spot big game wildlife which can only be found in much lower altitudes. This campsite is located after the Machame gate and is the camp before Shira Cave or Shira 2 campsites which are often used on the following day during climbing.
Distance from Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp
The total hiking distance from Machame Camp (2,835 meters) to Shira 2 Camp (3,850 meters) along the Machame Route is approximately 5km or 3 miles and it would take you a total hiking duration of 4 to 6 hours to reach Shira 2 Camp from Machame Camp across the steep and low-alpine zone of Mount Kilimanjaro which is characterised by moorlands and grasslands.
Additional information
| Routes | Machame route. |
|---|---|
| Amenities | Water Closet (W.C Toilet), Pit Latrines |
| Vegetation | Montane Forest Vegetation |
