Machame Gate Elevation / Altitude: 1800 meters
The Machame gate one of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park’s entrance points is located on the southern base of the mountain.
The gate comprises of administration blocks for the park authorities that act as the official starting point for all Mount Kilimanjaro climbers following the Machame Route to the top of the mountain’s summit.
As a formality, all hikers are required to register at the gate before starting their Mount Kilimanjaro trek.
Machame gate registration and inspection procedures may include:-
- Passport / Visa verification
- Cross-checking itinerary for every day spent on Mount Kilimanjaro
- Cross-checking to prove if your mountain guide belongs to a registered tour company
- Make sure you have enough resources to support your climb and stay on the mountain such as porters, tents, food, and water
- Verification of Mount Kilimanjaro entry fees
Failure to which entry may be denied.
Since the Machame route is used by climbers to only ascend (go up the mountain) the Machame gate is only used by incoming visitors going into Mount Kilimanjaro, not leaving.
Location of Machame gate
The Machame gate is remotely located in the Machame area, at the southern base of Mount Kilimanjaro;
The main advantage of using this gate is that the roads that head to the Machame gate are tarmacked making the journey smooth without worrying about the kind of vehicle to choose.
The area around has a few houses here and there but large shops are very scarce.
Machame gate vegetation Zone
The gate also lies at the border of Mount Kilimanjaro’s Montane forest belonging to the Kilimanjaro park surrounded by many trees, here deforestation is strictly prohibited by the authorities.
Since the Machame gate area lies in the Montane forest, rainfall is abundant throughout the year.
Accommodation at Machame gate
Moshi, the nearest town to Machame Gate offers unlimited accommodation options, before and after climbing the mountain. There are quite a number of hotels located in proximity to the Machame gate area that is convenient before your Mount Kilimanjaro climb. The next campsite after entering the Machame gate is the Machame hut campsite.
Distance from Machame Gate to Machame Camp
The distance of trekking from the Machame Gate (1,640 m) to Machame Camp (2,835 m) is about 11km or 7 miles and it would take you about 5-7 hours trekking on foot.
Distance from Moshi Town to Machame gate.
The Machame Gate is located 32 kilometers from Moshi town and it would require a 45-minute drive from Moshi to the Gate at machame.
How long is the Machame Route from gate to gate?
The total Machame route distance is about 62 kilometers from gate to gate. it will take you 6-7 days to complete climbing Mount Kilimanjaro using the Machame Route.
