Itinerary Summary:
The Lemosho route offers panoramic views of the mountain’s numerous faces, making it the most picturesque trail on Kilimanjaro. Lemosho, one of the most recent routes, is a great option for your ascent. It is our favorite route because it strikes the perfect combination between sparse crowds, stunning scenery, and a high summit success rate. The majority of visitors ascend Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho route, and they have nothing but positive things to say about it.
The Lemosho route is one that we strongly advise our customers. With an approach much to the west of the mountain, the ascent starts at Londorossi Gate at a height of 2360 meters. After that, it makes a circuit to the south of Kilimanjaro, traversing the magnificent rainforest and frequently passing by some of the area’s most unusual fauna. Shira Ridge, the third top of the mountain, is reached by continuing up the path.
Full Itinerary:
Lemosho Route 8 Days
Day 1: Arrive in Tanzania
You will be met by your guide, who will give you a briefing on your forthcoming trip and check your equipment to make sure you have all the appropriate mountain gear, when you are picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and taken to your hotel in Moshi town. On this day, the missing equipment can be rented.
Day 2: Lemosho Glades to Big Tree Camp
- Altitude: 2385 m to 2,780 m
- Distance: 7 km
- Trekking Time: 4 hours
Around 8:00 am, a driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the Lemosho gate on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After registering, you will still begin your ascent through the Lemosho glades’ woodlands in order to get to Big Tree camp, where you will spend the night.
Day 3: Big Tree Camp to Shira 1 Camp
- Altitude: 2,800 m to 3,500 m
- Distance: 8.5 km
- Trekking Time: 7 hours
You will go through a plateau today that is covered with heather and grassy moorland and has volcanic rock formations all over it. The Shira 1 Camp, where there are frequently vistas of Kibo Peak floating in the clouds, is where we will be going today. Today, we gain more altitude, and some of the terrain is quite steep.
Day 4: Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp
- Altitude: 3,500 m to 3900 m
- Distance: 8 km
- Trekking Time: 5 hours
Today you will have a unique opportunity to see Kibo and the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain. Acclimatization will be aided by our slow ascent across the Shira Plateau’s moorland, and we get to take in some beautiful panoramic views. Today, we’re traveling to the Shira 2 Camp. You’ll go on an acclimatization walk in the late afternoon, then return to camp for dinner and the night.
Day 5: Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp
- Altitude: 3,900 m to 3,960 m
- Distance: 10 km
- Trekking Time: 7 hours
Your journey begins with an ascent that offers expansive panoramas as you make your way across the upland desert and through lava ridges that are buried beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. You will arrive at the distinctive peak of the Lava Tower (4640 m), our day’s high point and a fantastic location for lunch. Our tent for the night is at the bottom of the Great Barranco Valley (3960 m), protected by enormous cliffs but with expansive views of the plains below. We descend steeply to get there in the late afternoon.
Day 6: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
- Altitude: 3,960 m to 3,963 m
- Distance: 5.5 km
- Trekking Time: 5 hours
We begin our day by descending into the Great Barranco, a sizable ravine. The Great Barranco Wall, which separates us from the southeast slopes of Kibo, is then climbed steeply as we leave. It’s a long and taxing climb over granite that requires minimal technical skill. We move in the direction of the Karanga valley while passing beneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers. From here, it is a difficult ascent from Karanga valley to our overnight camp at 3963m-elevation Karanga camp. If enough people are up for it, we’ll take an afternoon acclimatization hike up to about 4200 meters before returning to camp for the night.
Day 7: Karanga Camp (3963) to Barafu Camp (4640m)
- Altitude: 3,963 m to 4,640 m
- Distance: 3 km
- Trekking Time: 3 hours
We started our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m after a restful night’s sleep and breakfast. We will traverse barren scree slopes along the ascent with no vegetation in sight. The altitude makes the steep walk much more challenging. After arriving at camp, we eat and take the afternoon to relax before a hard night and the following day. It’s crucial to stay warm and hydrated. We have dinner early and then try to get some rest because we have to get up between 11 and 12 in the morning to begin the ascent.
Day 8: Barafu Camp to UHURU PEAK & down to Millennium Camp
- Altitude: 4,640 m to 5,895 m to 3,790 m
- Distance: 13.4 km
- Trekking Time: 12 – 15 hours
Around midnight, we set out on a difficult ascent to the summit glaciers. We will spend 4 to 5 hours ascending the scree but cover a modest distance to reach spectacular heights. The vistas are breathtaking. As the sun rises, we should be near Stella Point (5739m), on the crater rim. We are surrounded by stunning ice cliffs inside the crater, and we have breathtaking vistas of the craggy Mawenzi mountain and beyond. We must hike for an additional hour to reach the peak, Uhuru Peak (5895m). After leaving Stella Point, we start our descent by making our way back to Barafu Camp for breakfast before making our way down to Millennium Camp for a well-earned rest.
Day 9: Trek Millennium Camp (3790m) to Mweka Gate (1630m)
- Altitude: 3,790 m to 1,630 m
- Distance: 12.1 km
- Trekking Time: 6 hours
We make a leisurely descent through the rain forest to the Mweka Gate, where we finish park formalities and earn certificates that you may display with pride! Once we return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a hot welcome shower, we are welcomed by our vehicles.
Day 10: Depart Tanzania
After the hike, you have the rest of the day to relax before your trip home. You might visit Moshi town and buy some souvenirs before going to the airport, depending on your travel schedule.
If you want to continue experiencing Tanzania, add-ons like safaris and trips to Zanzibar are also available.
