8 Days / 7 Nights

Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route

TrekkingOverview

This route is for ascending located on the western side of the mountain and it comprised of six stations of Mti Mkubwa then join Londorosi route at Shira. We begin on the western side of the mountain, while we cross through the Shira Plateau. We climb high and sleep low, in order to properly acclimatize to increase your chance of summiting. We recommend a minimum of 7 days to attempt this route but 8 days is preferable for better acclimatization and summit success. The Lemosho route joins the Machame route at Shira 2 Camp and then follows the same route through the southern circuit and descending at Mweka Gate.

Day By Day Itinerary

Day 1

Arusha – Londorossi Gate (2100m) – Mti Mkubwa camp (2650m).

After eating breakfast at your hotel, your guide will brief you on the day. You will drive two hours from Arusha (1400m) to Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). In the village near Londorossi Gate, you will receive a packed lunch and can buy mineral water for the hike. Then the final 45 minutes of the drive leading up to the gate will be on a bumpy forest track requiring 4WD vehicles. At the entrance gate, the guides and porters distribute the supplies and register with the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA).

You are now ready to begin your 3-hour hike into the rain forest. Be on the lookout for Colobus monkeys! Along the way, you will stop for an afternoon lunch break and arrive at Mti Mkubwa (“Big Tree”) Campsite (2650m) in the early evening. The porters, who arrive at the campsite before the clients, will set up your tent and boil water for drinking and washing. The chef will prepare a snack then dinner for the clients. At night, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared!

Day 2

Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m) – Shira 2 Camp (3850m).

After an early morning breakfast, you will begin your ascent out of the rainforest and into the heather moorland zone. You will cross many streams and walk over a plateau that leads to Shira 2 Camp (3850m). At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and its glaciers in the East.

Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks then dinner prepared by our chef. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.

Day 3

Shira Camp 1 to Shira 2 to Moir Hut

We explore the Shira plateau for a full day. It is a gentle walk east toward Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. Then we continue to Moir Hut, a little used site on the base of Lent Hills. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth.

  • Distance: 14 km
  • Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
  • Habitat: Moorland

Day 4

Moir Hut to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.” Shortly after the tower, we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. We now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as when you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

  • Distance: 7 km
  • Hiking Time: 4-6 hours
  • Habitat: Semi Desert

Day 5

Barranco Camp (3900m) – Karanga Camp (3955m).

This is a short hiking day meant for acclimatization. After an early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the Wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. You will spend the night at Karanga Camp (3955m) and enjoy dinner and washing at the site.

Day 6

Karanga Camp (3955m) – Barafu Hut (4600).

After breakfast, you will begin your ascent. The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4600m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge.

Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!

Summit day – Barafu Camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m).

Day 7

Summit day – Barafu Camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m).

Your guide will wake you around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about 6 hours, you will reach Stella Point (5685m), located on the crater rim.

After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will continue ascending for about 2 hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.

At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Mweka Hut (3100m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rain forest. Mweka Camp (3100m) is located in the upper rain forest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have a dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.

Day 7

Mweka Camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1640m)

Following a well-deserved breakfast, . It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion.

Hikers who reached Stella Point (5685m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for 1 hour (3 kilometers). You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Arusha for long overdue showers and more celebrations.

Trip Inclusion

  • Accommodations.
  • Meals(Breakfast, Lunch and dinner-Full board).
  • Mineral water and soft drinks.
  • Transfer to and from the airport.
  • Park fees.
  • Ngorongoro Crater fee.
  • Professional-private and Experienced driver guide/Tour guide.
  • Concession fees.
  • Government Taxes (VAT).

Trip Exclusion

  • Flights Tickets and visa.

  • Personal expenses.

  • Medical service.

  • Tip to the guide’s.

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IMPORTANTS INFOMATION

Medical Check up

During Climbing

  • Before Start Hike
  • Before Dinner

Why Check up

  • Safe
  • Health

Availability

  • January through mid-March
  • Mid-June through October
  • December

Duration

7 days, 6 Night +2 days at hotel

Group Size

2mins- 12 max

Gear list

  • Top Thermal Leyar
  • Bottom Thermal Leyar
  • 1-2 Pair of Hiking Pants
  • 1 Hardshell jacket
  • 1-2Short – Sleeved t-shirt
  • I Pair of warm trekking pants
  • 1-2 Long sleeved hiking shirt
  • 1 Soft shell insulated winter jacket
  • 4-5 Pant of underwear
  • 1Cozy fleece jacket
  • 1pair of worn in sturdy hiking boot
  • 3-4 pairs of socks. Merino wool is recommended
  • Rain coat
  • Rain pants
  • Day backpack
  • Duffel bag (recommended size 90L)
  • Sleeping bag
  • Snacks

Meeting Point

We’ll pick you up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and then transfer you to your hotel in Moshi, Tanzania. You will then stay overnight and in the morning, we’ll drive to the gate where we will start our Kilimanjaro trekking. Please note: the hotel and transfers are included in the price.

Meals

On all of our Kilimanjaro tours, all of our meals are freshly prepared on the mountain by our talented chef, so when we arrive to camp after a long day of hiking, we have a delicious hot meal for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians waiting for us.

OTHER RELATED ITINERARY

7 DAYS MACHAME ROUTE

7 DAYS MARANGU ROUTE

7 DAYS RONGAI ROUTE

8 DAYS lEMOSHO ROUTE