8 Days Kilimanjaro Trek via Lemosho Route

Pick up from Kilimanjaro airport and transfer to hotel in Moshi/ Arusha. A pre-climb briefing can be organized where we will provide you all the information to prepare for your climb. This will include a day to day guide of your climb, the gear required as well as discussing acute mountain sickness and all health and safety on Kilimanjaro.

You will be picked up at your hotel at around 08:00am and transferred to the Lemosho (Londorossi) gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After the registration process you will still start our climb steadily through the forests of the Lemosho glades to reach Big Tree camp where you will be spending the night.

Distance: About 6 km | Approx. time: 3-4 hours | Habitat: Montane forest

Trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. Our destination for today is the Shira 1 Camp from where there are often views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds. This section has reasonable amount of altitude and parts of the route are fairly steep. Dinner and overnight at the Camp.

Distance: About 5 km | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Habitat: Meadows

This section you will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. A steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views to destination Shira 2 Camp. In the afternoon you will take an acclimatization walk then head back to camp for dinner and overnight.

Distance: About 7 km | Hiking time: 3-4 hours | Habitat: Moorland

Your trek starts with an ascent with far-reaching panoramic views, walking in to the climatic zone of the upland desert and on the lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. You will reach the distinct pinnacle of the Lava Tower (4630 m), our high point for the day and a great place to enjoy your lunch. In the afternoon we make a steep descent to our camp for the night, located in the base of the Great Barranco Valley (3950 m), sheltered by towering cliffs but with extensive views of the plains below. Dinner and overnight at the Camp.

Distance: About 11 km | Hiking/Descending time: 6-8 hours | Habitat: Moorland, Semi desert

We starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3950 m. For those feeling strong we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200 m before descending back to camp for the night.

Distance: About 5 km | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Habitat: Moorland

After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on walk to Barafu camp at 4640 m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit. Dinner and overnight at the Camp.

Distance: About 3 km | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Habitat: Alpine desert

We start off at around midnight, and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739 m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895 m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest. Dinner and overnight at the Camp.

Distance: About 13.4 km | Hiking time: 8 – 12 hours | Habitat: Arctic, Montane forest

Make the final descent through the rain forest to Mweka Gate. Here we will collect or summit certificate, have lunch and say goodbye to our mountain crew before drive back to Moshi/Arusha for dinner and overnight.

Distance: About 12.1 km | Hiking time: 4-5 hours | Habitat: Montane forest

After breakfast, depart for your next destination, which is optional or can be arranged:

• Safari to the National Parks
• Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport
• Transport to Other Towns in Tanzania i.e. Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar
• Nairobi via border town Namanga