OVERVIEW
Lemosho is the easiest route to Climb Kilimanjaro, with most flat walks, and therefore can even be done in 7 days. However, 8 days is suitable for more acclimatization leading to a higher summit success rate. The route starts at Lemosho gate at an elevation of 2250m above sea level, trailing through montane forest
PROGRAMS
7-DAYS LEMOSHO CLIMB
Day 1, Lemosho Gate - Mti Mkubwa Camp 8700ft
The next day just after breakfast, your head guide will arrive at your hotel for pick up to Londorossi Gate for registration. After registration, you will have a short drive to the starting point (Lemosho) where your hike through the forest trails begins. You will hike through the rainforest, also you can spot tropical birds and hopefully spot some wild animals. This takes us to Mti Mkubwa/Big Tree campsite.
DAY 1 FACTS
Elevation: 1830m/7742ft to 2650m/8700ft
Distance: 6km/4miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Montana Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 2, Mti Mkubwa - Shira 2 Camp 12600ft
After breakfast, we gently hike across the plateau leading to Shira 2 Camp which is situated on moorland meadows by a stream. This is a great opportunity to explore the area around the Plateau. Many short hikes acclimatization days.
DAY 3
Elevation: 3500m/11500ft to 3850m/12600ft
Distance: 8km/5miles
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 3, Shira 2 Camp - Barranco Camp 13000ft
After breakfast, we leave Shira Plateau and head east along a ridge, towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes southeast towards Lava Tower – a 300ft tall volcanic rock formation. We then pass the Arrow Glacier and arrive at the Barranco Camp. Although not much elevation has been achieved, this day is extremely important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
DAY 4 FACTS
Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 3950m/13,000ft
Distance: 8km/5miles
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 4, Barranco Camp - Karanga Camp 13250ft
After breakfast, we leave Barranco camp and continue along a steep ridge up to the Barranco Wall. We then head through the Karanga Valley and join the Mweka Trail.
DAY 5 FACTS
Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 5, Karanga Camp - Barafu Camp 15350ft
After breakfast, we take a slow and steady pace to Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.
DAY 6 FACTS
Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4673m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2miles
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 6, Barafu - Uhuru Peak - Mweka Camp 13350ft
It’s summit night and you will be woken up between 12 to 2 am. Then have a light breakfast. You will start your hike to the summit. You’ll be feeling nervous and excited, but we take it slow and head on through Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Taking north-west direction and ascending through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mental and physical part of the Trek, some people may feel really tired and want to quit here, but our guides will always be there to motivate you. Finally, reaching Stella Point, we will stop for a short rest to watch a magnificent sunrise.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow on 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak, congratulations you have now reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit, we descend straight down to Barafu camp for resting and lunch. After that, we head to Mweka Camp and enjoy a celebratory evening on the mountain.
DAY 7 FACTS
Barafu Camp - Uhuru Peak
Elevation: 4673/15,350ft to 5895m/19,341ft
Distance: 5km/3miles
Hiking Time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Arctic
Uhuru Peak - Mweka Camp
Elevation: 5895m/19,341ft to 3000m/10,150ft
Distance: 13km/8miles
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Arctic, Alpine Desert, Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 7, Mweka Camp - Mweka Gate 5350ft
After breakfast, we continue to descend down to Mweka Gate. Once you get to the gate and sign out, you will meet your team and you can now say goodbye to your mountain team before being transferred to the hotel. After checking in at the hotel, your guide will present you with your summit certificate.
DAY 9 FACTS
Elevation: 3000m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast
WHAT MAKES IT 8-DAYS
When we do 7 days we actually skip Shira 1 Camp while on 8-days from mti mkubwa camp we head for overnight at Shira 1. It is recommended to skip Shira I because it’s on a lower elevation. We could do the same for higher elevations but there you need to be slow, and steady to cover short distances for better acclimatization.
8-DAYS LEMOSHO CLIMB
Day 1, Lemosho Gate - Mti Mkubwa Camp 8700ft
The next day just after breakfast, your head guide will arrive at your hotel for pick up to Londorossi Gate for registration. After registration, you will have a short drive to the starting point (Lemosho) where your hike through the forest trails begins. You will hike through the rainforest, also you can spot tropical birds and hopefully spot some wild animals. This takes us to Mti Mkubwa/Big Tree campsite.
DAY 1 FACTS
Elevation: 1830m/7742ft to 2650m/8700ft
Distance: 6km/4miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Montana Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 2, Mti Mkubwa Camp - Shira I Camp 11500ft
After breakfast, we continue on along the trail which gradually steepens and takes us into the giant heath and moorland zone. We cross several streams and continue over the Shira Ridge to Shira 1 camp.
DAY 2 FACTS
Elevation: 2650m/8700ft to 3500m/11,500ft
Distance: 8km/5miles
Hiking Time: 4 - 5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 3, Shira I Camp - Shira 2 Camp 12600ft
After breakfast, we gently hike across the plateau leading to Shira 2 Camp which is situated on moorland meadows by a stream. This is a great opportunity to explore the area around the Plateau. Many short hikes acclimatization days.
DAY 3
Elevation: 3500m/11500ft to 3850m/12600ft
Distance: 8km/5miles
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 4, Shira 2 Camp - Barranco Camp 13000ft
After breakfast, we leave Shira Plateau and head east along a ridge, towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes southeast towards Lava Tower – a 300ft tall volcanic rock formation. We then pass the Arrow Glacier and arrive at the Barranco Camp. Although not much elevation has been achieved, this day is extremely important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
DAY 4 FACTS
Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 3950m/13,000ft
Distance: 8km/5miles
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 5, Barranco Camp - Karanga Camp 13250ft
After breakfast, we leave Barranco camp and continue along a steep ridge up to the Barranco Wall. We then head through the Karanga Valley and join the Mweka Trail.
DAY 5 FACTS
Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 6, Karanga Camp - Barafu Camp 15350ft
After breakfast, we take a slow and steady pace to Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.
DAY 6 FACTS
Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4673m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2miles
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 7, Barafu - Uhuru Peak - Mweka Camp 13350ft
It’s summit night and you will be woken up between 12 to 2 am. Then have a light breakfast. You will start your hike to the summit. You’ll be feeling nervous and excited, but we take it slow and head on through Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Taking north-west direction and ascending through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mental and physical part of the Trek, some people may feel really tired and want to quit here, but our guides will always be there to motivate you. Finally, reaching Stella Point, we will stop for a short rest to watch a magnificent sunrise.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow on 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak, congratulations you have now reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit, we descend straight down to Barafu camp for resting and lunch. After that, we head to Mweka Camp and enjoy a celebratory evening on the mountain.
DAY 7 FACTS
Barafu Camp - Uhuru Peak
Elevation: 4673/15,350ft to 5895m/19,341ft
Distance: 5km/3miles
Hiking Time: 6-7 hours
Habitat: Arctic
Uhuru Peak - Mweka Camp
Elevation: 5895m/19,341ft to 3000m/10,150ft
Distance: 13km/8miles
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Arctic, Alpine Desert, Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Day 8, Mweka Camp - Mweka Gate 5350ft
After breakfast, we continue to descend down to Mweka Gate. Once you get to the gate and sign out, you will meet your team and you can now say goodbye to your mountain team before being transferred to the hotel. After checking in at the hotel, your guide will present you with your summit certificate.
DAY 9 FACTS
Elevation: 3000m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast
PACKAGE
Package Inclusions
Travel Handbook
Included in Package
Airport Pick up and drop off
Pre and Post Trek Hotel accommodation
Park fees, camping fees, rescue fees, and taxes
Q-4 season mountain tents
Transportation to and from the mountain gate
Professional mountain guides, cooks, and porters
3 meals per day whilst on the mountain
Filtered water throughout the trek
Excluded in Package
International flights
Traveler’s insurance
VISA
Drinks outside safari
Tipping (we recommend from $10 per person per day)