8-Day adventure
Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route
Tanzania
Hiking Kilimanjaro Summits
Trip highlights
- Cross the stunning Shira Plateau
- High summit success rate (over 98%)
- Good chance of seeing endemic wildlife in the jungle
- Fully carbon offset
- Duration: 8 or 7 days
- Difficulty: Medium
- Scenery: Good
- Traffic: Low
Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Overview
At Hiking Kilimanjaro. With over 15 years of experience, we have helped more than 12,000 people reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. Equipped with top-quality gear and led by the best guides on the mountain, we proudly maintain a 95% success rate across all the routes we operate. If you’re seeking a specialist operator with an exceptional safety record, you’ve come to the right place. The Lemosho Route offers a quieter, scenic alternative to the Machame Route, providing a fantastic journey over 8 days with an excellent chance of summiting. Starting at Lemosho Gate at 2,360 meters, this trek begins on the remote western side of the mountain, passing through the lush rainforest where unique wildlife sightings are common. You’ll ascend to Kilimanjaro’s third summit, Shira Ridge, and cross the stunning Shira Plateau to witness the iconic Shira Cathedral. On day three, the route joins the main Machame trail at Shira Camp, offering breathtaking views and a peaceful climb before merging with the more popular path toward the summit. After summiting, your descent follows the Mweka trail, ensuring a fresh perspective. Ideal for those new to high-altitude trekking, the Lemosho Route’s eight-day itinerary includes an extra day for acclimatization, boosting your chances of success even further.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will meet our HK (HIKING KILIMANJARO) representative and then proceed to transfer to the hotel. The hotel will provide all the essentials for a comfortable stay: cozy rooms, hot water, polite staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access. Later or tomorrow morning, you will have a short briefing with your expert tour leader about your expedition. We will also review your equipment needed for your adventure to ensure that everything is set for your journey to Kilimanjaro.
Day 1
Arrival
- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Hotel
Day 2
Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp
4WD transfer to Londorossi Park Gate for registration. Our porters prepare and pack our supplies and luggage before we start our ascent along the forest trail to Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) campsite at 2895m. We will stay here overnight.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 3 - 4 hours
- Ascent: 535 m
- Max. altitude: 2895 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 3
Mti Mkubwa Camp to Shira 1 Camp
Our journey continues eastwards across the Shira Plateau with spectacular views of Shira Cathedral. We cross moorland meadow to reach Shira 1 Camp for dinner and overnight camping at 3500m. By now we will be able to see the stunning glaciers of the Western Breach. It will be colder tonight than the previous night with temperatures possibly falling below freezing.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 5 - 6 hours
- Ascent: 605 m
- Max. altitude: 3500 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 4
Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut
We leave the forest behind now and the trail gets steeper as it enters the moorland zone. A gentle grade walk takes you across the high altitude Shira Caldera to Moir Hut with fabulous views of Arrow glacier. We will camp here for the night at 4200m.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 6 - 7 hours
- Ascent: 700 m
- Max. altitude: 4200 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 5
Moir Hut to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
Today we will climb up to 4600m to the base of Lava Tower for lunch and acclimatization. This will be our toughest day so far and you may, for the first time, feel the altitude. After lunch we will descend again by almost 650m to Barranco Camp, following the “walk high, sleep low” golden rule of acclimatisation. Our descent to Barranco Camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 6 - 7 hours
- Ascent: 400 m
- Descent: 650 m
- Max. altitude: 4600 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 6
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
A short but fun day, starting with a scramble to the top of the Great Barranco Wall. We then traverse over scree to the Karanga Valley (3930m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 4 hours
- Ascent: 260 m
- Descent: 280 m
- Max. altitude: 4210 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 7
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
We leave Karanga campsite behind to meet the junction connecting with the Mweka descent trail. From here we continue up to Barafu Camp. You have now completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. At camp, we can rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be clearly seen from this position.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 3 - 4 hours
- Ascent: 670 m
- Max. altitude: 4600 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 8
Barafu Camp to summit to Mweka Camp
You will be woken around 23:30 with tea and biscuits. We start our trek to the summit between the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers through heavy scree up to Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek. At Stella Point (5732m), we will stop for a short rest and hopefully be in time to witness the magnificent sunrise (weather permitting). We are now only an hour away from the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we descend down to Mweka camp site, via Barafu for lunch. Trekking poles will be needed for the loose scree going down to Mweka Camp (3100m). Later in the evening, we will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Day 1
- Hiking time: 13 - 16 hours
- Ascent: 1295 m
- Descent: 2795 m
- Max. altitude: 5895 m
- Accomodation: Camping
- List ItemMeals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 9
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Your final day on the trek, departing after breakfast, we descend a further 1300 m to the Mweka Park Gate to pick up your summit certificates from the Park Headquarters. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
A HIKING KILIMANJARO vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to your hotel, which will take at least 1 hour and 45 minutes
Day 1
- Hiking time: 3 - 4 hours
- Descent: 1300 m
- Max. altitude: 3100 m
- Accomodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Breakfast
Day 10
Departure
After a much needed nights rest, we will bid you goodbye. If you have arranged airport transfers with us or a safari / Zanzibar trip, we will collect you in the morning for your onward journey.
Day 1
- Transport: Private transfer
- Meals included: Breakfast
The price includes:-
- Professional, English-speaking Guide
- Kilimanjaro trekking according to the itinerary
- Pre and Post accommodations (2 nights Bed and Breakfast)
- Complimentary Oxygen Cylinder
- Fair and Sustainable Salary Crew Wages Cylinder
- Meals And Drinks
- Drinking water and Full Board Meals
- Pickup and Transfer to Airport
The price Excludes:-
- International flights; available upon request
- Tips for porters and mountain crew
- Personal gear rentals; (available upon request)
- Visa fee (100 USD for American citizens and 50 USD for all others);
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks & beverages
- Travel or Medical Insurance is required and you should ask for Recommendation
- Additional lodge nights if early descent from the mountain
- Medication