8 Days Lemosho Route

The Lemosho Route is often described as the scenically most beautiful route on Kilimanjaro. The 8 days trek has a high success rate as it allows enough time for acclimatization. You can even add a 9th day on the mountain if you think the summit day (day 7), which includes a lot of hiking, is too challenging for you.

Day 1

We enter Kilimanjaro National Park through Londorossi Gate on the western side of Kilimanjaro (at 2250 m/7380 ft above sea level) and continue to drive to the Lemosho Glades where we will take lunch. The total drive takes around 4 hours. You then begin the ascent, hiking for around 3 hours through dense rain forest to Mti Mkubwa, commonly referred to as “The Big Tree Camp” where we will spend the evening, have dinner and stay camping overnight.

Day 2

We hike for 5-6 hours through moorland to an altitude of 3500 m / 11,500 ft to Shira 1 Camp, crossing the Shira Ridge. Shira 1 Camp is located near a small stream on the Shira Plateau. Dinner and overnight at Shira 1 Camp.

Day 3

We will explore Shira Plateau for a full day. It is a gentle walk eastwards of 4-6 hours towards Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau, leading to Shira 2 Camp (3640 m/12,000 ft) on moorland meadows. Then we continue through semi desert to Moir Hut (4160 m/13,700 ft), a not very much frequented site on the base of the Lent Hills. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity. Overnight camping at Moir Hut.

Day 4

We will hike from Moir Hut for 4-6 hours to the Lava Tower for lunch break and then follow the Western breach to Barranco Camp. Staying at around 4000 meters/13,200 ft altitude for the whole day, this day contributes to successful acclimatization. This day also offers you amazing views and opportunities to take great pictures of the Barranco wall. At Barranco Camp, you can probably experience one of your most memorable sunsets.

Day 5

After breakfast, we will proceed with the trail until reaching Hein Glacier, then we head down to Karanga Valley where we will arrive at Karanga Camp (4200 m; 14,000 ft) for an evening tea, dinner, and stay camping overnight.

Day 6

After breakfast we will head east for around 3 hours through the alpine desert, crossing over multiple ridges and valleys until we reach the Mweka route and continue upwards, following the ridge for about an hour to reach Barafu Hut (4645 m/15,239 ft) where the camp is set on the ridge. At Barafu Hut we should relax and prepare for the summit on the next day. Dinner and overnight at Barafu Camp.

Day 7

From Barafu Camp, at around 2 am in the morning we start the 7-8 hours ascent to the summit through the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers heading in northwestern direction through heavy scree, reaching Stella Point (5685 m/18,650 ft) on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek, but you will be rewarded with a magnificent sunrise (weather permitting).

From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on the further 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.

If the group is fast enough, we can even experience sunrise from the summit.

We will then make a 4-6 hours descent down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu Camp for lunch. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper rain forest at an altitude of 3100 m/10,200 ft, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. In the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

If you book this hike as a 9 days trek (you can mark the check box for an additional day on the mountain), then Day 7 will be split into two days: hiking on day 7 to the Crater Camp (5730m/18,800 ft) from where it will be a short 1-hour final summit on the following day. Day 8 as described in continuation would then be Day 9 if you add the extra day.

Day 8

After breakfast, we continue the descent for 3-4 hours to Mweka Park Gate and Mweka Village where you will take a hot lunch and from where we will drive back to Moshi.