The Lemosho route is considered the most scenic trail on Kilimanjaro, granting panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. As one of the newer routes, Lemosho is a superb choice for your climb. It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low crowds, beautiful scenery and a high summit success, ….. specializes in guiding on the Lemosho route. Most of our clients climb Kilimanjaro using this route and they consistently report that they loved it. Thus, Lemosho is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rain forest to Shira Ridge. The Lemosho route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Crowds are low until the route joins the Machame route near Lava Tower. Then the route travers’s underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
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You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.
Londorossi Gate to Forest Camp.
Londorossi Gate to Forest Camp.
Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft.
Distance: 6 km.
Hiking Time:3-4 hours.
Habitat: Rain Forest.
Full board at Forest camp Know as {Big tree Camp}
After completing the necessary registration formalities at Londorossi National Park gate, we drive through varied farmland with open views over the plains to reach the Lemosho road head. We often have our lunch in the glades before starting to walk. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through beautiful and lush forest. This area has a variety of game, including buffalo. We camp at Lemosho Forest Camp Know as {Big tree Camp} 7,800 ft.
Forest Camp to Shira One Camp.
Elevation (ft): 9,500ft to 11,500ft.
Distance: 8 km.
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours.
Habitat: Moorland.
Full Board at Shira One Camp
We soon leave the forest behind and enter the moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily with wide views to reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness, especially if afternoon mists come in! We camp in the center of the plateau at Shira One (11,500 ft).
Shira Camp 1 to Shira 2 to Moir Hut.
Elevation (ft): 11,500ft to 13,800 ft.
Distance: 14 km.
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours.
Habitat: Moorland.
Full Board at Shira 2 camp.
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 Stay at shira 2 camp or 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. You might have an option of spending the night at Shira 2 camp or Moir Hut a relatively long hike and significant altitude gain, today is a short day and you arrive in Shira 2 camp in time for lunch. A good day for acclimatization with the option of an afternoon walks with your guides.
Moir Hut to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp or Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco.
Elevation (ft): 13,800ft to 13,000ft.
Distance: 7 km.
Hiking Time: 4-6 hours.
Habitat: Semi Desert.
Full Board at Shira 2 or Moir Hut camp
A morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, leaving the moorland plateau behind to walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch near the Lava Tower (14,900 ft), we descend to the bottom of the Barranco Valley to camp at Barranco Camp (12,790 ft), sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below.
Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp.
Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft.
Distance: 5km.
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours.
Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Full Board at Karanga Camp.
A steep climb up the Barranco Wall leads us to an undulating trail on the south-eastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the Southern Ice fields. The terrain changes to scree, with pockets of lush vegetation in sheltered hollows, and there is only a short distance to Karanga Camp (13,100 ft), the last water point on the way to the summit.
Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp.
Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft.
Distance: 4 km.
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours.
Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Full Board at Barafu Hut Camp.
We follow an easy path on compacted scree with wide views that gains altitude unrelentingly to reach the Barafu Hut (14,800 ft) for lunch. There is a short acclimatization walk to the plateau at the bottom of the southeast valley. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the early morning final ascent.
Barafu Camp to Crater camp.
Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft.
Distance: 6 km ascent / 12 km descent.
Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent.
Habitat: Arctic.
Full Board at Mweka hut Camp.
Unlike other routes with a night time ascent, your hike selection affords you a day time ascent to Kibo crater. The going is slow but with constant encouragement from your climb team the rim of Kibo is reached before descending a little way into the caldera to Crater camp. The afternoon is spent relaxing and short walks can be taken with one of your guides.
After a night in the crater, you now have the shortest final summit bid of any route. With such a short distance to the summit from the crater (around 1 hour) means that timing arrival with the sunrise is much easier and quite spectacular. The summit of Kilimanjaro is the top of the highest freestanding mountain in the world. After your summit bid you then descend for a final night on the mountain at Mweka Camp passing back through the heath zone. Endemic Proteas, pollinated by Malachite Sunbirds are plentiful.
Overnight Mweka Camp (breakfast- lunch – dinner).
Mweka Camp to Arusha or Moshi.
Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft.
Distance: 10 km.
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours.
Habitat: Rain Forest.
Half Board.
After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. 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).
Kilimanjaro Nature Tours vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi.
Day of departure: Transfer to the Kilimanjaro Airport.
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