Mount Kilimanjaro trekking on Lemosho Route

To the Mountain

After breakfast you’ll head to Londorossi National Park gate.

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. The last section of the road is of poor quality and difficult to drive after rain, sometimes we start walking a kilometer or two below the road head. We often have our lunch at the road head before starting to walk. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through beautiful and lush forest. (2,650 m); 3-4 hours walking

Standard Accommodation: tent at Lemosho Big Tree Camp all meals included.

Magnificent Views of Uhuru Peak

Today’s segment of the ascent will continue across beautiful heathland and afro-alpine moorland with magnificent views of Kilimanjaro Peak.

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.

Standard Accommodation: tent at center of the plateau at “Shira One, all meals included.

Drawing nearer the peak, the trek becomes a bit more strenuous. We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral before reaching the next camp at Shira Hut. This campsite has stunning views, close to the glaciated dome of Kibo and the jagged rim of Shira Plateau. The views from here of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable.

 Standard Accommodation: tent at Shira Hut all meals included.

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 junction (4,550 m) we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below near our campsite at Barranco valley.

 Standard tent accommodation: tent at Barranco camp all meals included.

The Equatorial Anomaly

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 vegetation in sheltered hollows, and there is only a short distance to our camp at Karanga (4,000 m), the last water point on the way to the summit.

 Standard tent accommodation: tent at Karanga campsite all meals included.

We follow an easy path on compacted scree with wide views that gains altitude unrelentingly to reach the Barafu campsite (4,600 m) for lunch. There is a short acclimatization walk to the plateau at the bottom of the South-East valley (4,800 m). The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent before a very early night.

Standard Accommodation: tent at Barafu campsite all meals included.

You will start our ascent by torchlight at about 1 a.m. so that we can be up on the Crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zing-sags and a slow but steady pace will take us to Stella Point (5,735 m), in about five or six hours. We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can make the two hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast, and after some refreshment, we continue to descend to reach our final Mweka forest camp.

Standard Accommodation: tent at Mweka forest camp all meals included.

Back to the Bottom

This morning you’ll make the final descent to the park gate, a walk of about 2 to 3 hours. After bidding farewell to the guide and porters, you’ll head back to Arusha for the night.

Standard Accommodation: The African Tulip Hotel, (meals on bed and breakfast basis)

Comfort Accommodation: Four Points by Sheraton, (meals on bed and breakfast basis)

Luxury Accommodation: Gran Melia, (meals on bed and breakfast basis)

You Can Leave Africa, but Africa Will Never Leave You!

Depending on your International flight, you will drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your international flight. 

Farewell and we’ll see you again in Tanzania!