10-Day Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Climb
A quieter, scenic route to the roof of Africa, starting in the western rainforest and crossing the Shira Plateau before circling south to the summit at Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights (8 days on the mountain)
- Starts and ends
- Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
- Route
- Lemosho up, Mweka down
- Sleeping
- Tented camps on the mountain; hotel before and after
- Summit
- Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m
- Group size
- From 1 climber
- Fitness
- We advise when you enquire
- Best months
- We advise when you enquire
From
US$3,225
per person
Starting price per person.
Prices are a guide. Park fees and availability change, so we always confirm your exact price in a personal quote before you book. Your price depends on your group size and travel dates. Request a quote at any time, with no obligation to book.
Includes park fees, guides, crew, meals on the mountain and hotel nights before and after. A 30% deposit confirms your booking; the balance is due 30 days before you travel.
Overview
The Lemosho Route sees fewer climbers than the busy Machame Route and passes through some of Kilimanjaro’s most varied scenery: rainforest, moorland, the high Shira Plateau, alpine desert and finally the glaciers near the summit. Eight days on the mountain give your body more time to adjust than the shorter seven-day version, with a “walk high, sleep low” day at Lava Tower before the climb to Barafu Camp and the night ascent to Uhuru Peak.
Highlights
- A quieter trail through the western rainforest
- The Shira Plateau, with views of the Western Breach glaciers
- Acclimatisation at Lava Tower (4,600 m) before sleeping lower at Barranco
- The scramble up the Great Barranco Wall
- Sunrise at Stella Point and the summit, Uhuru Peak (5,895 m)
Route
Kilimanjaro Airport → hotel → Lemosho Gate → Mti Mkubwa → Shira 1 → Moir Hut → Lava Tower → Barranco → Karanga → Barafu → Uhuru Peak → Mweka Camp → Mweka Gate → hotel → Kilimanjaro Airport
Day by day
Arrival
All trekkers need to organise their own flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). From JRO we will arrange a private transfer to your hotel. That night or early the next morning you will meet your local Ecolegacy Africa representative and have a full pre-climb briefing.
Lemosho Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp
4WD transfer to Lemosho 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) Camp at 2,895 m. We will stay here overnight.
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 3,505 m. 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.
Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut
A gentle walk across the high Shira Plateau through moorland, with views of the Shira Cathedral, then a steady climb to Moir Hut camp at 4,206 m, beneath the Arrow Glacier. The nights are colder from here on.
Moir Hut to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
Today we will climb to Lava Tower (4,630 m) 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 about 650 m 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.
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 (about 3,995 m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite.
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.
Summit day: Uhuru Peak, then down to Mweka Camp
You will be woken around 23:30 with tea and biscuits. We start our trek to the summit between the Rebmann 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 (5,756 m), 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 (5,895 m), the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we descend to Mweka camp site, via Barafu for lunch. Trekking poles will be needed for the loose scree going down to Mweka Camp (3,068 m). Later in the evening, we will enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Your final day on the trek, departing after breakfast we descend about 1,430 m to the Mweka Park Gate to pick up your summit certificates from the Park Headquarters. Transfer to your hotel.
Departure
After a much needed night’s 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.
Where you sleep
| Night | Camp, hut or hotel | Altitude |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hotel near Kilimanjaro | (named in your personal itinerary) |
| 2 | Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp | 2,895 m |
| 3 | Shira 1 Camp | 3,505 m |
| 4 | Moir Hut camp | 4,206 m |
| 5 | Barranco Camp | 3,976 m |
| 6 | Karanga Camp | 3,995 m |
| 7 | Barafu Camp | 4,673 m |
| 8 | Mweka Camp | 3,068 m |
| 9 | Hotel near Kilimanjaro |
Included
- Hotel nights before and after your climb
- Airport transfers
- Transfers to and from the mountain
- National park entry, camping, climbing and rescue fees
- A fully supported climb (an average of four support staff to each climber)
- All meals and drinking water on the mountain
- A clean, private portable toilet
- A dining tent and sleeping tents with foam mattresses
- Emergency oxygen and a first aid kit
- A certificate for your summit
Not included
- International flights and visas
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Travel insurance covering trekking up to 6,000 m
- Your personal trekking gear
- Snacks on the mountain
- Meals and drinks off the mountain
Make it yours
Add a safari
Add Zanzibar
Warm up on Mount Meru
Request a quote for this climb
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel. We will confirm availability and an exact price for your group. No obligation to book.
We reply within 24 hours.
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