8-Day Lemosho Route
OVERVIEW
TAKE THE LONG WAY UP.
There are quicker ways up Kilimanjaro.
That’s precisely why we like this one.
The Lemosho Route approaches the mountain from the west, beginning among dense montane forest before climbing onto the enormous Shira Plateau and eventually joining the southern circuit beneath Kibo.
Eight days gives the journey room to breathe, with a gradual itinerary designed to provide more time for acclimatization before the final summit attempt.
You’ll cross rainforest, moorland and high alpine desert.
You’ll walk beneath the Barranco Wall.
You’ll sleep beneath a sky that seems increasingly close.
And eventually, long before most of Tanzania wakes up, you’ll start walking toward the highest point in Africa.
5,895 metres.
One step at a time.
DAY 01 / LEMOSHO GATE → MTI MKUBWA CAMP - INTO THE RAINFOREST.
Your Kilimanjaro journey begins with a transfer from Arusha or Moshi toward the western side of the mountain.
After registration and final preparations, meet the wider mountain crew and begin walking through Kilimanjaro’s lush montane forest.
The first day is deliberately gentle.
The trail climbs gradually beneath a canopy of ancient trees, moss and dense vegetation. Colobus and blue monkeys may occasionally be seen among the branches.
Eventually, the forest opens around Mti Mkubwa Camp, your first home on Kilimanjaro.
The summit still feels very far away.
Good.
We have seven days to fix that.
OVERNIGHT
Mti Mkubwa Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 2,650 m
MEALS
Lunch · Dinner
DAY 02 / MTI MKUBWA → SHIRA 1 CAMP - LEAVE THE TREES. FIND THE SKY.
After breakfast, continue climbing as the rainforest gradually gives way to heath and moorland.
The vegetation becomes shorter.
The views become bigger.
As you gain altitude, the enormous Shira Plateau begins revealing itself ahead.
On a clear day, your first dramatic views of Kibo appear in the distance.
Continue across the open landscape toward Shira 1 Camp.
Tonight feels different from the forest.
Colder.
Quieter.
And considerably closer to the mountain.
OVERNIGHT
Shira 1 Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 3,500 m
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
DAY 03 / SHIRA 1 → SHIRA 2 CAMP - CROSS THE ANCIENT PLATEAU.
Today’s walk continues across the Shira Plateau, one of Kilimanjaro’s most beautiful high-altitude landscapes.
The pace remains deliberately measured.
This isn’t a race upward.
Your guides will encourage the famous mountain rhythm:
Pole pole.
Slowly, slowly.
The relatively gradual day allows your body more time to adapt while the trail moves toward Shira 2.
Depending on conditions and how the group feels, your guides may include additional acclimatization walking after reaching camp.
Kibo now dominates the skyline.
There’s no pretending we’re here for anything else.
OVERNIGHT
Shira 2 Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 3,850 m
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
DAY 04 / SHIRA 2 → LAVA TOWER → BARRANCO CAMP - CLIMB HIGH. SLEEP LOWER.
This is one of the most important acclimatization days of the route.
Leave Shira and climb through increasingly barren alpine terrain toward Lava Tower, reaching approximately 4,600 metres.
The altitude becomes noticeable here.
Move slowly.
Drink water.
Listen to your guide.
After lunch and time at elevation, descend toward Barranco Valley.
This “climb high, sleep lower” profile helps your body continue adapting to the increasing altitude.
Eventually, Barranco Camp appears beneath the enormous southern face of Kibo.
And directly above camp stands tomorrow morning’s challenge.
The Barranco Wall.
It looks slightly ridiculous from below.
That’s part of the fun.
OVERNIGHT
Barranco Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 3,950 m
HIGHEST POINT
Approx. 4,600 m at Lava Tower
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
DAY 05 / BARRANCO → KARANGA CAMP - MEET THE BARRANCO WALL.
After breakfast, begin climbing the Barranco Wall.
Despite its intimidating appearance, this is primarily a steep scramble rather than technical rock climbing under normal route conditions.
Your guides lead the way as the trail zigzags upward through the rock.
Take your time.
Use your hands when needed.
And occasionally remember to turn around.
The views are worth it.
After reaching the top, continue across a landscape of ridges and valleys before descending toward the Karanga Valley and climbing again to camp.
It’s a shorter day geographically.
Your legs may disagree.
OVERNIGHT
Karanga Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 4,035 m
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
DAY 06 / KARANGA → BARAFU CAMP - ABOVE HERE, ONLY THE SUMMIT.
Leave Karanga after breakfast and continue through increasingly stark alpine desert toward Barafu Camp.
Vegetation becomes scarce.
The air becomes thinner.
Kibo fills almost everything ahead.
Reach Barafu with enough time to eat, hydrate and prepare your equipment for the summit attempt.
Your guide will brief you carefully.
Warm layers ready.
Headlamp ready.
Water ready.
Gloves ready.
Then try to sleep.
It may be afternoon.
Your body may have other opinions.
Either way, tonight isn’t really a night.
It’s a countdown.
OVERNIGHT
Barafu Camp
ALTITUDE
Approx. 4,640 m
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Early Dinner
DAY 07 / BARAFU → UHURU PEAK → MWEKA CAMP - TONIGHT, WE GO UP.
You’ll wake around midnight.
Dress quietly.
Eat something.
Switch on your headlamp.
Then start walking.
The climb toward Stella Point is slow, steep and demanding. Your world becomes very small for several hours.
Boots.
Breath.
Headlamp.
The person in front of you.
And another step.
Eventually, darkness begins changing colour.
Reach Stella Point at approximately 5,756 metres, where the crater rim finally appears.
From here, continue around the rim toward Uhuru Peak.
Then:
5,895 metres.
UHURU PEAK.
The highest point in Tanzania.
The highest point in Africa.
Stand beside the famous summit sign as glaciers catch the morning light and the continent stretches somewhere far below.
Take the photograph.
Take another.
Then look around without the camera.
You walked here.
After celebrating, begin the long descent past Barafu and continue toward the greener elevations around Mweka Camp.
It is an enormous day.
Probably the one you’ll talk about forever.
OVERNIGHT
Mweka Camp
SUMMIT
5,895 m
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
DAY 08 / MWEKA CAMP → MWEKA GATE - BACK TO GREEN.
After breakfast, begin your final descent.
With every kilometre, the air gets thicker.
The temperature rises.
Vegetation returns.
Eventually, you’re back beneath the rainforest canopy where the mountain journey began eight days earlier.
Continue to Mweka Gate to complete park formalities and meet your transfer vehicle.
Say goodbye to the mountain crew who helped carry far more than equipment during the climb.
Then return to Arusha or Moshi.
A shower will feel spectacular.
A bed will feel suspiciously luxurious.
And Kilimanjaro will already look strangely impossible from down here.
MEALS
Breakfast · Lunch
END POINT
Mweka Gate → Arusha / Moshi
$2,850
READY TO GO HIGHER?
Includes
- Professional mountain guide
- Porters and mountain cook
- All Park fees
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- All meals on the mountain
- Drinking water
- Summit certificate
Excludes
- International flights
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips for guides, porters and cooks
- Personal trekking equipment
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Sleeping bag unless arranged