7 days Lemosho Route

Arrival Day: Upon arrival you will be picked up and drive to Mt Meru Hotel for overnight (bed and

breakfast)

Day 1: Lemosho Trailhead (2,000m/6,600ft) to Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft)  

Elevation Gain: 800 metres / 2,500 feet

This morning you will drive from Arusha to the Londorossi gate. Here you will complete entry

formalities. From Londorossi your drive continues for around 1 hour to the Lemosho trailhead along

a 4WD track. Upon arrival at the trailhead you will eat lunch and then commence trekking through

lush undisturbed forest where you may be lucky enough to see Colobus monkeys. The path

undulates, steeply in places, to arrive at the first camp after 3-4 hours of trekking.  Overnight at Big

Tree Camp (Mti Mkubwa Camp).

Day 2: Big Tree Camp (2,800m/9,100ft) to Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft)

Elevation Gain: 1000 metres / 3,400 feet

Today your trek will begin in the forest; however you will soon leave this ecosystem behind taking a

steep track into a zone of giant heather and volcanic rock. This is a full day ascending through the

lush rolling hills below the Shira Plateau. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro’s volcanic cones. It is filled

with the lava flow from Kibo and its rim has eroded and been blasted away by weather and volcanic

action. The day finishes with a gradual climb to Shira 2 Camp. Today is one of your longest days and

could take 7-8 hours.

Day 3: Shira 2 Camp (3,800m/12,500ft) to Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,650ft) via Lava Tower

(4,550m/14,900ft)

Elevation Gain: 750 metres / 2,400 feet

Elevation Loss: 700 metres / 2,250 feet

Your climb today will take you steadily up and over the expansive ridgelines of high desert to Lava

Tower. The trek to the base of Lava Tower is about 4 hours.  This tower is a 300 foot high volcanic

plug. If time and energy allow, you can scramble to the top of Lava Tower for fabulous panoramic

views. From Lava Tower we begin our steep descent into the Barranco Valley, passing large

flowering plants which actually look like trees, the scenecios. This is good practice for your descent

from the summit in a few days time and will take 1-2 hours. Although you will end your day at

almost the same elevation as you started, today is very important for acclimatisation and will help

your body prepare for summit day. Barranco Camp is in a beautiful, sheltered valley below the

imposing Barranco Wall.

Day 4: Barranco Camp (3,850m/12,600ft) to Karranga Camp (3,950m/13,000ft) via the Barranco

Wall (4,200m/13,800ft)

Elevation Gain: 350 metres / 1,150 feet

Elevation Loss: 250 metres / 820 feet

After breakfast, we leave Barranco Camp and begin our climb up the Barranco Wall. This is an

impressive scramble where you will be rewarded with fantastic views back towards camp. The

porters climbing the wall are also an impressive sight. From the top, at 4,200m, you will follow an

undulating path around the mountain side. On a clear day there are spectacular views of Kibo to

your left and Mount Meru to your right. After descending into the Karranga Valley your climb takes

you up a short steep path to Karranga Camp. Walking time approximately 3-4 hours.

Day 5: Karranga Camp (3,950m/13,000ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)

Elevation Gain: 650 metres / 2,150 feet

Today you will spend the morning climbing steadily on to Barafu, which is Swahili for ice! This camp

is located on the ridge below the summit cone. You have now completed the South Circuit, which

offers views of the summit from many different angles. This walk will take around 3 hours meaning

that you will arrive at Barafu in time to spend the afternoon resting and enjoy an early dinner in

preparation for the summit climb. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this

position.

Day 6: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,300ft) then descending to

Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft)

Elevation Gain: 1,295 metres / 4,200 feet

Elevation Loss: 2,785 metres / 9,100 feet

In the early hours of the morning you will begin your final ascent to the summit of Uhuru Peak. This

part of the climb takes approximately 6-8 hours. It can be very cold at night at these elevations, but

it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day and therefore you will want clothing for both

extremes. Just when you think you’ve had enough of climbing in the dark the sun will rise and you

will be rewarded with a rich red sky framing Mawenzi. At Stella Point (5,750m) you join the crater

rim. From here, climb less steeply to Uhuru Peak which is the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro

and the continent of Africa. From the summit the descent will take you straight down to Mweka

Hut, with lunch served on the way. This part of the descent takes about 6 hours. Later in the

evening enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep. Beer and soda may be

available for purchase at Mweka Hut, the only place it is available on this route.

Day 7: Mweka Camp (3,110m/10,200ft) to Mweka Gate (1,830m/6,000ft)

Elevation Loss: 1,280 metres / 4,220 feet

Descend straight to the gate through lush forest (2-3 hours), looking for monkeys along the way.

Return to Moshi from Mweka Village and proceed to overnight at Mt Meru Hotel for overnight.

(Breakfast& Lunch)

Day 8: Final transfer to Kilimanjaro International airport in time for your departure flight.

PRICE QUOTE

US $2540 per person

INCLUDES

 Pre & post climb accommodation

 Quality, waterproof, four-season private mountain sleeping tents:

 Professional, experienced, mountain guides:

 All Park fees

 Rescue fees

 All meals while on the Mountain

 Guides, Porters, cook

 Quality Mess tents with table and chairs

 Clean, purified drinking water

 Crisis management and safety procedure

EXCLUDES

 Tanzania Visa

 Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.

 Meals not listed above

 Optional Tours

ADDITIONAL COSTS:

• Hiring of clothing, sleeping bags, walking poles etc. (We have an option of hiring these gears from

us but feel free to bring them with you if you can easily buy them from home)

• Tipping to your guides, cook and porters. The standard recommendation for this is $20 per day to

the guides, US $15 per day for the chief/cook and $10per day for porters. These costs are per group

and they will be split between everyone doing the climb.