7-Day Lemosho Route Trekking

Your journey commences with a pleasant reception at Kilimanjaro International Airport. You’ll then enjoy a 30-40 minute drive to a hotel in Moshi, a lively town located at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. After check-in, you will join the guide for the pre-trek briefing on the trek, AMS, medical emergencies, and the mountain's towering beauty. You’ll also take in the rich heritage of the Chagga people through their crafts and stories. Explore local Tanzanian coffee shops and don’t forget to sample their delicious delicacies. After a fleece-filled night, a hearty breakfast will set you stoked to discover the mountains' breathtaking views. Moshi ensures to equip you for the Lemosho Route, showcasing the emotions and experiences waiting for you through challenging walks.
Activities: Airport pickup, trek debriefing, cultural tour.
Accommodation: Hotel In Moshi
Meals: Dinner.

Your day starts with breakfast, followed by a two-hour drive to Londorossi Gate (2,100m/6,890ft) in Kilimanjaro National Park, where you’ll complete registration formalities. The trek starts with a 3 to 4 hour hike of 6km, which, challenging, but brings you through a montane rainforest where you steadily gain 700m to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,800m/9,186ft). The hike offers thick bush, which is abuzz with blue monkeys, colobus monkeys, and a myriad of birds. The flower Impatiens kilimanjari is a rare sight. In case of any issue, you have an armed ranger with you, and your guide will stress the need for a “pole pole” (slow) and conserve effort for fuel. At Mti Mkubwa Camp, you enjoy warm meals made by your crew awaiting you. You have the option to rest the evening away or enjoy a short hike in the nearby rainforest.
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Distance: 6 km
Altitude Gain: 700m
Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After a hearty breakfast, start the 5-7 hour trek to Shira 1 Camp (3,500m/11,483ft), which is 8 km away. This trek is a bit challenging as you will be gaining 700m in elevation. Shira 1 Camp is located at 3,500 meters (11,483 feet), and you will be rewarded with stunning views of the western breach. The scenery en route is capped off with massive groundsels and lobelias, which beautify the route. Extreme measures to avoid AMS must be taken. Shira 1 Camp is located on the left of the Shira Plateau, which ensures that the hikers experience breathtaking sunset views and serene silence. Shira 1 Camp ensures that the hikers experience breathtaking sunset views and serene silence. While at Shira 1 Camp, mid- to upper-tier hikers should be seated in the shade and consume 3-4 liters of water as the trek consumes a lot of energy, enabling hikers to ascend in a timely fashion.
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Distance: 8 km
Altitude Gain: 700m
Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Your guide will lead you through the breathtaking Shira plateau, well known for its splendid views. It will take you 5 to 6 hours to walk 7 km and gain 340m to reach Shira 2 Camp. At its peak, Shira 2 Camp sits at 3840m, or 12,598 feet. You will be surrounded by Kibo Peak and the moorlands, while the gentle altitude climb will aid in your acclimatization. During the trek, the guide will monitor your health while encouraging frequent sips of water and light pacing to prevent altitude sickness. Shira 2 Camp serves a hot lunch, and you will have a chance to relax for the rest of the day with the option to take a guided acclimatization walk around nearby hills. After lunch, your guide will provide you with a deeper understanding of the diverse plants and animals you will find on the mountain to make your walk more eco-friendly.
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Distance: 7 km
Altitude Gain: 340m
Accommodation: Shira 2 Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

This important acclimatization day consists of a 6-8-hour hike to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,959ft). It also includes a rise to Lava Tower (4,600m/15,092ft), which brings net altitude gain to 110m. The path ascends through moorland to the volcanic Lavatower, which offers western breach and Kibo’s glaciers' picturesque views. At Lava Tower, a rest and lunch stop followed by Barranco Valley's scenic descent through giant senecios and lobelias is a good AMS risk reduction tactic. Lava Tower's rest and lunch spot enhances acclimatization risks. While the path has rocky stretches, recommended trekking poles assist. Barranco Camp provides a hot meal with rest while admiring the breathtaking view of the day’s final stop, the Barranco Wall. As a bonus, guides offer insights into the next day’s climb.

Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Distance: 10 km
Altitude Gain/Loss: +760m (to Lava Tower), -650m (to Barranco Camp)
Accommodation: Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today's segment covers 9 km and requires 5 to 7 hours of trekking. Barafu Camp (4,660m/15,288ft) is reached over a 710m altitude gain. The day starts with a wonderful scramble up the Great Barranco Wall, which is a little over 3 km. Step by step, the Kersten, Decken, and Heim glaciers reward with stunning views. The path goes along and over piles of loose gravel as well as into the desert region characterized by very dry conditions and very few plants. Your guide will be watching your health closely and urging you to take it slow due to the altitude. Barafu camp, literally translating to ice, is where the summit push is stationed and gives one a majestic view of Kibo Peak. To ensure proper energy is preserved for the challenging day ahead, the guide provides a detailed energy-conserving routine consisting of early sleep, a strong lunch, and post-lunchtime rest. The camp is reached by midday.
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Distance: 9 km
Altitude Gain: 710m
Accommodation: Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

The fifth day of hiking begins at midnight. The hike ascends 5 kilometers to Uhuru Peak and ascends 1,235m over 5-7 hours. This climb takes you to 5,895m(19,341ft). The route is very steep and it is covered in scree and rocky pathways, and it is very cold, forcing you to wear a lot of clothes, headlamps, and walking sticks. If you only need to get to Stella Point, you can expect to be 5,739m(18,822ft) at 5:739. The turn at Stella Point is very crowded, so it is expected that you will need to wait up to 2 hours at the point to get the rest to Uhuru Peak. The rest of the peak is quite crowded, so expect a 2-hour wait at the top before you can get your turn to take pictures. After that, head 2 hrs back to your starting point and expect a 4-hour wait to leave your starting point of Barafu Camp. From Barafu to Mweka, expect the same wait time and expect to descend 2,790m over 12 km. Expect a climb through moorland and a forest that takes a total of 6-8 hours. This section is mainly a contest of patience and testing your suppleness, so expect to be taking a long time. After a rest at Mweka, expect a very short climb over 4 and a half hours that totals 10 km of 1,460m until you hit your next summit. By that point, you can expect a 30-minute drive to Moshi.
Hiking
Duration: 14 to 18 Hours (5 to 7 Hours Ascent, 9 to 11 Hours Descent)
Distance: 27 km (5 km Ascent, 22 km Descent)
Altitude Gain/Loss: +1,235m, -4,255m
Accommodation: Hotel in Moshi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner