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The Lemosho Route is an unspoiled, remote, little-used, and beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau. The 8 days Lemosho route trek starts on the western side of Kilimanjaro, passing through a variety of ecosystems, from lush rain-forests to barren alpine deserts, and provides stunning views throughout the trek. The Lemosho Route is particularly favored for its beauty and the quieter trails it offers compared to some of the other routes with few stunning landscapes to enjoy.
This route is recommended for those who seek a more immersive experience on Kilimanjaro, with ample time to adjust to the altitude and fully appreciate the diverse environments the mountain has to offer such as the Shira Plateau, the dramatic Lava Tower, and eventually make your way to the summit at Uhuru Peak.
Arrive in Tanzania via Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where our African Delights Safari staff drier will pick you up and transfer you to a hotel in Moshi for your first night. If you arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Kenya, we’ll arrange a shuttle bus to take you to Moshi.
Depending on your arrival time, you will meet your appointed African Delight Safaris Mountain guide for your 8 days Lemosho route climb on the same day or early the next morning. The guide will provide a pre-trekking briefing at your Moshi hotel and will also review your equipment and assist you in renting any missing equipment which is needed.
After a heavy breakfast at your hotel, a 3hrs drive will get you from Moshi to Londorossi Park Gate. Once at the gate your team of guides, cooks and porters will be packing supplies and your equipment at the park’s gate and registration will follow.
After completing all entry formalities and a short briefing from the head tour guide, we will then drive to the Lemosho trailhead. Hikers should also know that, in rainy/muddy conditions, sometimes the 4WD vehicles can’t make it to the true trailhead so there may be some extra hiking halfway.
After a picnic lunch at the trailhead, we begin hiking through undisturbed forest which winds to the first camp site famously known as Big Tree or in Swahili “Mti Mkubwa”. Black and White Colobus monkeys might be seen in the forest as well as signs of the elephants that travel in this area. We will camp overnight after a warm healthy meal.
You’ll start with an early wake-up and breakfast, then begin a gradual trek upwards to 3,500 meters. At this point, you’ll be rewarded with your first stunning views of the Shira Plateau and Kibo Volcano.
As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 camp. The walk is quite short and steady, culminating at Shira Camp (3510 meters) on the Shira plateau near a stream.
When you reach the camp, your team of specialists will cook you lunch and you will have the chance to rest in your tent or walk around the nearby area. After a two-hour rest, you’ll embark on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp, gaining 300 meters (984 feet) in altitude.
The trek crosses the Shira Plateau on day three of your 8 days Lemosho route hike, from Shira 1 Camp towards Shira 2 Camp. It is one of the highest plateaus in the world, making the views from the top of this very spectacular, and if the weather permits, Mount Meru (Africa’s fifth highest peak) may be viewed from today’s final stop, Shira 2 Camp. During the hike, our guides will offer an optional climb to Shira Cathedral (3,880m) which doesn’t impact your body’s acclimatization .
Because the plateau is exposed, expect a chilly night with temperatures dropping below zero.
Day four starts with a breakfast and you’ll ascend onwards east up a ridge and then south-east towards enormous beds of volcanic rock and surrounded by rocky hills and cliffs leading us to the highest point of the day “Lava Tower” (4650m) and you’ll enjoy a heavy lunch meal.
After a delicious meal and short rest we descend through the beautiful Senecio forest towards Barranco camp located in the Barranco valley where you’ll camp overnight.
At Barranco Camp, you’ll get a close view of the famous Barranco Wall, known for its massive size and steep incline. Tomorrow, you’ll tackle this wall, but don’t worry—the climb is along a straightforward hiking trail that’s not intimidating.
Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.
We begin the day by an early breakfast and descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall.
Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 150m/900ft cliff. This is where most trekkers realize how hard porters job are and how efficient they’re required to be in order to handle carrying supplies & equipment.
Once at the top of the Barranco Wall you’ll enjoy views of Kilimanjaro’s ice fields then hike up and down across a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley and one more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp.
This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization and so after a hot lunch at camp and hours of rest, our guide will have you complete an acclimatization hike in the direction of Barafu camp with a 200-meter gain in altitude, and then descend back down to the camp. We recommend an early sleep after a warm dinner to prepare for tomorrows hike
We start in the morning after breakfast towards Barafu camp. The morning trek will start slow and steady uphill as we enter the Arctic zone where the temperatures become freezing. As we leave Karanga we will encounter a junction that connects with the Mweka trail as we continue up to Barafu Hut.
You’ll have a picnic lunch along the way and after 4-5 hours of hiking we will Barafu at around early evening.
Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. Your guide will also have a demonstration on use of safety equipment such as the portable oxygen tank. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be seen from this position.
Today is summit day and so we face our greatest challenge. This is the most mentally and physically demanding part of the trek. The wind and cold at this altitude and time of night can be intense. After midnight, we begin our push to the summit.
We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. At Stella Point (18,600 feet), you’ll take a brief rest and, weather permitting, witness one of the most breathtaking sunrises imaginable. From there, you may encounter snow during the one-hour ascent to the summit. Reaching Uhuru Peak marks your arrival at the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire continent of Africa. Those who ascend more quickly may even catch the sunrise from the summit itself.
From the summit, we now make our descent and stop at Barafu Hut for a well-deserved lunch and continue slowly straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site. The terrain is very rocky and so trekking poles will be helpful. Mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon at Mweka camp. Don’t forget that 90% of all accidents occur during the descent, including most broken arms and legs so please pay attention to your steps.
Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a victorious sleep.
This is your last day upon Mt. Kilimanjaro. After breakfast we continue with a gentle trek that takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate. It can be wet and muddy so trekking poles will help. Also shorts and t-shirts will be suitable.
Upon reaching Mweka Gate, your tour guide will complete park formalities and you’ll receive certificates. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village where you can say goodbye & thank your team of guides, cooks & porters for a successful 8 days Lemosho route trek of Mt. Kilimanjaro
A private vehicle from African Delight Safaris will be waiting for you at Mweka village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 1hour).
All our Head Guides are certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR) able to handle emergencies, ensuring a secure and well-guided climb. We are invested in comprehensive staff training, quality medical kits & operate in accordance with established emergency protocols.
During your Kilimanjaro hike, we will provide drinking water & all meals. Our trekking crew includes a cook who are accustomed to catering to different dietary requirements, so be sure us in advance if you have any specific dietary needs or restrictions.
When hiking Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho route, you will sleep in tents at designated campsites along the trail. These camps provide basic camping facilities, and you’ll sleep in tents that are set up and taken down by our trekking crew.
$2400
$2150
$2070
$2000
$1990
| GROUP SIZE | 1 PAX | 2 PAX | 3 PAX | 4 PAX | 5 & ABOVE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
TOUR PRICE |
$2400 |
$2150 |
$2070 |
$2000 |
$1990 |
We’ll help you customize your own itinerary for a once in a lifetime adventure in Tanzania.