Lemosho Route

Stage 1 : Arrival in Tanzania
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. You will be picked up with by our representative  straight to your Hotel where you will spend a night before your trek begins the next day. Overnight accommodations include bed and breakfast and will be vary according to the category choice you booked You will have an opportunity to go over any last minute questions. At this point you will also have the chance to leave a bag behind with anything you don't need on the trek. Your left-behind gear will be securely a stored and will be available to you upon your return.

Stage 2: LONDOROSSI GATE to MTI MKUBWA (8,692 ft.)

• Hike time: 3hrs, Elevation Change + 650 m (2,132 ft)

• Estimated distance: 10 km ( 6 miles)  Final Elevation 2650 m (8,692 ft.)

After a three-hour drive from the Hotel  you will arrive at the Londorossi Park Gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After gate formalize we will drive to the trailhead at Lemosho Glades and start our trek through the rain forest. In places, the vegetation is so untouched that it grows right across the narrow track. The flora and fauna are richer here than on the other more popular routes through the rain forest. The trek today will be along a little used track known as Chamber's Route. In about 3-4 hours, we will reach our camp in the rain forest at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree).

Stage 3: MTI MKUBWA to SHIRA ONE CAMP (11,841 ft.)

• Hike time: 5 – 6 hrs, Elevation change + 950 m (3,116 ft)

• Estimated distance: 12 km (7.5 miles) Final Elevation 3,610 m (11,841 ft)

After breakfast, we start the climb cross the remaining rain forest towards the giant moorland zone. Today is a full day trek with an altitude gain of 2,000 ft. We will stop for lunch at one spot which overlook a beautiful valley just outside the Shira Crater at around 10,000 ft. After lunch, we will cross into the Shira Caldera, a high altitude desert plateau that is rarely visited. Shira is the third  peak of Kilimanjaro volcanic cones, and is filled with lava flow from Kibo Peak. The crater rim has been decimated by weather and volcanic action. Today you will get your first close views of Kibo - the dramatic summit of Kilimanjaro.

Stage 4: SHIRA ONE CAMP to SHIRA TWO CAMP (12,628 ft.)

• Hike time: 5 to 6 hrs Elevation change: + 240 m (787 ft)

• Elevation distance: 5 km ( 3 miles) Final elevation: 3,850 m (12,628 ft)

After breakfast we continue to hike east across the Shira Plateau past the Shira Cathedral towards Shira Two camp. We only gain 700 feet in elevation – this allows slow acclimatization to the altitude and increases the likelihood of successful summit. The views of the plateau are nothing less than spectacular

Stage 5: SHIRA TWO CAMP to BARRANCO HUT (12,956 ft.)

• Hike time: 5 hrs, Elevation change: +100 m (328 ft)

• Estimated distance: 6 km (4 miles)  Final elevation: 3950 m (12.956 ft)

Today is the last of the "easy days". It is superb, abouta 7-hour  hike. We pass the Lava Tower, around the southern flank of Kibo, and slowly descend into the spectacular Barranco Valley, interspersed with giant lobelia and senecia plants. After arriving at our most spectacular campsite, everyone stands in awe at the foot of Kibo Peak, looming high above, on our left. Our camp is only 465 feet higher than where we were last night, but during the day,  we will have climbed to just over 14,000 feet. This is one of our most valuable days for acclimatization.

Stage 6: KARANGA TO BARAFU CAMP (15,088 ft.)

• Hike time: 3.5 hrs, Elevation changes: +410 M (1,345 ft)

• Estimated distance: 4km (2.5 miles), Final elevation: 4600 m (15,088 ft)

The Sixth day follows the path up and across a rocky zone, finishing at the high camp Barafu. Very little vegetation can be found on the inhospitable terrain. A field of sedimentary rocks litters the ground like many broken mirrors. (Note - the 6 day From Machame route trek omits the Karanga campsite, and climbers continue directly to Barafu on the same day.)

Stage 7:BARAFU to UHURU PEAK (19,340 ft.) to MWEKA CAMP (9,550 ft.) SUMMIT DAY!  

• Summit time: 7 hrs, Elevation change: +1300 m (4,264 ft)

• Estimated distance: 5km (3 miles), Final elevation: 5896 m (19,340 ft)

• Descent time: 5 hrs, Elevation change: -2800 m (-9,184 ft)

• Estimated distance: 12km, Final elevation: 3100 m (9,550 ft)

The summit is usually attempted in the very early morning hours of the Seventh day (around midnight). Barafu is also used as a summit campsite for the Umbwe route. Climbers typically take somewhere between 5-7 hours to ascend, using headlamps and cold weather gear. The first milestone is Stella Point (18,652 ft/5,685 m), which is on the crater rim. Following Stella Point, the trail continues for another 30 minutes to the summit - Uhuru Peak. The descent back to Barafu takes roughly 4 hours. Some climbers 'scree slide' down the slope, which entails skidding/running down the loose gravel at medium speed. From Barafu, climbers typically take a short break, and continue downwards through the alpine desert and ensuing moorlands to Mweka Camp.

Stage 8: MWEKA CAMP - MWEKA GATE - MOSHI

• Descent time: 4 hrs, Elevation change: -1250 m (4,100 ft)

• Estimated distance: 10km (6 miles), Final elevation: 1828 m(5,996ft)

The Eighth day and final day has trekkers continue through the montane forest to Mweka gate. Troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys can often be seen.

Each trip to Kilimanjaro is a custom one, with thea minimum numbers# of people  and no large groups filled with strangers!