8 Days Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route

Drive from your hotel to the Londorossi Park Gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After gate formalities start your trek through the rainforest. 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 used routes. Our trek today will be along a little-used track known as Chamber’s Route. Your rainforest camp at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) will be reached in 3-4 hrs.

After breakfast, hike across the remaining rainforest towards the giant moorland zone. Today is a full-day trek with an altitude gain of 2,000 ft.
Stop for lunch at a beautiful valley just outside the Shira Crater at around 10,000 ft. After lunch, we cross into the Shira Caldera, a high-altitude desert plateau that is rarely visited. Shira is the third of the 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.

After breakfast, continue the hike east across the Shira Plateau past the Shira Cathedral towards Shira Two camp. It is a gentle walk east toward Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. Elevation gain is only 700 ft – allowing you to acclimatize slowly. The views of the plateau are nothing less than spectacular.

Today is the last of the “easy days.” It is about a 7-hour superb 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 special 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 ft higher than where we were last night, but during the day, we will have climbed to just over 14,000 ft. This is one of our most valuable days for acclimatization.

On the eastern side of the valley, across the stream is the Barranco Wall – a 950 ft barrier of volcanic rock. Although it is tall and looks steep, it is very easy to climb. This is the first challenge of the day. The views from the wall are nothing less than magnificent. The rest of the day is spent skirting the base of Kibo peak over the left shoulder. Descend down into the Karanga Valley, where we rest up for the night before the tough climb up to Barafu Hut.

After breakfast, we leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Camp. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. Go to bed early because we will be waking you at midnight for the final leg to Uhuru Peak.

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most challenging portion of the trek.
At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). Continue 1h to Uhuru Peak. You have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.
From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at the village to drive you back to your hotel.