Kilimanjaro Lemoshu Route

The Lemosho route is one of the quietest route on the mountain and begins from the western side of the mountain; the trail passes through some of the mountains finest features, including the cloud forest of Kilimanjaro’s southern plains, the dry and dusty Shira Plateau and the delightful groundsel-clad Barranco campsite.

 

Curiously, though the Lemosho route is widely reckoned to be that much harder than most of the other routes as the walk up to the plateau is an exhausting one but a useful one for acclimatization. The proportion of trekkers who reach the top using this route is marginally but significantly higher. This could be down to a number of factors: the Lemosho route allows people to acclimatize better because it’s longer (46.26km to the summit via Barafu, or 36.7km via the Western Breach as opposed to 35.5 km on Marangu route). When it comes to climbing the slopes of Kibo, the Barafu route is more straightforward than the route from Kibo Huts to Gillman’s, as it is largely conducted on the firm terrain of a ridge than sliding, shifting shale; or maybe the Lemosho’s higher success rate is merely an indication that more experienced, hardened trekkers that is

the very people who are most likely to reach the summit

are more inclined to choose this route.

 

DAY 1 - MOSHI TO STARTING POINT- MTI MKUBWA:

Drive from the hotel in Moshi using 4x4 Land cruisers/Land Rovers to Londrosi gate (2250m) which will take 1 hour for registration and payment to obtain permit and then drive back to Lemosho starting point (2100m) then begin the climb. The climb through the rain forest is 6 km to Mti Mkubwa camp (Big Tree Camp) -2750m which will take 3 hrs and altitude gained is 650m. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.

 

DAY 2 - MTI MKUBWA (BIG TREE) TO SHIRA ONE CAMP:

After breakfast continue on hiking through the heath and moorland zone to Shira one camp (3500m) which will take 5-6hrs, dinner and overnight at the campsite. Distance covered is 9km and altitude gained is 750m.

 

DAY 3 - SHIRA ONE CAMP TO SHIRA TWO CAMP:

After breakfast continue hiking through heath and moorland to Shira Two campsites (3850m) which will take 3hrs, dinner and overnight at the campsite. Distance covered is 4km and altitude gained is 350m.

 

DAY 4 - SHIRA TWO CAMP TO BARRANCO CAMP:

Early in the morning after breakfast start hiking to Barranco Camp- (3940m) through Lava Tower – (4600m) for acclimatizing. It takes 6 -7hrs   with picnic lunch, Dinner and overnight Barranco camp (3940m). Distance covered is 10.75km via Lava Tower and altitude gained is 750m then from Lava Tower to Barranco altitude gained is 660m.

 

DAY 5 - BARRANCO CAMP TO KARANGA CAMP:

After breakfast start climbing Barranco walls- (4250m) to Karanga Camp – (4000m). Have hot lunch, rest and walk around for Acclimatizing. It takes 3-4hrs. Dinner and overnight at the camp. Distance covered is 4.25km and altitude gained is 250m.

 

DAY 6 - KARANGA CAMP TO BARAFU CAMP:

Having breakfast about 8:30am continue on hiking through the heath and moorland to Barafu Camp 4600m. It takes 3-4hrs and distance covered is 4.25km and altitude gained is 600m before you get hot lunch, rest and then early dinner and sleep for a short hours then wake up about 11:00pm, pack the Useful things for the summit have hot drinks and bites and start hiking to the top of Africa Uhuru Peak- (5895M) it takes about 6-7hrs and distance covered is 4.86km and altitude gained is 1295m.

 

DAY 7 - BARAFU CAMP TO UHURU PEAK TO MWEKA CAMP:

It takes about 3hrs from summit to Barafu camp for breakfast and rest for few hours, eat hot lunch and then continue descending from the alpine desert, heath and moorland to the edge of the rain forest at Mweka camp- (3100m). Distance covered from Uhuru Peak to Barafu camp and to Mweka camp is 11.5km and altitude lost is 2795m.

 

DAY 8 - MWEKA CAMP TO MWEKA GATE:

Walk after breakfast to Mweka Gate (1800m) through the rain Forest for 3-4hrs distance covered is 9.1km and altitude lost is 1400m. Receive your award certificate if you will have made it to the top and meet the vehicle and transfer to the Hotel in Moshi for hot shower, lunch and rest.