- Mount Kilimanjaro
Duration
From
Tour Overview
About The Journey
Lemosho route is one of the best routes for acclimatization. The route is less used and a beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau.
8 days Lemosho has one of the highest sucess rates. The additional days give your body more time to acclimatize, reducing the effects of altitude sickness and give you more time to rest before attempting the summit.
Day By Day
Tour itinerary
Day 0: Pre-trek Briefing
If you have opted for the optional airport transfers, we will pick you up from Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi.
Pre-trek briefing at your Moshi hotel. You should be planning to arrive at least one day before the start of the trek. Today we will spend in having a pre-trek briefing. We will also review your equipment and rent any equipment which is needed.
Day 1: Hotel to Mti Mkubwa Camp
After breakfast and briefing, drive to Lemosho Park Gate. From here a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite.
- Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 2650m/8700ft
- Distance: 6km/4mi
- Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
- Habitat: Montane Forest
- Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Mti Mkubwa Camp to Shira 1 Camp
After breakfast, we continue as the trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone. After several streams are crossed we continue over the Shira Ridge then gently downwards to Shira 1 camp located by a stream on the Shira Plateau.
- Elevation: 2650m/8700ft to 3500m/ 11,500ft
- Distance: 8km/5mi
- Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
- Habitat: Moorland
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp
After breakfast, a gentle hike across the plateau leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. A variety of hikes are available on the Plateau, making this an excellent acclimatization day.
- Elevation: 3500m/11,500ft to 3850m/ 12,600ft
- Distance: 8km/5mi
- Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
- Habitat: Moorland
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp
From the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elev 4650m/ 1 5,250ft). Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
- Elevation: 3850m/ 12,600ft to 4000m/ 13,OOOft
- Distance: 8km/5mi
- Walking Time: 5-6 hours
- Habitat: Semi-desert
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.
- Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/ 13,250ft
- Distance: 5km/3mi
- Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
- Habitat: Alpine Desert
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. 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.
- Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/ 15,350ft
- Distance: 4km/2mi
- Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
- Habitat: Alpine Desert
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), 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 mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1 -hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.
- Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/ 19,340ft
- Down to 3090m/ 1 0, 1 50ft
- Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
- Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Hotel
After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy.
Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
Kibo Crown Coffee vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).
- Elevation: 3090m/ 10, 150ft to 1680m/ 5500ft
- Distance: 10km/6mi
- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
- Habitat: Forest
- Meals: Breakfast
Includes
- Camping or Hut fees (part of park fees)
- Rescue fees (part of park fees)
- VAT (1 8% charged by the Government)
- Clean, purified drinking water
- Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees
- Two nights accommodation in moshi.
- Emergency Oxygen Cylinder
- Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
- Transfers (available as an optional addon)
- Hotel (available as an optional addon)
- Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
- International and domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Surcharge for online payment of advance and balance (5% on each payment)
- Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
- Tips and gratuities
- Government imposed increase of Taxes and or Park Fees.
- Tanzania Visa
- Quality Mess tents with table and chairs
- Conservation fees (part of park fees)
- Quality, waterproof, four-season mountain sleeping tents (on twin sharing basis)
- Sleeping Mattress
- All meals while on the Mountain
- Kilimanjaro summit certificate
- Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
- All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
- Professional, experienced, mountain guides
Excludes
- Personal trekking equipment such as sleepings bags, hiking boots, clothes, etc (available for renting)
- Hotel (available as an optional addon)
- Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
- International and domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Surcharge for online payment of advance and balance (5% on each payment)
- Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
- Tips and gratuities
- Government imposed increase of Taxes and or Park Fees.
- Tanzania Visa
Private Trek
Please find below the prices for organizing a private trek. The prices are based on your group size.
- Solo Trekker – USD 2500 per person
- Group of 2- USD 2271 per person
- Group of 3 – USD 2200 per person
- Group of 4 – USD 2188 per person
- Group of 5 – USD 2180 per person
- Group of 6 – USD 21 50 per person
- Group of 7 – USD 2146 per person
- Group of 8 – USD 2143 per person
- Group of 9 – USD 2131 per person
- Group of 10 and above – USD 2129 per person