7 Days Lemosho Route

Mt.Kilimanjaro Trekking Hike to Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route – Lemosho route is traditionally one of the quieter and lesser-known routes on the mountain.
It’s also the newest and probably the most diverse in terms of the ecological systems and landscapes it passes through. The first two days of this route take you through lush rainforest before you emerge into heath and moorland then join the Machame Route on the third day.
This narrow trail, which begins on the Western side of Kilimanjaro, has some very steep and undulating sections. Arriving day Kilimanjaro airport to Moshi 

Itinerary

Day 0: Moshi 815m/670ft
Booked into your hotel in Moshi or Arusha for overnight and briefing from your guide.

DAY 1: LEMOSHO GATE – MTI MKUBWA CAMP
-Distance: 8km/5miles,
-Hiking Time: 3-4 hours,
-Eleven: 7,742ft 9,498ft
-Habitat: Rain Forest.
You will be picked up at your hotel at around 08:00am and transferred to the Lemosho gate. After the registration process you will still start our climb steadily through the forests of the Lemosho glades to reach Big Tree camp where you will be spending the night.

DAY 2: MTI MKUBWA – SHIRA SHIRA TWO
-Distance: 12km/8miles,
-Hiking Time: 10-12hours,
-Eleven:9,498ft to 12,631ft
-Vegetation: Heath
Today you will trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. Our destination for today is the Shira 1 Camp from where there are often views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds. We will stop for lunch and head to Shira two Camp. On the way we will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. Our steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views. Our destination today is the Shira 2 Camp. In the afternoon you will take an acclimatization walk then head back to camp for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: SHIRA CAMP TWO – LAVA TOWER – BARANCO
-Distance: 10km/6miles,
-Hiking Time: 6-8hours,
-Eleven:12,500ft to 15,190ft to 13,044
-Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Your trek starts with an ascent with far-reaching panoramic views, walking into the climatic zone of the upland desert and on the lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. You will reach the distinct pinnacle of the Lava Tower (4640 m), our high point for the day and a great place to enjoy your lunch. In the afternoon we make a steep descent to our camp for the night, located in the base of the Great Barranco Valley (3960 m), sheltered by towering cliffs but with extensive views of the plains below.

DAY 4: BARANCO CAMP – KARANGA CAMP
-Distance: 5km/3miles,
-Hiking Time: 4-5hours,
-Eleven:13,044 ft – 13,106 ft
-Vegetation: Alpine Desert
Our day starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3963m. For those feeling strong we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.

DAY 5: KARANGA CAMP - BARAFU CAMP
-Distance: 4km/2miles,
-Hiking Time: 4-5hours,
-Eleven:13,106 ft to 15,331 ft
-Vegetation: Alpine Desert
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camps, we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.

DAY 6: BARAFU CAMP – UHURU – MWEKA CAMP
-Distance: 5km/3miles and 7km/4mile
-Hiking Time: 6-8 hours and 2-4 hours
-Eleven: 15,331 ft to 19,341ft and 12,434 ft
-Vegetation: Arctic to Heath
We start off at around midnight and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Mweka Camp for a long well-earned rest.

DAY 7: MWEKA CAMP – MWEKA GATE
-Distance: 12km/7miles,
-Hiking Time: 5-7 hours,
-Eleven:12,434 ft – 5,380 ft
-Vegetation: Rain forest
-Habitat: Forest
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome shower then celebrate with cold drinks. Overnight at your arranged Hotel