Lemosho Route 
7 Day Kilimanjaro Trekking Tour + 2 nights hotel stay
Highlights
Day 1-9 | Tanzania
Day 2
Start: Lemosho Gate (2,385 m)
Finish: Big Tree Camp (2,780 m)
Altitude: ↑ 395m
Walking Time: 2-3h
Day 3
Start: Big Tree Camp (2,780 m)
Finish: Shira Camp 2 (3,900 m)
Altitude: ↑ 1,120 m
Walking Time: 7-8h
Day 4
Start: Shira Camp 2 (3,900 m)
Finish: Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Altitude: ↑ 740 m ↓ 680 m
Walking Time: 6-7h
Day 5
Start: Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Finish: Karanga Camp (4,035 m)
Altitude: ↑ 75 m
Walking Time: 3-4h
Day 6
Start: Karanga Camp (4,035 m)
Finish: Barafu Camp (4,640 m)
Altitude: ↑ 605 m
Walking Time: 3-4h
Day 7
Start: Barafu Camp (4,640 m)
Finish:
Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) – Mweka Camp (3,080 m)
Altitude: ↑ 1,255 m ↓ 2,815 m
Walking Time: 10-14h
Day 8
Start: Mweka Camp (3,080 m)
Finish: Mweka Gate (1,630 m)
Altitude: ↓ 1,450 m
Walking Time: 2-3h
Facts
Scheduled trekking:
Kilimanjaro via Lemosho Route
Tourcode: ET09KILEMO
From: Kilimanjaro International Airport
To: Kilimanjaro International Airport / Arusha
Min. number to guarantee tour: 2
Max number of participants: 10 per group
Departure day: every second Thursday
Price: from 2,850 USD
Single Supplement: 80 USD (hotel only)
Day 1 Kilimanjaro Airport – Arusha
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be greeted by our transfer driver and taken to the Meru View Lodge. The rest of the day will be at leisure and you may choose to relax at the hotel or perhaps explore the town of Arusha (taxi required). In the evening, you will attend a briefing in preparation of your upcoming trek. Dinner and overnight at Meru View Lodge. Dinner
Day 2 Arusha – Lemosho Gate (2,385 m) – Big Tree Camp (2,780 m)
In the morning, you will be picked up at the lodge and taken to the Lemosho Gate (2,385 m). Here you will be registered by the national park authorities and your trek through a dense rainforest begins. You will follow a moderately steep track, which leads you through an amazing and unspoilt natural forest to the Big Tree Camp, your destination for today.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 3 Big Tree Camp (2,780 m) – Shira Camp 2 (3,900 m)
Today’s long trek starts on a small trail that passes through the rainforest. As one climbs, the forest gradually thins out and the landscape changes into heath and moorland where plants like erica and lobelia start to dominate the landscape. You will cross the Shira Ridge and after 4 to 5 hours of trekking, you will reach the Shira Camp 1. Here you will stop for lunch, relax a bit and enjoy the fantastic views of Mt Meru and the Rift Valley. For the last part of the climb (approximately 3 hours), you will climb another 250 m in altitude. The landscape will change again and you will pass giant senecios that can grow to almost 9 m in height. At Shira Camp 2, you will camp for the night and with a little luck, enjoy the wonderful view of the Kibo summit at sunset.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 4 Shira Camp 2 (3,900 m) – Lava Tower (4,640 m) – Barranco Camp (3,960 m)
Today you will climb approximately 700 m, but you will spend the night at an elevation only slightly higher than the previous night. This will allow your body to acclimatise, as a height of over 4,600 m will be reached before descending again. In doing so, you will be able to see how your body reacts to such an altitude. The trek begins with a long ascent above the Shira Plateau in the direction of the Lava Tower. The vegetation becomes sparser as the landscape changes to alpine desert. The climb passes through the wide Barranco Valley with its lobelia and giant senecio plants. After 6 to 7 hours’ walking, you will arrive at the Barranco Camp – perhaps the most beautiful camp on Kilimanjaro.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 5 Barranco Camp (3,960 m) – Karanga Camp (4,035 m)
Today’s trekking leg has many ascents and descents and shortly after the start, you will tackle the steepest part of the entire route – the Barranco Wall. Every now and then, you may need your hands to hold on as there are no climbing “paths”. Safety is paramount and your guides will assist you whenever necessary. After reaching the top of Barranco Wall, you will walk along the mountain ridge. From here you will have fantastic views of the southern glacier of Kibo as well as of the Kibo summit. You will get to Karanga Camp around lunch time.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 6 Karanga Camp (4,035 m) – Barafu Camp (4,640 m)
After breakfast you will walk along a trail that passes through an alpine desert area until you reach the destination of today – the Barafu Camp. In the afternoon you can relax and stretch your legs in preparation of the upcoming summit night. You will have dinner early in order to catch a few hours’ sleep, before you will be woken up at around midnight.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 7 Barafu Camp (4,640 m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) – Mweka Camp (3,080 m)
After some hot tea and a light snack, the climb begins at around midnight. By torchlight you will start walking on the lava ash that is still frozen. After 5 to 7 hours you will arrive at Stella Point (5,730 m), the crater rim of Mt Kilimanjaro. Another 1 to 2 hours climb along the crater ridge will lead you to the summit of Uhuru Peak. From “Africa’s Roof”, you will be able to see the surrounding landscape being lit up by the rising sun – a truly liberating experience. After a short break and taking photos, you will return to Barafu Camp just before midday where the rest of the crew will be waiting for you. You will have a warm lunch and rest for about 1 to 2 hours before you make our way down to the Mweka Camp about 3 hours away.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 8 Mweka Camp (3,080 m) – Mweka Gate (1,630 m) – Arusha
The final leg of your amazing adventure begins after breakfast with a traditional farewell ceremony from the mountain crew. Then a gentle 2 to 3 hours’ descent through the rainforest continues to Mweka Gate, where your driver will be waiting for you. He will take you back to the Meru View Lodge and after a warm shower, the rest of the day is free to rest or to celebrate your achievement.
Breakfast; Dinner
Day 9 Arusha – Kilimanjaro Airport
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport. Alternatively you can extend your trip in Tanzania and go on safari or relax at the Indian Ocean.
Breakfast
Items included:
- Kilimanjaro trekking according to the itinerary
- Professional, English-speaking guide
- Mountain crew (cook & porters)
- Overnight stays in hotels and mountain tents
- Camping equipment (tents, sleeping mats, chairs, tables etc.)
- Meals according to the itinerary
- Drinking water
- All national park fees
- All mentioned transfer
Items excluded:
- Sleeping bag
- Flights
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Visa fees
- Tips
- Personal spending money for souvenirs etc.
- Travel insurance
- Groups can be anywhere between 2 and 10 and climbers come from far and wide.
- According to the national park authorities, children under the age of 10 years are only allowed to hike until Shira Camp 2 (3900 m). There are no official restrictions for children above the age of 10 years but because the chances of children succumbing to mountain sickness are a lot higher than they are with adults, we recommend a minimum age of 14-16 years. Please note that children of all ages have to be accompanied by one of their parents at all times. Although there is no maximum age restriction, a medical check-up is advisable for climbers above the age of 60.
- Africa’s highest peak is one of the only mountains of this magnitude that can be conquered without you being an experienced alpinist. However, it goes without saying that you should be healthy and fit to master the 4-6 hour daily hikes as well as the 12-14 hour hike on the night of the summit. In addition thereto, strong willpower and endurance is required.
- The warmest time with the least rainfall is between December and February, followed by the main rainy season from March until the beginning of June. Between June and October, temperatures are moderate with almost no rainfall. November is regarded as the small rainy season and daily short rainfalls with cloudy views are common.
- The best time to travel is between the end of June and the middle of October and although it is possible to climb Kilimanjaro in the main rainy season, we strongly discourage anyone from doing so.
- The Lemosho Route starts off on the remote western side but meets up with the Machame Route on day 3. Although this route is comparable to the Machame Route when it comes to the changes in altitude, it offers an extra acclimatization day at Karranga Camp to recover from the strains of the first three days. After a hopefully successful summit night, you will descend on the Mweka Route.
- You will overnight in two-man mountain tents equipped with sleeping mats. Single travellers often share a tent with another group member of the same gender, but single tents can be requested at extra cost.
- Apart from very basic long drops (simple latrines), there are no further ablution facilities. Climbers are however provided with a bowl of warm water for their daily wash.
- Meals are included as mentioned in the itinerary.
- For breakfast there will be a choice of fruit, scrambled eggs, porridge, toast, jam, hot chocolate, coffee or tea. Lunch will be provided in form of a lunch box containing sandwiches, boiled eggs, chicken etc.
- For dinner you will enjoy soup and bread followed by meat or poultry along with starch (i.e. chips, mashed potatoes, pasta or rice) as well as vegetables.
- While breakfast and dinner are served in a mess tent equipped with a table and chairs, lunch is enjoyed en-route.
- Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements or food allergies and we will do our outmost to cater for them (only possible with advanced notification).
- Almost everybody climbing Kilimanjaro will be affected by the altitude in some or other way. Top athletes are just as much at risk of suffering from it as are people who are out of shape. Headaches, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea are all signs of possible mountain sickness. Symptoms are mostly mild, enabling you to continue your hike and only in very few instances are symptoms more acute, making an immediate descent unavoidable. Severe altitude sickness is a serious matter and you should bear in mind that it can be life threatening and at worst lead to death. It is also important to replace lost body fluids due to physical activity by drinking enough water. We suggest two to four litres per day along with magnesium to prevent muscle cramps.
- Mountain rescue services in Tanzania can in no sense be compared to the ones found in the European Alps for example. If you find yourself unable to walk, you will either be carried or transported on a wheeled stretcher. As this is by all means a very unpleasant experience, it is important that you only push yourself as far as your body allows. Helicopters are hardly ever deployed as they can only land at a lower altitude.
- Please also make sure your health insurance covers you while travelling. If you are not adequately covered, we urge you to take out suitable travel insurance assuring all your medical expenses including rescue and repatriation costs are covered.
- Yes you should bring some extra money for tips, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
- If you are bringing USD, please make sure the bills have been be printed after 2004 as any earlier printed ones will not be accepted.
- Tips for the mountain crew are common practice. Gratuities are a large portion of the crew’s income and thus highly appreciated. Below are some recommendations from our side (per group, not per person):
Guide: 15-18 USD per day
Assistant Guide: 12-15 USD per day
Cook: 8-10 USD per day
Waiter: 7-9 USD per day
Porter: 6-7 USD per day
- There are a few things you should pack for a Kilimanjaro climb and as the list is quite extensive, you will receive a detailed packing list from us once you have confirmed the booking.
- For your convenience we also rent out all essential clothing items and other gear.
- For most travellers it is possible to obtain a visa upon arrival but nevertheless, it is every visitor’s obligation to check the latest visa regulations with their respective embassies.
- Every traveller is responsible to be in the possession of the required travel documents.
- Officially, no vaccinations are required by the Tanzanian health department. However, Tanzania is a yellow fever region and thus we advise that you get yourself vaccinated for this.
- In general we also recommend that you have all other shots such as Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio and Hepatitis A & B up to date.
- Malaria is present in Tanzania but there are no mosquitoes at high altitude. It is your own choice if you wish to take any precautionary medication, but we suggest that you consult your doctor or travel clinic in this matter.
