Lemosho Route Kilimanjaro Trekking 8 Days

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, our driver will be waiting for you. He will take you to Meru View Lodge in Usa River close to Arusha. The rest of the day is for you to relax and prepare for your upcoming trip. You can also visit the town of Arusha (taxi required).

In the morning you will be taken to Londorossi Gate (2,250m). Upon completion of all the entry formalities and a final 15 km drive on a bumpy road, you will reach your starting point at the edge of the rainforest. You will enjoy lunch before you set out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, thus giving you time to enjoy the lush scenery which will drastically change over the course of your trek.

As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with lobelia and erica plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3 to 4 hours. Looking over the Shira Plateau from your camp you will be able to see the unmistakable snow-capped summit of Kibo.

Today you will cross Shira Ridge with its rocky ground, low grasses, and shrubs. As the terrain is much flatter than the day before, your hike will seem more leisurely, and you will enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive giant lobelias still dot the moor landscape.

After breakfast, you will start your ascent to Lava Tower through a boulder-strewn terrain. In the distance, you will see Kibo encouraging you to continue uphill. Reaching Lava Tower, you will rest and allow your body to get used to the higher altitude, after which you continue downwards to Barranco Camp. This method of climbing high but sleeping low allows your body to acclimatize to the differing altitudes and gives you a good idea of how your body reacts to changes in altitude. 

The famous Barranco wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley.

Today you will make your way to Barafu Camp. The landscape is very dry and the ground cracks like glass under your boots. As you make your way through the afro-alpine dessert to the rocky Barafu Camp, a sense of excitement sweeps over you as your final stretch is only a few hours away. The Barafu Camp with its rocky scenery allows for a stunning view of Mawenzi Peak and the summit path ahead.

At around midnight you will be awoken with some hot tea and biscuits in order to get you ready for today’s ascents. You will ascend in a north-westerly direction through heavy scree toward Stella Point, arriving there in about 5 to 7 hours. At Stella Point (5,730m) you may rest if necessary, before taking on another 1 to 2 hour stretch along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak – the highlight of your trip. A breath-taking view awaits you as you stand on the highest mountain in Africa.

After a hearty breakfast and a traditional farewell ceremony by your mountain crew, you will start your final descent to Mweka Gate. A leisurely 2 to 3 hours walk will take you once more through the lush rainforest, where the endemic Impatiens Kilimanjaro flower grows. Reaching Mweka Gate you will be greeted by our transfer driver, who will take you back to the Meru View Lodge.

After breakfast, you will be taken to Kilimanjaro Airport or you can extend your holiday with a safari or beach stay.
Breakfast