Lemosho route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west. The low traffic is experienced by the hikers till it merges with the Machame route. Then both the routes become the same while passing through the Lava Tower, Barranco and Barafu, known as the southern circuit. The total days required for this route is 7, but 8 days is recommended as it will give more chance to acclimatize and achieve the summit.
Lemosho offers various scenic views all through its path starting from the rainforest, the spectacular Shira Plateau and the view points of the southern circuit. Lemosho has low crowds until it combines with Machame. Lemosho is highly recommended and it has an abundance of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, eland and lion which come over to forage during dry season from Longido game controlled area.
The Lemosho route is lesser known.It begins on the western side of Kilimanjaro. Walking through the rainforest for the first two days the vegetation changes to heath and moorland with many ferns and ericas along the way. The narrow trail sometimes has some very steep sections and is scenically diverse. On the third day, the trail joins the Machame route. Hikers overnight in tents.
Kilimanjaro International Airport (Google Map)
Elevation: 1200m to 1950m, Distance: 9km, Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat:
Montana Forest We will pick you up from your hotel and transport you to Londorosi gate for registration. After this formality, you board the vehicle and drive again to Lemosho glade. From this point you will start the trek across undisturbed Montana forest decorated with Black and White Colobus Monkeys to the camp where dinner and overnight will take place.
Elevation: 2850m to 3500, Distance: 13km, Hiking Time: 8 hours, Habitat:
Moorland and heather land This is an acclimatization trek because you will gain over 650m by starting walking across a beautiful valley outside Shira caldera rim (3600). After few hours you will reach into Shira caldera. Shira is one among the three peaks which erupted in Kilimanjaro ecosystem. It is a high altitude desert. After thousands of years the collapsing of the peak formed the crater and ultimately became filled with the lava flow from Kibo peak. The volcanic action and he weather are some of the factors that erode to its rim. Overnight at the Shira one campsite (3500m).
Elevation: 3500m to 3800m, Distance: 7km, Hiking Time: 5-6 hours, Habitat:
Moorland and rocky This day you will trek to east across Shira plateau visiting Cathedral peak 3850m for acclimatization. The spectacular views of Mount Meru and the Mibo peak are clearly visible from this peak. Our next destination would be the Shira Two camp where we would have the dinner and the overnight stay.
Elevation: 3800m to 3950m, Distance: 13km, Hiking Time: 7-8 hours, Habitat:
Moorland Today is a long acclimatization day. You will have an early breakfast then trek east to junction leading to Lava tower rock 4600m for acclimatization. The next step would be to descend to Barranco campsite for dinner and overnight.
Elevation: 3950m to 3900m, Distance: 6km, Hiking Time: 4-5 hours, Habitat:
Moorland Today is short day of trekking. In the morning you will start climbing Barranco wall and reach 4200m for acclimatization and continue crossing ridges and valleys to Karanga campsite for hot lunch. After lunch you will have a bit of rest and get another acclimatization of trekking up the scree slopes toward the southern ice field. You will then return to the camp for dinner and overnight. NOTE: For 7 days itinerary from Barranco you hike directly to Barafu campsite.
Elevation: 3900m to 4620m, Distance: 8km, Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat:
Alpine Desert Today the trek up to the Barafu ridge campsite is difficult because of altitude. The walk takes few hours because of short distance but steep which require a slow pace to avoid fatigue. You will walk across an alpine desert with strong and winds blowing down from Kibo peak and its glaciers. You will have an early dinner at 1700hours the rest until midnight when we will commence your push to the summit.
Elevation: 4620m to 5895m to 3100, Distance: 15km, Hiking Time: 10-12 hours, Habitat:
Desert and ice Wake up at midnight to a light breakfast and then prepare for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Departure at 12:00 am, switch back up steep scree or possibly snow and reach Stella point on the crater rim 5861m between 4 and 5 am. This is the point from where you can have the views of the fabled crater and its icecaps and after one hour of hiking along the crater rim you would find yourself on the true summit of Kilimanjaro.
Your main activity here is to take the photographs to memorize the victory. After your summit activities, you will descend back to the Barafu huts campsite for lunch and rest, then collect your gears and continue down through moorland and heath zone to Mweka huts campsite. Dinner and overnight at Mweka Campsite.
Elevation: 3100m to 1700m, Distance: 9km, Descending time: 3 -4 hours, Habitat:
Montana forest Today is your last day on the mountain. After breakfast you will descend down to Mweka park gate walking across Montana forest. This descent will take 3-4 hours. At the gate you will sign out and board a vehicle ready for the transfer back to your hotel for your certificates presentation celebration.
