Trip Description
Lemosho route provides the best view of the mountain and reaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west. It gives you a chance to visit Shira Plateau and Shira Crater. Lemosho route crosses from Shira Ridge to Sira 2 camp, in an enjoyable hike. Hikers meet low traffic until when the route joins the Machame route. Afterwards Lemosho follows the same route as Machame route through Lava Tower, Barranco and Barafu known as the southern circuit. The minimum days recommended for this route is 7 days, but 8 days will give you more opportunity to acclimatize and reach the summit. Scenically, Lemosho is the most beautiful because it starts in the rainforest, traverses the stunning Shira Plateau and then integrates with the Machame route to share its observation points at southern circuit. The natural forest is beautiful, with possible animal sightings on the first day’s hike from the Londorossi gate. On this trekking accommodations will be in the tent.
ITINERARY
Day 0: Arrival – Kilimanjaro International Airport
Upon arrival after finalizing immigration formalities, you shall be warmly welcomed by our representative and transfers you to your hotel. In the evening your mountain guide will meet you for a Kilimanjaro trekking briefing and equipment check. Accommodation at Planet lodge.
Day 1: Londorossi Gate (2100m) starting point – Forest Camp (2650m)
After an early breakfast, you will be picked up and drive 3 hours to Londorossi Gate for the registration and formalities. After registration you will drive through agriculture communities heading to the Lemosho starting point. Your cook will serve a delicious lunch before starting the hike. Enjoy an easy day of walking up a small trail through the natural forest. This area has wide varieties of game such as black and white colubus monkeys, buffalo and may spot elephant. You will arrive at the camp at late afternoon. your tents will be ready set up and dinner being prepared by your cook.
Dinner and overnight at Mti Mkubwa Camp (2650m)
Trekking time and Elevation: 4 hours walking, depending on the weather and the physical fitness of the trekkers (2100m to 2650m)
Distance covered: 7 km/ 4.4mi
Habitat: Montane Forest
Day 2: Forest Camp (2650m) – Shira 1 Camp (3610m)
After breakfast, you will start your trekking which takes 6 – 7 hours. Today your walking distance is longer than yesterday and you will be ascending from 2650 metres to 3850 metres. After about an hour and a half of walking, you will soon leave the rainforest and enter the moorland zone. As we proceed walking the trail climbs steadily with wide views as you reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. Along the trail, it is to view Mount Meru and Rift Valley below especially in the afternoon when there is no rain or fog. Enjoy your trekking and witness the great changes in the landscape as you cross an area that was molten lava many years ago.
Dinner and Overnight at Shira 1 Camp (3540 metres)
Distance Covered: 8km/5mi
Trekking Time: 6 -7 hours walking with a picnic lunch on the way
Habitat: Moorland
Day 3: Shira 1 (3610 metres) – Moir Hut (4200 metres)
After breakfast, you will begin your hike to Moir Hut Camp. Just after Shira 2 camp, the Lemosho Route meets the Machame Route, and we will follow it for a short time. Expect to meet other trekkers here. We will diverge from the main trail and arrive at Moir Hut Camp which is located beneath the scenic Lent Hills. Arrive at the Moir Camp for dinner and overnight.
Dinner and Overnight at Moir Hut Camp (4200 meters)
Trekking Time: 6 – 8 hours Distance: 14 km/ 8.7mi
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 4: Moir Hut (4200m) – Lava Tower (4600m) – Barranco Camp (3900m)
After breakfast, you will enjoy a morning with a gentle ascent and magnificent panoramic views, leaving the moir hut behind to walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch at Lava Tower, we will descend to the bottom of the Barranco Valley to camp. Lava Tower takes you up to (4600 m) promoting acclimatization, as we then descend to sleep at 3900m.
Dinner and Overnight at Barranco Camp (3900metres)
Trekking Time: 6 – 8 hours trekking Distance Covered: 10 km /6.2 mi
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 5: Barranco Camp (3900m) – Karanga Camp (3995 metres)
After breakfast, you will start a day by a steep climb up the Barranco Wall leads to the trail on the south-eastern side of Kibo, commonly referred to as the breakfast wall, as you tackle it right after your breakfast along with the southern ice fields. While not a technical climb, many see this as some of the most challenging terrain. At the top of this climb, you will be rewarded with views of the Heim Glacier. After this, the rest of the today's trek becomes a bit easier as you first gradually descend to the gully below, and into the cold but stunning Karanga Valley. You then proceed and finally climb up a steep series of zig-zags until you reach the Karanga Camp 3593 meters.
Dinner and Overnight at Karanga Camp (3995m) the last water point on the way to the summit.
Trekking Time: 4 – 5 hours trekking
Distance Covered: 5km / 3.1mi
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 6: Karanga Camp (3995metres) – Barafu Hut (4673 metres)
Another short day walk in terms of distance begins with your breakfast at the camp, we will follow an easy path on compacted earth, with wide views, as we gain altitude to reach the Barafu Hut for lunch. With tomorrow being the summit day, it is recommended to relax and prepare for the challenge ahead. You will get a full briefing of the summit, clothing and packing, health, and safety as well. You will have an early dinner and get some early sleep ready for the next day's summit climb.
Dinner and Overnight at Barafu Camp (4673 meters)
Trekking Time: 3 – 5 hours walking
Distance Covered: 4km / 2.5mi Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 7: Ascent to Uhuru Peak (5895m) Descend to Mweka (3100m)
Today is the most challenging day, with a great sense of achievement of reaching your dream – the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The schedule for the summit day is very different from your other days on the mountain. We start our ascent at about midnight depending on the physical fitness and speed of the climbers, so that we can be up on the crater rim by sunrise. The steep and tough climb from Barafu at 4673 meters to Stella Point at 5756 meters; as As well steep climb over loose volcanic scree and nice graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace will take about 5 – 6 hours. We will have a short time to rest to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. We will proceed with the 2-hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5895m), passing close to glaciers and ice cliffs that still dominate most of the summit area. Following plenty of time for pictures at the summit, we start to ascend back to Barafu for lunch and after some rest, we continue to descend to reach the final campsite at Mweka Camp.
Dinner and Overnight at Mweka Camp (3100m)
Distance Covered: 5km /3.1mi
Trekking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Day 8: Mweka Camp (3100 metres) Mweka Gate (1640 metres)
After your leisurely breakfast at the camp, you will begin to descend on a well-constructed trail that will take you through a lovely tropical forest alive with bird chats. The route winds down to Mweka Gate at 1640 meters. We will have lunch at the gate followed by a farewell ceremony with the guides and porters, congratulating you as you receive your certificates issued at the gate. We will then drive back to your hotel in Arusha.
Dinner and Overnight at Planet Lodge Distance Covered: 10km Habitat: Forest
Day 9: Spa & Departure Day
Enjoy your leisurely breakfast at your hotel. If you wish to have a massage service and other services this will be a perfect day to do, also a town tour and short excursions can be arranged on request. Depending on your flight time you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your home departure.
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