8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro via Lemosho Route Climb

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Londorosi Gate/Lemosho trail head - Big Tree Camp (Mti Mkubwa) (2650 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 6 km Walking time: 2-3 hrs Altitude gain: 550 m On the first you will drive for 3 hrs to Londorossi Gate. After registration at the gate you will start walking for 2 to 3 hrs. One the way you will see high timber fences to stop wildlife going to village ``water buffaloes``. On this day Lemosho Route has many steep sectionsvbut it only takes two to three hours to Big Tree Camp Site or forest Camp Forest camp or Mti Mkubwa Camp It's a good camp under a big tree and with many birds and monkeys around.

   Meals: Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Big Tree Camp

2. 2Machame Huts - New Shira Camp (3850 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 5.5 km Time: 4-6 hours Altitude gain: 820 m On this day the walk is four to five hours but very steep today and many breaks. On the first major ridge you enter the moorland as the forest ends. Walk through giant heathers towards the Shira Plateau, Ridges having great views and a descent in the valley. After lunch the path flattens and from the plateau below its all downhill to shira 1 camp. Shira camp is an open area where you will rest for today and have dinner and overnight at the camp. You will be provide with a tent accommodation.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: New Shira Camp

3. 3New Shira Camp - Barranco Huts (3985 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 11 km Time: 6-8 hrs Altitude gain: 370 m On this day you will treck for 6 to 8 hours the Shira Huts camps. This is the straight route but you can also go to the southern edge of the rim ``Shira Cathedral`` summit (3720 m). The walk is very scenic with great views all the way and acclimatization.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Barranco Huts

4. 4New Shira Camp - Barranco Huts (3985 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 10 km Time: 5-7 hours Altitude gain: 135 m. In the morning you will start climbing up towards the Lava Tower, a 100 m/300 ft volcanic plug. Even the short heather disappears altogether to reveal the rocky ground of the lava ridges. Lunch break near the Lava Tower you descend to the Barranco Valley. Sheltered by towering cliffs and is much greener. The Barranco Camp the most spectacular campsite of this route, with fantastic views of Kibo, the Western Breach and the first of the southern glaciers. The most spectacular camp in Kilimanjaro because of the great views it has. Accommodation using tents at the camp.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Barranco Huts

5. 5Barranco Huts - Karanga Camp (4040 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 5.5 km Time: 4-5 hours Altitude gain: 55 m Early in the morning you will tackle the Barranco Wall for 1:30hrs. It is strenuous to climb and very steep. The wall is exposed and you will use your hands to steady yourself, but you can pretty much walk all the way to the top and have a breathtaking view of kibo peak. From there it's 2 hrs over volcanic scree to Karanga Valley Camp it is a green oasis, albeit a cold, windy one. It is on the other side of the valley, spend the afternoon resting, exploring, the iridescent, malachite sunbirds that live there.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Karanga Camp

6. 6Karanga Camp - Barafu Huts (4680 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 3.5 km Time: 4-5 hrs Altitude gain: 640 m Today the walk is short but on steep path increasinlgy inhospitable landscape on the left will be Southern Glaciers. Lunch will be at Barafu Camp. The advantage of the extra night at Karanga is give you plenty of time to rest, eat, acclimatise, recover and prepare for the summit attempt. Barafu Camp is perched on a ridge in a landscape of barren and bleak.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Barafu Huts

7. 7Summit (5895 m)⌄

   Walking distance: 5.5 km(up) + 15 km Time: 10hrs+ Wake up at 11.00 and 11.30 pm. Get ready with your gear and have break fast. Around midnight start the hike to the summit you will see strings of little lights for climbers ahead of you. As steep as the slope is the path itself isn't that bad. Take all the time you need. There are two landmarks that are resting points only minutes. Then 1:30hrs after leaving the cave rocks appear on the path a bit slippery called Jamaican Rocks. Its another 1:30hrs to reach Uhuru Peak. Descend for Lunch at barafu camp. You have no choice but to pack up your gear and keep going 3hrs to the Millenium Camp or Mweka Huts. Dinner and overnight at Millenium Camp or Mweka Huts.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Millenium Camp

8. 8Horombo Huts - Marangu Gate⌄

   Walking distance: 20 km Time: 5 hrs After beakfast you set continue descending down. The path is already known so its just getting down to the mweka gate. At the gate you'll have to clear more formalities, but eventually you will say good bye to your guides and you climb into the vehicle waiting for you and be carried away to your hotel for hot showers and cold beers. After a hard trek of Kilimanjaro drive back to Arusha

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch