Mt. Kilimanjaro Trek – Lemosho Route 6 Days

Day 0: Arrival – Moshi- Pre-trek Briefing

If you have chosen to use our airport transfer service, we will collect you from Kilimanjaro Airport and take you to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for a pre-trek briefing, which is scheduled for the day after your arrival. We recommend that you arrive at least one day before the trek begins. During the briefing, we will discuss the trek and review your equipment. If you require any additional equipment, we can arrange for it to be rented from our store.

Day 1: Moshi to Lemosho gate to Mti Mkubwa campsite

• Elevation:1,200m to 1,950 m to 2,850 m
• Distance:
• Hiking Time:3-4 hours
• Habitat:Montane Forest to moorland and heath vegetation.

We will pick you up from your hotel your hotel and transport you to Lemosho gate for registration. After this formality, from this point you will start the trek across undisturbed Montane forest decorated with Black and White Colobus Monkey to the camp where dinner and overnight will take place.

Day 2: Mti Mkubwa campsite to Shira Two campsite

• Elevation:2,650m/8696 ft to 3850m/12,631 ft
• Distance:5km.
• Hiking Time:8-9 hours
• Habitat:Moorland and Rocky

Today you will cover a lot of ground as you trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. We will trek through Shira 1 Camp from where there are often views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds as we head towards our destination which is Shira Two, we gain a reasonable amount of altitude as we head towards Shira 1 and parts of the route are fairly steep. As you proceed towards Shira Two you will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. Our steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views.

Day 3: Shira two Campsite to Barranco campsite

• Elevation:3800m to 3950m
• Distance:
• Hiking Time:7-8 hours
• Habitat:Moorland

This is long acclimatization day. You will have an early breakfast then trek east to a junction leading to Lava tower rock 4600m for acclimatization. Afterwards, you will descend down to Barranco campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Barranco Campsite to Barafu Campsite

• Elevation: 3963m to 4643m
• Distance: 9 km.
• Hiking Time: 8 hours
• Habitat:  Alpine Desert

After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4643m. Our day starts by descending into the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical, but long and tiring. Passing underneath, the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley, which is our last stop for fresh water before the summit. Scree now forms the terrain as we walk through arid and desolate land towards Barafu camp.

On arriving at camp, we eat and spend the evening resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. The summit is now a further 1342m up and you will make the final ascent tonight. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit

Day 5: Barafu Campsite to Uhuru peak to Mweka hut campsite

• Elevation:4620m to 5895m to 3100m
• Distance:
• Hiking Time:10 – 12 hours
• Habitat:Desert and ice

Wake 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 for the summit is at 12:00AM. Switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Stella Point on the crater rim (5,861 m/18,640 ft) between 4 and 5 AM. At this point you will be having the views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you. Then after 45 minutes of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro true summit, Uhuru Peak here you will spend time for taking photo’s. After your summit activities, you will descend back to the Barafu Huts campsite, for lunch, rest, collect your gear, and continue down through moorland and heath zone to Mweka Huts campsite. Dinner and overnight at Mweka hut campsite.

Day 6: Mweka hut campsite to Mweka gate

• Elevation:3100m to 1700m
• Distance:
• Hiking Time:3 – 4 hours
• Habitat:Montane Forest

Today is your last day on the mountain. After breakfast, you will descend down to Mweka park gate walking across montane forest. This descent will take 3-4 hours. At the gate you will sign out and board the vehicle, ready for the transfer back to your hotel for your certificate presentation celebration.

Day 7: Departure – Tanzania

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. After a good night’s rest at your hotel, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00. (If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for day room which ends at 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.)

If you have booked a transfer to the airport, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travelers who have booked to go on safari, our Kilele Climb guide will be meeting you in the evening to provide you with a pre-safari briefing.

*Safari, Zanzibar and other add-ons are available if you wish to continue exploring Tanzania.