Mt. Kilimanjaro Trek – Lemosho Route 7 Day via Western Breach with Crater Night

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/3938 ft to 2100m/6890 ft to 2,650m/8696 ft
• Distance:
• Hiking Time:4 hours
• Habitat:Montane Forest.

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 camp to Shira Two camp

• 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 camp To Lava Tower Camp

• Elevation:3600m/11,843 ft to 4600m/15,091 ft
• Distance:7 km.
• Hiking Time:4 hours
• Habitat:Alpine desert

After breakfast at Shira Two Camp, you will head east past a ridge and then you will head southeast towards the Lava Tower (4600m/11,843 ft). As you approach the Lava Tower, the landscape gradually becomes barren. We will arrive at lava tower for lunch and after lunch we can rest for few hours before wake up earlier evening for acclimatization walk and back to our camp for early evening appetizing hot drinks and snacks before dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Lava Tower Camp to Arrow Glacier Camp

• Elevation:4600m/15,091 ft to 4903m/16,087 ft
• Distance:
• Hiking time:1-1.5 hours
• Habitat:Arctic

With the Western Breach ascent route in full view we will spend 1 hour climbing to the base of the route where we will camp near Arrow Glacier. An afternoon hike further up the route before relaxing in camp will help our acclimatization and improve our performance the following day.

Day 5: Arrow Camp to Crater Camp

Elevation: 4903m/16,087 ft to 5639m/18,866 ft

Distance: 3.5 km

Hiking Time: 6-7 hours

Habitat: Artic

Today we will wake up early in the morning for breakfast and be ready to start the hike by 0500hrs. We will wind our way up the Western Breach non-technical climbing route for about 6 hours to the crater rim of the main Kilimanjaro summit massif. Those who still have the energy can explore the inner crater and the ash pit, this is raised circular inner rim, the inside of which slopes down to a flat floor and then 200m deep inverted cone at the very center of the volcano also Kilimanjaro has one of the most perfectly formed volcanic ash pit of any mountain in the world, before moving to our highest camp on the crater .floor. This spectacular high camp is next to the Furtwangler Glacier with stunning views westward toward Mount Meru and the setting African sun

Day 6: Crater Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp  

• Elevation: 5739m/18,829 ftto 5895m/19,341 ft to 3200m/10,065
• Distance:12 km/7 miles
• Hiking Time:4-6 hours
• Habitat: Artic /Moorland

We will start our ascent to the summit (19,341 ft) early enough in the morning to reach the summit by sunrise. However, while your body may be aching from the day before, it will be nowhere as challenging because the peak is only 156 meters (512 feet) of ascent away, and won’t take more than one or two hours at most. This is quite a contrast to the 3,000-foot slog required to summit via all the other ascent routes on Kilimanjaro. The opportunity to see the new day’s climbers and the sunrise from the summit is a privilege that you won’t soon forget. Take some pictures, pat yourself on the back, hug your companions and enjoy the glistening pink and orange sunrise hues overlooking the ice fields and glaciers.

After taking in the view from Uhuru Peak we will begin the long descent to Barafu Camp and down to our final camp Mweka Campsite.

Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

• Elevation:3100m/10,171 ft to 1700m/5578 ft
• Distance:9km.
• 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 8: 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