Climb to the top of Africa via the scenic Lemosho Route. During this 9-day guided climb to the summit of Uhuru Peak at 19,341 ft., you’ll follow a less-frequented path that allows hikers to acclimatize while touring the entirety of the mighty Shira Plateau. Along the 42-mile trail, you’ll experience five different ecological environments—lush rainforests, high moorland, desert zones, scree slopes and glacial areas. Climb by day and camp by night (above the clouds!) on your way to the top of a Seven Summit.
Widely considered the most scenic route up Kilimanjaro
Experience five different climate zones
Reach the Roof of Africa, the tallest mountain on the continent
Ready to climb to the Roof of Africa? Over nine days of trekking with your professional team, climb the Lemosho Route and experience the thrill of conquering one of the Seven Summits. Regarded by many as the most scenic trek of Kilimanjaro, the Lemosho Route boasts various ecological zones, Tanzanian wilderness, and the best vistas. You can expect a knowledgeable guide who’ll help you reach your goal as well as freshly prepared food every day and quality hotels and tents.
Your expert guide will pick you up from the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. You’ll then be taken to your hotel in Moshi city, the second-largest tourism hub of Tanzania and the capital of Kilimanjaro region. Your guide will brief you on what to expect on this tour and make sure you’re prepared.
Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort
The day begins with a long drive to Londorossi Park Gate for registration and other park formalities. Pass through village communities to the trailhead and start hiking the Lemosho Route. Make your way through the forest path to reach Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) campsite at 9,186 ft (2800 m). You might encounter Colobus monkeys or exotic birds along the way. Located in the heart of the Kilimanjaro rainforest, Big Tree is your first accommodation site on the route.
Accommodation: Camping at Big Tree
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 2-3 hours, 3 miles/ 5 km
Altitude gain: 1,349 ft/ 411 m
Leaving behind lush montane rainforest, keep moving along the trail. Soon it will get steeper and you’ll be entering the moorland zone towards the valley. A gentle walk takes you to the Shira Caldera at 13,130 ft (4,005 m) past the Shira Caves, from which you’ll get a good look at the Arrow Glacier. Today’s camping spot is Shira Hut 1, located near a stream on the Shira Plateau.
Accommodation: Camping at Shira Hut 1
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 3 hours, 5 miles/ 8 km
Altitude gain: 2359 ft/ 719 m
Today’s the day to get some serious altitude exercise! Start off by walking on high moorland on the southwest side of the mountain. Standing firmly in the desert portion of Kilimanjaro, let the monumental Lava Tower remind you of the mountain’s former volcanic activity. You’ll spend your day at higher altitudes of 15,092 ft (4600 m), but you’ll rest overnight at 12,795 ft (3,900 m) at the Barranco campsite. Going by the “walk high, sleep low” mountaineering code allows your body to comfortably acclimatize to higher altitudes.
Accommodation: Camping at Barranco Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 6-8 hours, 9 miles/ 15 km
Altitude gain: 1253 ft/ 382 m
Start the day by descending into the Great Barranco, a huge ravine from which you’ll exit steeply, up what has been termed the Breakfast Wall. The Wall divides you from the slopes of Kibo—it is a climb over rocks, but no prior climbing experience is necessary. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, head towards the Karanga Valley at 13,123 ft (4,000 m) for an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Camping at Karanga Valley
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 4-6 hours, 3 miles/ 5 km
Altitude gain: 328 ft/ 100 m
The day prior to the great ascent is characterized by a short hike on terrain formed by scree. Hike arid land towards Barafu Camp at 15,092 ft (4,600 m) where you’ll have the entire afternoon to rest before ascending to the summit. The terrain here is tough—strong winds often rip over this campsite in the desolate alpine desert. However, the far-reaching views of the Mawenzi peak make the struggle worth it. Take your time to rest and save your energy for tomorrow. Spend the night at Barafu Camp.
Accommodation: Camping at Barafu Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 2-4 hours, 2.5 miles/ 4 km
Altitude gain: 1969 ft/ 600 m
Today’s the day! In order to avoid walking too long in the sun, you’ll depart around midnight. This challenging hike will take you steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. You’ll be climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours, but also gain incredible height over a short distance. Arrive to the crater rim at Stella Point as the first rays of sunshine emerge. You’ll be surrounded by ice cliffs within the crater and views of the Mawenzi peak. All that’s left to do is to conquer an hour’s walk to your goal—the summit of Uhuru, meaning freedom, at 19,341 ft (5,895 m). Having climbed the celebratory 4,252 ft (1,296 m), take some photos and begin your descent. Continue going down scree slopes back to Barafu Camp for breakfast before finally heading down to Millennium Camp. Spend the night there and rejoice at your victorious climb!
Accommodation: Camping at Millennium Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Hiking: 6-8 hours, 7.5 miles/ 12 km
Altitude loss: 9,501 ft/ 2,896 m
A gentle trek takes you down through the rainforest to the Mweka gate at 5,381 ft (1,640 m) where park formalities will be completed. You’ll receive your certificate of ascent, courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority. Drive back to Moshi for a well-deserved shower and a cold beer!
Accommodation: Panama Garden Resort
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 4-5 hours, 6 miles/ 10 km
Altitude loss: 4,462 ft/ 1,360 m
Your guides will transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport. If you’re planning on staying in Tanzania for a bit longer, you can extend your tour to wildlife safari in the northern circuit to Serengeti and Ngorongoro of Zanzibar, but at an additional cost.
Meals: Breakfast
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, please refer to the Tanzania’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
Tipping your guides and crew isn’t compulsory, but it’s a traditional way of showing that you appreciated their service and hospitality during your climb on Kilimanjaro. Here are our tipping recommendations:
These tips are paid as a group rather than per climber. For example, in a group of 5 people, each climber would contribute $4 a day for the main guide’s tip.
The Lemosho route is considered one of the easiest ones—compared to some other Kilimanjaro routes, its longer itinerary allows for better acclimatization. However, keep in mind that a reasonable fitness level is required as you’ll be hiking for longer periods of time every day. Apart from that, there are also some steep parts of the route. Still, it does not require technical skills or mountaineering equipment such as ice axes, crampons, harnesses, and ropes. Therefore, even if you’re a first-time trekker with excellent fitness and a desire to push yourself in a mountain environment, this 8-day climbing tour in Kilimanjaro might be for you.
All climbing and camping equipment will be provided by your guiding service. Here’s what you’ll need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Keep in mind that it can get very cold in some of the camps due to strong winds.
A porter can carry a max of 32 lbs/ 15 kg per person. There will be multiple porters depending on the amount of baggage and in case your baggage weighs more, you can hire another porter for an additional fee.
Group sizes and prices:
Climbing days on the Lemosho route can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
For regular dates, a 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 1 month (30 days) prior to departure. If you do not pay the remaining balance by the due date, your guides reserve the right to cancel your reservation, with the deposit being forfeited. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
To get to your Climbing Kilimanjaro Tour, most people fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport. You and the rest of the group will be picked up by the guides at an arranged time. If you’re not joining the group at that time, you’ll need to get a taxi ride, rent a car or take a shuttle to Moshi.
You’ll meet your guide at the Panama Garden Resort in Moshi.
