8 Days Lemosho Route
8 Days Lemosho Route itinerary & prices includes an extra day for acclimatization purpose when trekking Kilimanjaro on this route. The 8 Day Lemosho route package starts at Lemosho gate instead of Londorossi gate which was previous the starting point. Then the descending is through Mweka Route which is the only route on Kilimanjaro for descending from all Routes except Marangu route.
Lemosho route is the most scenic route of all on Kilimanjaro Mountain, passing through Shira Plateau, Lava Tower & the Great Barranco Wall which are among the best features when making your way to the roof of Africa (Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m/19,341 ft). Camping is the only accommodation option in this route & others except on Marangu Route which offer Hut accommodation with beds & mattresses.
Our Kilimanjaro Dream Team of experienced guides & potters are always there to fulfill your dreams of reaching the summit of this African highest point. Therefore, before getting to your camps porters & your private chef will have already be there to set the camp, pitching your tents & prepare hot water to wash, coffee or tea with some bites before dinner & overnight. (8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary).
Summary
- Difficulty: High
- Scenery: Excellent
- Traffic: Medium
- Minimum Days: 6
- Recommended Days: 8
How Long is the 8-Day Lemosho Route Itinerary?
The Lemosho Route, approaching Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak (the highest point at 5,895 m or 19,341 ft) from the west, covers a distance of approximately 70 kilometers (42 miles). The journey typically starts from either Arusha or Moshi, with a 3- to 4-hour drive to Londorossi Gate. Here, you’ll complete entry formalities before continuing to the trail’s starting point at Lemosho Gate.
Highlights of the Lemosho Route
The trek takes you through diverse vegetation zones, starting with the lush rainforest, then crossing the dramatic Shira Plateau, before moving into alpine deserts and eventually passing ice fields as you approach the summit. This scenic diversity makes Lemosho one of the most beautiful routes on Mount Kilimanjaro. Additionally, the Lemosho Route is less crowded compared to other routes, providing a more tranquil trekking experience.
Success Rates for the 8-Day Lemosho Route
The 8-day Lemosho Route boasts a high success rate of around 90%, compared to the 85% success rate of the 7-day option. The extra day allows for acclimatization and shorter trekking distances between camps, giving trekkers ample time to rest and adjust to the altitude. Our “pole pole” (slow and steady) trekking pace also helps your body gradually adapt to changing elevations, increasing your chances of reaching the summit.
How to Climb: Key Tips for the 8-Day Lemosho Route
- Physical Preparation: No special requirements are needed, but regular exercise before your trip is essential.
- Hydration: Drink at least 3 liters of water daily to stay hydrated and prevent altitude sickness.
- Snacks: Bring energy-boosting snacks to keep you strong during the trek.
- Pace: Our slow trekking pace ensures your safety and comfort as you adjust to the altitude.
Accommodation Along the Lemosho Route
The Lemosho Route offers camping accommodations. Porters carry your gear and set up tents at public campsites, which have shared facilities. For added comfort, African Zion Tours provides private portable toilets.
- Night 1: Mti Mkubwa Camp
- Night 2: Shira One Camp
- Night 3: Moir Hut
- Night 4: Barranco Camp
- Night 5: Karanga Camp
- Night 6: Barafu Camp (base camp)
- Night 7: Mweka Camp
After the summit, accommodation can be arranged in either Arusha or Moshi, depending on your package.
Hiking time: 2 – 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 6 kilometers
Habitat: Montane forest
After breakfast at your lodge, meet our Kilimanjaro Dream Team of Professional & well experienced guides, porters & a private chef. Then start your way to Londorossi gate. It is a 2 hours driving along local farms of potatoes, cassava, bananas, coffee etc. all the way to Londorossi Park Gate (2,360 m). On the way to Londorossi Gate you will have a brief stop at Boma town for any last minute shopping including buying mineral water for the hike. Then the final 45 minutes of the drive leading up to the gate will be on a bumpy forest road. At Londorossi gate you will get a valid permit & other document needed for your trekking before driving to Lemosho gate which is the starting point.
At the entrance gate, guides and porters distribute the supplies and share their permit with Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) staff. You are now ready to begin your 3-hour hike into the rain forest. Be on the lookout for Colobus monkeys! Along the way, you will stop for an afternoon lunch break and arrive at Mti Mkubwa (“Big Tree”) Campsite (2,895 m) in the early evening. The porters, who arrive at the campsite before the clients, will set up your tent and boil water for drinking and washing. The chef will prepare a snack then dinner for the clients. At nighttime, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing so be prepared! (8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary).
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Big Tree Camp (Mti Mkubwa Camp) at (2,895 m/9,498 ft
Hiking time: 4 to 5 hours
Distance: Approximately 10 kilometers
Habitat: Heather & Moorland
After breakfast leave the camp & after short distance leave the denser forest & enter the heathland, the land scape starts to become more baren & is marked by lobelia plants. The route takes you up to the Mountain ridge that leads to Shira Plateau. Here you will be rewarded with great views of Kibo peak & Mount Meru by far. You will then cross some streams &descent over Shira Ridge at & to Shira Camp 1 at 3,505 m. (8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary)
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp at (3,505 m/11,500 ft)
Hiking time: to 5- 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 11 kilometers
Habitat: Moorland
After an early morning breakfast, you will begin your ascent out of the rain forest and into the heather moorland zone. You will cross many streams and walk over a Shira Plateau one of the gorgeous & highest plateau in the world. this is one of the most scenic part of your trekking, hike across moorland meadows before break for lunch. After lunch & some rest start your way to Moir Hut at (4,200 m), reach the camp at mid afternoon. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp and the porters will already prepared drinking and washing water for you. If not exhausted a late afternoon acclimatization hike to the nearby Lent Hills is possible, back to the camp you will enjoy evening snacks then dinner before dinner & overnight. Be prepared for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Moir Hut at (4,200 m/13,800 ft )
Hiking time: 6-8 hours
Distance: Approximately 10 kilometers
Habitat: Semi-desert
After an early morning breakfast, leave the moorland environment and enter the semi desert and rocky landscape. After 5 hours of walking east, you will be come face to face with the Lava Tower (4,630 m). Packed lunch will be served at the Tower and hikers have the option of climbing the massive Lava Tower weather permitting. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects from the altitude including headaches and shortness of breath.
After lunch, you will descend from Lava Tower (4,630 m) to the Barranco Campsite (3,976 m). The 6,800,m descent gives hikers a huge advantage to allow their bodies to adjust to the conditions of high altitude. The descent to camp takes around 2 hours to reach. It is located in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall (“Breakfast Wall”). Washing water, coffee or tea with bites will be served as hikers view the sun setting, then dinner & overnight.
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Barranco Camp at (3,976 m/13.044 ft)
Hiking time: 4-5 hours
Distance: Approximately 5 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
After an early morning breakfast, it is now time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than they anticipated. At the top of the Wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier and will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. This is an ideal hiking day for acclimatization.
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Karanga Camp at (3,995/13,106 ft)
Hiking time: 2-3 hours
Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert
Following breakfast, you will leave Karanga Camp (3,959 m). The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, which is the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. This is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4,673 m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice” and this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents will be exposed to wind and rocks so it is important for hikers to familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 19:00!
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Barafu Camp) at (4,6 73 m)
Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7-8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kilometer ascent and 23 kilometer descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Your guide will wake you around 23:30 for tea and biscuits. You will then begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel that this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about 6 hours, you will reach Stella Point (5,685 m), located on the crater rim. After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will continue ascending for about 2 hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about 3 hours.
At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending down to Mweka Camp (3,068 m). The Mweka Trail will lead you through the scree and rocks to the moorland and eventually into the rain forest. Mweka Camp (3,o68 m) is located in the upper rain forest, so fog and rain should be expected. You will have a dinner, wash, and rest soundly at camp.
- All Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Mweka Camp) at (3,o68 m)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 10 kilometers
Habitat: Montane forest
Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. It is at this point on the Mountain where you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The National Park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reached Stella Point (5,685 m) receive green certificates and hikers who reached Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates. You will be served a hot lunch then you will drive back to Arusha & to Planet Lodge for long overdue showers and more celebrations before dinner & overnight. (8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary).
- Dinner & Breakfast Included
- Accommodation: Arusha
If your time in Africa ends today, then transfer to Kilimanjaro international airport (JRO) for your departure. If you would like to book with us a safari or few days to dissolve into the pristine sandy beaches and tropical waters of Zanzibar, we will be there to help you comfortably transition from your climb into your next Tanzania adventure.
End of Service! 8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary
The Price Includes:-
- Private Kilimanjaro trekking 8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary for 1 to 6 Person
- Arrival & departure transfers
- Return transfers to & from the Mountain
- 2 Night accommodation at Planet lodge in Arusha on Half board HB
- Quality water proof four-season mountain sleeping tents (best for Kilimanjaro trekking)
- Service of a professional, well experienced Mountain guides, Chef & potters
- All entry fees & camping fees
- Portable Toilet
- Rescue fees
- All meals while on the Mountain Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (please let us know if you have any special dietary requirement)
- Quality Mess tent with table & chairs
- Guides, potters & cook transport, salaries & entry fees
- Portion of fresh, healthy nutrition food
- Clean purified drinking water during trekking
- Crisis management & safety procedures
- Fair & ethical treatment of porters
- Tanzanian government value added tax VAT etc.
The price excludes:-
- All flights
- Tanzania Visa
- Gratitude/tips for Mountain crew (please tip separately)
- All items of a personal nature
- Travel insurance etc.
Join us again for an exciting 8 Days Lemosho route itinerary. Karibu Sana!