• About Us

lemosho Route Mount Kilimanjaro

        Fully Registered African Local Tour Operator   

Follow us    

lemosho Route

lemosho route Kilimanjaro

The Lemosho Route is often considered the most beautiful of all the trekking trails up Mount Kilimanjaro. It crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Crowds are low until the route joins the Machame route near Lava Tower.

read more close It is one of the newer routes on the mountain and shares a portion of the same path as Machame route, although it holds a few advantages over that route that definitely make worth considering, particularly for travelers who have some extra time.
Starting the western flanks of Mount Kilimanjaro at the Londorossi Gate, the Lemosho Route wanders its way up one of the more remote sections of the mountain.
The trail takes hikers through a beautiful rain forest where they might have the chance to spot wildlife along the way. Black and white colobus monkeys are routinely seen in the forests, as are blue monkeys, small lizard and a wide assortment of birds. From there, the path wanders out onto the Shira Plateau, crossing it from west to east on relatively flat and easy to walk terrain.

OVERVIEW

  • Duration 7 nights 8 Days Climb
  • Can be Tailor-made Yes
Tour Itinerary

The itinerary below describes the 7 nights/8 day Kilimanjaro climb via the lemosho route. To shorten the below itinerary to seven days you skip the night in the Karanga Valley and instead walk straight from the Barranco Huts to the Barafu Huts in one day.

ITINERARY

From your lodge, we will make our way to the Londorosi gate on the Western side of Mt. Kilimanjaro (a few hours drive from Moshi). We will begin our hike at the Lemosho trail head.
Please note that in rainy/muddy conditions, sometimes the vehicles can’t make it to the true trailhead so there can be some extra hiking – After a picnic lunch, we will hike for about 4 hours to the forest camp.
In the forest, exotic moss and flowers delight the eye while bird calls entertain the ear. You may see Black and White Colobus monkeys as well as signs of the elephants that travel in this area. We will overnight at Forest Camp.
Hiking: 3-4 hours
Overnight Altitude ~9,498’
As we leave the Montane Forest and enter the Hagenia zone, our views open and we will catch our first views of the Kibo peak. This is a good acclimatization hike, as we go up and down several ridges along the way to our highest point of the day at 11,500’ before descending to camp. Overnight at Shira 1 Camp.
Hiking: 6-9 hours
Overnight Altitude 11,500’
We will traverse the Heath zone of the Shira Plateau and begin climbing the western slope of the Kibo Massif. Along the way, we will enjoy a picnic lunch at Scott Fisher memorial camp (the well-known Mt. Everest guide). We will continue on to the upper heath zone and Moir camp. Depending on the weather, acclimatization hikes can be arranged in the late afternoon
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Overnight Altitude: ~13,650′
We leave the heath zone and enter the alpine zone as we hike 4-6 hours past Lava Camp (up to about 14,300’) with its volcanic landscape and then down a bit into the scenic Barranco Valley to camp.
Hiking: 4-6 hours
Overnight Altitude: ~13,044′
Ascend the Great Barranco Wall with views of Kilimanjaro’s ice fields, then hike up and down across some small valleys on your way to Karanga Camp.
Hiking: 3-5 hours
Overnight Altitude: ~13,106′
Hike about 3-5 hours to Barafu Camp, again with some ups and downs across small valleys. After settling into camp, we’ll have a demonstration on use of safety equipment such as the Gamow (hyperbolic) bag and oxygen. Early supper and rest in camp before your wake-up call to start your summit ascent around 11:00 PM or midnight.
Hiking: 3-5 hours
Overnight Altitude: ~15,100’
Summit day. We will start our ascent to the summit (19,340ft – 5,896m) around 11:00 PM or midnight the night prior. The goal for you – and numerous other climbers – is to reach the peak right at sunrise. In reality, due to differences in hiking speed, energy, and altitude acclimatization, there is a several hour span where most climbers reach the summit.
Using headlamps (bring extra lithium batteries, which last much better in cold dark conditions!) you will ascend 6-7 hours to Stella Point and then another 1-2 hours to Uhuru Peak, the summit. After a summit celebration and photo, descend to Barafu camp for lunch and then to Mweka camp to sleep overnight.
Hiking: Very variable on both the up and the down; 12-17 hours typical
Summit 19,341’
Overnight Altitude: 10,448’
We make the final descent to the trailhead today, about 3-5 hours hiking. Here we will have lunch and say goodbye to our mountain crew before leaving Mount Kilimanjaro and heading back to town. Arrive at your lodge usually between 3-5 PM.
Hiking: 3-5 hours

How difficult is the lemosho Route?

The Lemosho route is considered one of the easiest routes on Kilimanjaro as it’s longer itinerary allows for better acclimatization. However, hikers will still need to ascend the Barranco Wall and climb steeply on summit night. No technical climbing is required but a good level of fitness is highly recommended. You can read more on training to climb Kilimanjaro and our Kilimanjaro training program page to help you prepare accordingly.

What is the distance of the Lemosho Route and how many days does it take?

The exact trekking distance for the Lemosho Route is 71km or 43 miles. The shortest number of days required for Lemosho Route is 7 days, but by the time you have added on arrival and departure days it is 10. However, as it is a much longer approach route it is actually best done over 8 or 9 days to increase your changes of success.

What is the Lemosho Route Summit Success Rate?

Due to its longer length profile, summit success rates on the Lemosho route are one of the highest on the mountain. Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all operators is 90% for the 8 day trek and a 85% success rate for the 7 day trek. However, We have a success rate of over 95% for the 8 day Lemosho route and a 92% success rate for the 7 day option. Read more about how many days it takes to climb Kilimanjaro to know why we recommend longer treks.

What is the Scenery like on the Lemosho Route?

The Lemosho Route is considered to be the most scenically beautiful of all the routes. The route takes trekkers from the west side of the mountain through lush rainforest before joining up with the Lemosho Route to cross the spectacular Shira Plateau. The route takes in the west and south of the mountain and the views are incredible, particularly from on the southern circuit.

INCLUDES & EXCLUDES

The price includes:
  • All park fees (camping fees, concession fees, entrance fees, & rescue fee)
  • All government Taxes
  • Trekking Crew (Porters, Cook and professional guide)
  • Camping equipment’s (Tents, Mattress & Sleeping bag)
  • Meals & Drinking water
  • Additional accommodations before and after the trek
  • Tipping’s for the crew
  • Personal Items (Visa, Souvenirs, Passport etc.)
  • Flights

    • PRICES

    Prices From $2,340
    from

    $2,340

    Related Tours

    Kilimanjaro
    Machame Route
    Kilimanjaro
    Northern Circuit
    Kilimanjaro
    Marangu Route
    Mount Meru
    Mount Meru

    Let's talk about your

    Trip to Africa!

    All our custom itineraries are inspired by our travel experts and positive feedback from past travelers. We're sharing them so you can get a taste of the experience. However, we're flexible and can tailor-make an itinerary just for you. Let us know your preferences (parks, accommodation, timing, etc.), and our safari experts will create a personalized proposal. USEFUL ARTICLES PLAN MY TRIP

    Let's talk about your

    Trip to Africa!

    USEFUL ARTICLES


      PLAN MY TRIP