We have to admit, we have a soft spot for the Lemosho route! Because of its versatility, scenery and a rather untouched, wild start to the climb, Lemosho is often considered the route with the most variety. Spotting large wildlife, like antelopes is not very common, but possible! One of the really unique things about this route is that it offers trekkers the experience of hiking across the Shira Plateau, one of the largest high altitude plateaus in the world. The route approaches from the western side of the mountain and is less frequented than other popular Kilimanjaro routes. It’s effectively a variant of the Machame route with only the first 2 days of the trek differing. The acclimatisation profile of the Lemosho route is great, with repeated climb high sleep low opportunities throughout leading to high success rates. Most people complete the Lemosho route in seven days, but it can be extended by one day to give yourself a little longer to acclimatise if needed. Camping is the only available option for the Lemosho route.
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 an 85% success rate for the 7-day trek.
At Londorossi Park Gate you are entered into the Kilimanjaro National Park’s records. You then drive for another hour to the Lemosho trailhead. From there it’s a three-hour hike up to MtiMkubwa, also known as the Big Tree Camp. This is your first night sleeping under the stars in tents!
After an early morning breakfast, you begin your ascent out of the rainforest and into the heather and moorland zone. You cross many streams and walk over a plateau that leads to Shira 2 Camp. At this campsite you have a spectacular view of the Western Breach, which is a gap formed by lava flow. You can also see glaciers. You hike for about five to six hours in total today.
Today’s trek is along the lines of ‘climb high, sleep low’, meaning you hike to a higher altitude before dropping back down to a lower altitude for the night. This strategy works wonders for acclimatisation. Today’s hike can therefore be broken into two parts: the climb to Lava Tower, then the descent to Barranco Camp. Today you hike up to an impressive rock formation called Lava Tower at 4,630 m (15,419 ft). It takes five hours to get there and is a true highlight of the Lemosho trail. After lunch at Lava Tower, you head down to Barranco Camp. The walk takes about two hours. The camp is located in a valley below the Western Breach and Barranco Wall.
This is a short hiking day of four to five hours that focuses on acclimatisation. After an early morning breakfast, it’s time for you to conquer the great Barranco Wall, which is a steep wall of rock. Although it may look intimidating at first, trekkers usually say it turns out to be easier than they anticipated. At the top of the wall you are above the clouds and enjoy superb views of the southern ice fields and the summit. The trail then winds up and down until you arrive at Karanga Camp.
It’s getting real! You’re now very close to the summit and have some amazing views of the mountain during your short ascent of two to three hours to the last base, Barafu Camp. This campsite sits at 4,600 m (15,091 ft) above sea level. You go to bed early tonight as tomorrow’s summit hike starts in the dark. This is partly to enjoy the sunrise from up high, and partly because of the long hours of trekking required.
Today’s trek consists of two parts: the climb from Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak, the tallest spot on Kilimanjaro, followed by the descent to Mweka Camp. You are woken up around midnight to get ready for your summit attempt. This is the moment to dig deep mentally and physically to try reach the tippy-top of Africa. The route heads northwest into the dark night. After about six hours of trekking you reach Stella Point on the crater rim. You then continue for another hour or so on a snow-covered trail to reach Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m (19,341 ft) above sea level. You did it! Having reached the summit, you descend to Mweka Camp for the night. Having hiked for about 12 to 15 hours, you fall asleep immediately, trust us!
Today you do the last bit of hiking down to the foot of the mountain, where your driver is waiting for you. Achievement of a lifetime.
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