Tour Over view
ue to its length, and the ascent and descent over the duration of each expedition the Lemosho Route offers the best chance to summit Uhuru Peak at 5.985m. This route is unspoilt, remote, beautiful and not so frequently used on the way up to Shira Plateau. It is one of the few routes where an armed ranger accompanies groups, as the bush around the Lemosho Glades is rich in buffalo and other big game and takes you in some of the most beautiful geological features on the mountain e.g. Shira Plateau, Lava Tower, Baranca Wall. Descent is via Mweka Route.
Included In the Price
- All accommodation according to the itinerary
- Services of fully qualified English speaking Guide and an assistant guide
- Meals according to the safari itinerary
- All park entry fees
- All mentioned activities as per itinerary
- All government taxes
- Transfer from Moshi town 2 ways complementary
- Porters’ fee
- Kinapa Rescue fees
- Drinking Water
- Kilimanjaro certificate for your successful summit attempt
Excluded in the Price
- Domestic and International Flights
- Tanzania Visa Entry Fees
- Tips and Gratuities for the driver guide and cook
- Personal expenses such as souvenirs, laundry, beverages, alcoholic and soft drinks
- Optional Activities
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
Trip Schedule
In the morning you will be taken to Londorossi Gate (2,250m). Upon completion of all the entry formalities and a final 15 km drive on a bumpy road you will reach your starting point at the edge of the rainforest. You will enjoy lunch before you set out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, thus giving you time to enjoy the lush scenery which will drastically change over the course of your trek. You might even catch a glimpse of the thumbless colobus monkeys sitting in the branches above you. Your dinner and overnight awaits you at the beautiful Big Tree Camp.
As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with lobelia and erica plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3 to 4 hours. Looking over the Shira Plateau from your camp you will be able to see the unmistakable snow-capped summit of Kibo. A hearty evening meal and a last glimpse at the starry sky will bring the day to a close.
Today you will cross Shira Ridge with its rocky ground, low grasses and shrubs. As the terrain is much flatter than the day before, your hike will seem more leisurely and you will enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive giant lobelias still dot the moor landscape. Walking on ground where lava used to flow you will reach Shira Camp 2, where you will have your evening meal and overnight stay.
After breakfast you will start your ascent to Lava Tower through a boulder-strewn terrain. In the distance you will see Kibo encouraging you to continue uphill. Reaching Lava Tower, you will rest and allow your body to get used to the higher altitude, after which you continue downwards to Barranco Camp. This method of climbing high but sleeping low allows your body to acclimatize to the differing altitudes and gives you a good idea on how your body react to changes in altitude. Along the way the scenery changes once more and soon you are surrounded by giant senecios and smaller lobelias. After 6 to 7 hours you will reach the beautiful and green Barranco Camp, which offers great views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. After dinner you will settle in for the night.
The famous Barranco wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last water spot as you finally reach Karanga Camp. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed.
The last stage passes through the heather and moor zone to the Mandara Hut where a cooked lunch awaits you. Soon you will again be in the lush tropical rainforest and after about 6 to 7 hours of trekking, you will be back at the Kilimanjaro National Park gate. After saying goodbye to your mountain crew you will be taken back to the Hotel. At the hotel you can have a warm shower and celebrate your success in reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. You will have dinner and spend the night at the Hotel.
At around midnight you will be awoken with some hot tea and biscuits in order to get you ready for today’s ascents. You will ascend in a north-westerly direction through heavy scree toward Stella Point, arriving there in about 5 to 7 hours. At Stella Point (5,730m) you may rest if necessary before taking on another 1 to 2 hour stretch along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak – the highlight of your trip. A breath-taking view awaits you as you stand on the highest mountain in Africa. After taking as much pictures as your camera will allow, you will leave behind the glistening glaciers and snowy peak and make your way back down to Barafu Camp. Here you will have time to catch your breath before heading further down to Mweka Camp, an approximate 3 hour walk. A scrumptious dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep awaits you.
After a hearty breakfast and a traditional farewell ceremony by your mountain crew, you will start your final descent to Mweka Gate. A leisurely 2 to 3 hours walk will take you once more through the lush rainforest, where the endemic Impatiens kilimanjaro flower grows. Reaching Mweka Gate you will be greeted by our transfer driver, who will take you back to the Hotel. The rest of the day is for you to enjoy at leisure – enjoy a long shower, jump in the pool or just relax at the bar.