LEMOSHO ROUTE (10 DAYS)

Lemosho Route (10 Days)

Overview
The Lemosho route is located on the western part of the Mountain and is probably the most beautiful of all the routes to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is a relatively new route but has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its beautiful scenery and excellent acclimatization opportunities. As it is the longest route to the summit it gives the body the greatest possible opportunity to adjust to the �thinner� air at high altitude. For this reason, it has the highest summit success rate. You can book this route for 7 or 8 days.
10 Day Lemosho Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrival & Briefing
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be taken to your accommodation in either Arusha or Moshi where your guide will meet you for a full briefing and equipment check. This is also an opportunity to meet your fellow travelers if you are booked to join a group. As you prepare your bag for the morning departure, ensure it does not exceed the stipulated weight limit of 15 kg. The bags will be weighed in the morning to check. A small bag of clothes that you don�t need for the trek can be deposited at your lodge. The tour includes full board, but you may want to take along some favorite snacks.
Trek Days note:
The hiking times given for each day do not include breaks. Altitudes gained relate to the altitude difference between camps. It does not reflect the meters we ascend each day. To support acclimatization, we will be going up and down and will spend several nights at a roughly similar altitude.
DAY 2: Trekking Starts From the Lemosho Route
You will be picked up from your hotel from where we will drive to Londorosi Gate, Kilimanjaro National Park to have lunch and complete the operations check. We then start hiking on a narrow trail through the lush Rain Forest accompanied by the beautiful sounds of birds and wind. Your guide will tell you about the cultural and medicinal value of some important Flora and Fauna that we pass, and you may catch first glimpses of the white-necked Raven. We arrive for dinner at Mti Mkubwa 2780 m, so-called for the big trees that surround the camp in a clearing in the middle of the rainforest.
� approx. 400hm
� approx. 3h
� Two-person tent (2780m a.s.l.)
Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 3: Trek to Shira Plateau

We proceed out of the Rain Forest and into the Heath and Moorland Zone with its low shrubs and Erica trees. The land opens up to give us a first taste of the vast expanses of Kilimanjaro National Park. We have fantastic views as far as Mount Meru 4568 m, and our eyes follow our trail as it winds away into the far distance. An easy walk takes us to Shira 1 Hut 3500 m. From there we get a good view of Kibo Peak. Because this site is exposed, it may be far colder than the previous night, with temperatures falling below freezing.

� ca 800hm Ascending
� approx. 100hm Descending
� approx. 4-5h
� Two-person tent (3500m a.s.l.)
� Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
DAY 4: Shira Caldera

From Shira 1, we continue through the Moorland Zone to the Shira Plateau. Our walk takes us across some streams and through an expansive lava landscape that was created by Mount Kilimanjaro�s violent eruption about 1 million years ago. There is an option to do a short ascent to the volcanic Shira Cathedral Peak (3900 m), the highest point of the Shira Crater, to improve acclimatization and in clear weather experience breathtaking views of the Plateau and Mount Meru. After a short descent past the first giant groundsels (Senecio Kilimanjari), we walk up to the Shira 2 Camp 3900 m.
o approx 500hm Ascending
o approx. 100hm Descending
o approx. 4h
o Two-person tent (3900m a.s.l.)
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
DAY 5: Southern Circuit

The Southern Circuit is adorned with the beauty of lobelias and senecios. Positioned at a resting place in the saddle at 4640 m, just beyond the distinctive Lava Tower, our day�s highest point, which is a great place for enjoying lunch and contributing to your acclimatization. We then descend towards Barranco Camp 3950m, through a beautiful valley populated by endemic lobelia plants and stunning Senecio Kilimanjari which rise against the mist of the distant mountains and leave a lasting impression. Barranco Camp is situated near the foot of the �breakfast wall� which we will tackle in the morning.
o approx. 850hm Ascending
o ca 800hm Descending
o approx. 5-6h
o Two-person tent (3950m a.s.l.)
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
TREK DAY 6: Acclimatization in the Karanga Valley

After breakfast, we start descending into the river line to the base of the great Barranco Wall which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. The Wall requires you to be sure-footed but is easy to manage for experienced hikers, and our guides are always there to assist. From the top, we may have some spectacular views of the Mount Kilimanjaro ice fields and Mount Meru. We then go up and down across a small valley to Karanga Camp set at 3995 meters where we have a hot lunch, and after that, we continue pushing upwards to Barafu Basic Camp. This finalizes the Southern Circuit. We hike up another 100 meters in the afternoon to get a feel for the terrain of the next day�s climb to the summit. Dinner is early because of a very early start. You will be woken up around 11 pm and begin to climb around midnight.
o approx. 400hm
o approx. 400hm
o approx. 4h
o Two-person tent (3950m a.s.l.)
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
DAY 7: The Barafu Hut

We start off at around midnight and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. At first, we climb over loose volcanic scree that has some well-graded zigzags, and a slow but steady pace will take us to the rim of the main crater, Stella Point. We have only climbed for 4-5 hours but have gained an incredible height of 4670 m meters. Here the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views of jagged Mawenzi Peak 5149m and beyond are breathtaking.
o approx. 750hm Ascending
o approx. 50hm Descending
o aapprox. 4-5h
o Two-person tent (4670m a.s.l.)
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Day 8: Summit Stage Kilimanjaro, 5895 M

The journey to the summit commences in the early hours of midnight. Guided by the glow of headlamps, you ascend 1100 meters to reach Stella Point at an elevation of 5730 meters. From there, the expedition continues towards the highest rim of the caldera, Uhuru Peak, standing tall at 5895 meters. At this pinnacle, you find yourself at the apex of the African continent, conquering one of the Seven Summits, and relishing the elation of reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Below, the expansive savannah unfolds, and as you descend from Stella Point, you eventually arrive at the Millennium Camp situated at 3861 meters. With pride, your eyes sweep back to behold the glacier-clad summit of Kibo.
o approx 1300hm Ascending
o approx. 2050hm Descending
o aapprox. 10-12h
o Two-person tent (3861m)
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Day 9: Descend Through The Jungle Belt

A gentle trek takes us down through the Rain Forest to Mweka Gate 1790 m, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates which you can hang up with pride. This last descent to the gate should take approximately 3-4 hrs. We then meet our vehicles and return to the hotel where you can treat yourself to a welcome shower and celebrate with cold drinks. Overnight stay at your hotel.
o aapprox 2070hm
o approx. 5-6h
o Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Day 10: Departure & Follow Up Program

Today you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your flight or, if you have decided to extend your stay in Tanzania with a wildlife Safari, begin the next part of your journey.
The climb cost includes
o Government taxes
o Fair wages for the Mountain Crew as stipulated by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA) and Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
o 4-season mountain tents
o 18% VAT on tour fees & services
o Park entry fees
o Camping fees
o Transportation to & from the Kilimanjaro gate
o 2 nights of accommodation in Moshi/Arusha (FB) Full Board
o Private transport from the airport (JRO) to your accommodation in Arusha/Moshi and back
o Double-layered sleeping mats 4 inches (10cm) thick
o Friendly and professional mountain guides, cookers, and porters
o 3 meals daily during the trek
o Enough treated & filtered drinking water throughout the trek
o Hot water for washing
o Portable oxygen tank-oxy-meter emergency first aid
o Portable flush toilet tent
o Kilimanjaro Summit Certificate!
The climb cost excludes
o Drinks at your hotel before and after
o Tips for guides, porters, and cooks (consider per person per day, to be paid in US Dollars or Euros)
o Travel insurance