ABOUT 8 DAYS LUXURY TREKING LEMOSHO ROUTE
The 8 days Luxury Lemosho route.is considered the most scenic trail on Kilimanjaro, granting panoramic vistas on various sides of the mountain. As one of the newer routes, Lemosho is a superb choice for your climb. It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low crowds. beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate. Climb and Safari Tours® specializes in guiding on the 8 days lemosho Route Climbing Kilimanjaro Trekking & Hikes. Most of our clients climb Kilimanjaro using this route and they consistently, report that they loved it. Thus, Lemosho is highly recommended.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west. beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rain forest to Shira Ridge. The Lemosho route 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. Then the route traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern, Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
DAY O - Arrival - Kilimanjaro
Our friendly transfer driver will meet you at Kilimanjaro airport. After loading the luggage into the vehicle you will make your way to the White House Hotel in Moshi. You can relax the rest of the day or go and explore the small town of Moshi. Our team will meet you later the day to have a preliminary talk in preparation for the days to follow.
Day 1: Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa
>>> We depart Moshi for Londorossi Gate, which takes about 4 hours, where you will complete entry formalities. Then drive to the Lemosho trailhead. Upon arrival at trailhead, we begin hiking through undisturbed forest which winds to the first camp site.
- Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa
Day 2: Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) to Shira 1 Camp
>>> We continue on the trail leading out of the rain forest and into a savannah of tall grasses, heather and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards. As we ascend through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, we reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 Camp. Here we catch our first glimpse of Kibo across the plateau.
- Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
Day 3: Shira 1 Camp to Shira Camp 2
>>> We explore the Shira Plateau for a full day. It is a gentle walk east on moorland meadows towards Shira 2 Camp. Then we divert from the main trail to Moir Hut, a little used site on the base of Lent Hills. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity. Shira Plateau is one of the highest plateaus on earth.
- Accommodation: Shira Camp 2
Days 4: Shira Camp 2 to Lava Tower
We begin the day climbing up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation. We descend down to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.
- Accommodation: Lava Tower
Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then we climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall we cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb up leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.
- Accommodation: Karanga Camp
Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
We leave Karanga and hit the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are viewable from this position.
- Accommodation: Barafu Camp
Day 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak
Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. We ascend in the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short, breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.
- Accommodation: Uhuru Peak
Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
On our last day, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect the summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. From the gate, we continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet us at Mweka Village to drive us back to the hotel in Moshi.
- Accommodation: moshi
The Trip Cost Includes
- Special Kilimanjaro guide with Wilderness First Responder certification
- Personal porter for carrying day pack
- Food resupply (once on trek)
- Solar panel for charging USB devices (charges battery, which charges devices)
- Solar lights
- Hyperbaric pressure bag
- Oxygen
- Portable toilet (1 per 5 people)
- Camp shower (1 per 5 people)
- Large comfortable dining tent
- Dining chairs with backs and arms
- Hot lunches on the mountain
- Solar lighting in dining tent and personal tent
- Camp pillow
- Extra sleeping pad or 1 double thick pad
- Filtered water with Katadyn filter
- Kilimanjaro map for the group
- Celebration dinner at hotel after returning from trek
- Walk-in tent (4-person, 4-season) for 2 people
- Camp beds
- Resupply of fresh food (2-3 times on trek)
- Hot water bottle for sleeping bag
The Trip Cost Excludes
- Flights
- Items of a personal nature
- Laundry Services
- Tips to mountain crew