Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, our driver will be waiting for you. He will take you to Meru View Lodge in Usa River close to Arusha. The rest of the day is for you to relax and prepare for your upcoming trip. You can also visit the town of Arusha (taxi required). In the late afternoon, our Kilimanjaro team will meet you at the lodge to brief you on your upcoming trek and check your equipment.
Dinner
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport you will be greeted by our transfer driver and taken to the Meru View Lodge in Usa River, close to Arusha. The rest of the day is for you to enjoy at leisure – relax at the hotel pool or take a taxi and explore the town of Arusha. In the late afternoon you will met by one of our Kilimanjaro team members, who will brief you on your upcoming trek. Dinner and Overnight at Meru View Lodge.
Dinner
Elevation (m): 2360m to 2895m, Distance: 6 km, Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Montane forest.
We begin our 8-day Lemosho Route itinerary by driving from the hotel in Moshi or Arusha to the Londorossi Park Gate, early in the morning after a hearty breakfast. Before we begin our trek up the woodland route to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite at 2895m, our porters prepare and carry the food and luggage. We’ll spend the night here.
Elevation (m): 2895m to 3500m, Distance: 8 km, Time: 5-6 hours, Habitat: Moorland.
We proceed eastwards, passing via Shira Plateau and Shira Cathedral. We’ll traverse a moorland meadow on our way to Shira 1 camp at 3810 meters for supper and overnight camping. By now, we’ll be able to observe the Western Breach and its magnificent glaciers from an easterly direction. The temperature is expected to drop below freezing tonight, as it was the night before.
We cook dinner on the burners.
Elevation (m): 3500m to 4200m, Distance: 14 km, Time: 5-7 hours, Habitat: Moorland.
As we leave the forest behind and approach the moorland zone, the route becomes steeper. Shira Cave, with spectacular views of the Arrow Glacier, is reached through an easy grade trek across the high altitude Shira Caldera. At 4200 meters, we’ll set up camp for the night.
After breakfast you will start your walk up to Lava Tower with a long ascent above the Shira Plateau. You will climb quite a bit in altitude, roughly 740 m. You will have a rest here before descending again. This is a so called acclimatising day, where you will climb high but sleep low, giving you a good idea of how your body reacts to altitude. The landscape will once again change as you pass through the Barranco Valley with its big Senecias and smaller Lobelia plants. After a long 6 – 7 hours you will reach your beautiful camp for the night the Barranco Camp. The crew will be there waiting with a well deserve evening meal before settling in for the night.
Elevation (m): 3950m to 3930m, Distance: 7 km, Hiking Time: 4 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert.
Today begins with a quick but enjoyable scramble to the Great Barranco Wall’s summit. Then, beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten, and Decken Glaciers, we walk on scree to the Karanga Valley (3930m). At Karanga Campground, we’ll spend the night.
Elevation (m): 3930m to 4600m, Distance: 6kms, Hiking Time: 3 hours, Habitat: Alpine Desert.
We leave the Karanga campsite to reach the Mweka descending trail’s junction. We proceed up to the Barafu Hut from here. You’ve finished the Southern Circuit, which gives you a variety of views of the top. We may relax, eat dinner, and get ready for summit day in camp. From this vantage point, the two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are visible.
Elevation (m): 4600m to 5895m (and down to 3100m), Distance: 7km ascent / 23km descent, Time: 6- 8 hours ascent / 7-8 hours descent, Habitat: Stone screed and ice-capped summit.
At 23:30, you’ll be woken up with a cup of tea and some snacks. Between the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers, we begin our climb to the top. We’ll take a north-westerly route to Stella Point on the crater rim, ascending via thick scree. This is the toughest portion of the journey, both psychologically and physically. We’ll stop for a short break at Stella Point (5732m) and be rewarded with one of the most spectacular sunrises you’ll ever witness (weather permitting). We will have reached Mount Kilimanjaro’s and Africa’s highest peak, Uhuru Peak (5895m). At these heights, it can get extremely chilly at night, but by the end of the trekking day, it will be rather warm.
We descend from the peak to the Mweka Hut camp site through Barafu for lunch. The rough gravel on the way down to Mweka Camp will necessitate the use of trekking poles (3100m). Later that evening, we’ll have our final meal on the mountain before getting some well-deserved rest.
Elevation (m): 3100m to 1800m, Distance: 10 km, Hiking Time: 3-4 hours, Habitat: Forest.
After breakfast, we trek to the Mweka Park Gate, where you will obtain your summit certificates. It might be muddy and damp at lower levels. The use of gaiters and trekking poles will be beneficial. T-shirts and shorts will suffice (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). This marks the end of our 8 day Lemosho Route tour
Places: Arusha, Kilimanjaro Trekking via Lemosho Route
This is just one example of a trip we could design for you. We tailor-make trekking safari holidays that take you to Tanzania – no readymade tours or set departures. Get in touch today to start creating your bespoke itinerary
What sets us apart at Nature & Leisure in Africa is our expertise in organizing safe and unforgettable trekking adventures to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
