8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Trek to Uhuru Peak

• Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Moshi for your overnight stay.

• Drive to the Londorossi Park Gate.

• From here, follow a forest track in a 4WD vehicle for 11 km/7 mi (45 minutes) to Lemosho Glades, a possible campsite, with your Kilimanjaro mountain guide.

• From the glades, walk for 3 hours along beautiful forest trails to the Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) campsite.

18 km, 4-5 hours

Habitat: Montane Forest

• The trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone.

• Cross the Shira Ridge at 3,600 m/11,810 ft and descend gently to Shira Camp 1, located by a stream on the Shira Plateau.

12 km, 5 hours

Habitat: Semi-Desert

• A gentle walk across the plateau leads to Shira Camp 2 on moorland meadows by a stream.

• A variety of walks are available on the plateau, making this an excellent acclimatisation day.

6 km, 2 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• After breakfast, hike east up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro's looming mass.

• After several hours, walk through a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark known as Lava Tower.

• After lunch, stop near Lava Tower and descend for 2 hours below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall to Barranco Camp.

• Enjoy the numerous photo opportunities on this hike, especially if the walls are festooned with ice. Barranco Camp lies in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide a memorable sunset while you wait for dinner.

• On this day, be careful to notice any signs of altitude sickness.

15 km, 7 hours

Habitat: Semi-Desert

• After breakfast, continue up a steep ridge to the Great Barranco Wall.

• Then climb this imposing obstacle, which turns out to be easier than it looks. Once you top out just below the Heim Glacier, appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is.

• With Kibo's glaciers soaring overhead, descend into the lush Karanga Valley to the Karanga Valley campsite. From camp, look east and see the jagged peaks of Mawenzi jutting into the African sky.

• After a hot lunch in camp, the afternoon is at leisure for resting or exploring.

• After two long days, this short day is very important for your acclimatisation, since your summit push is about to begin.

7 km, 4 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• In the morning, hike east over intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route.

• Turn left toward the mountain and hike up the ridge through a sparse landscape for another hour to Barafu Hut, where you will receive a hot lunch. The last water on the route is in the Karanga Valley; there is no water at Barafu Camp. The famous snows of Kilimanjaro are far above Barafu Camp near the summit of the mountain.

• See your tent pitched on a narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge, so make sure you familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any accidents.

• Prepare your equipment and warm clothing for your summit climb, and drink plenty of fluids.

• After an early dinner, go to bed for a few hours of precious sleep.

13 km, 8 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• Rise around 11:30 pm, and after some steaming tea and biscuits, shuffle off into the night. Your 6-hour climb northwest through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers.

• At Stella Point, stop for a short rest and a chance to see a supremely sanguine sunrise. Here, you join the top part of the Marangu Route, but do not stop too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again because of the cold and fatigue.

• Depending on the season and recent storms, you may encounter snow on your remaining hike along the rim to Uhuru Peak.

• On the summit, enjoy your accomplishment and know that you are creating a day you will remember for the rest of your life.

• After your 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, have a well-earned but short rest, collect your gear, and hike down a rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp. This camp is in the upper forest, so you can expect mist or rain in the late afternoon.

• Relax with dinner and washing water prepared, and note that the camp office sells drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates, and beer.

7 km up, 23 km down; 8 hours up, 7-8 hours down

Habitat: Scree and seasonal snow

• After a well-deserved breakfast, enjoy a short, scenic, 3-hour hike back to the park gate. Do remember to tip your staff at the gate.

• At Mweka Gate, sign your name and add your details to the register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Climbers who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates, and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates.

• From Mweka Gate, continue down to Mweka Village, possibly on a muddy 3 km, 1-hour hike if the road is too muddy for vehicles.

• In Mweka Village, enjoy a delicious hot lunch and drive back to Moshi for an overdue hot shower and a comfortable night at your hotel.

15 km, 3 hours

Habitat: Forest