8-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Hike to Uhuru Peak

Meet your tour guide in Arusha or Moshi and depart for Londorossi Gate, a drive of about 4 hours. Continue to the Lemosho trailhead, which takes another hour. Upon arrival at the trailhead, you will have lunch and then hike through the undisturbed forest to the first campsite, Forest Camp, also known as Big Tree Camp.

Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft
Distance: 6 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
Full board at Forest Camp.

After breakfast, continue on the trail leading out of the forest and up into a savannah of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards.

As you climb through the lush rolling hills and cross several streams, you will reach the Shira Ridge before dropping gently down to Shira 1 Camp. The view of Kibo from across the plateau is amazing.

Dinner and overnight at Shira One Camp.

Take a gentle walk east toward Kibo's glaciered peak across the plateau, which leads to Shira 2 Camp on the moorland. Stay at Shira 2 Camp or continue to Moir Hut, a little-used site at the base of Lent Hills. A variety of walks are available on Lent Hills, making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth.

Elevation (ft): 11,500ft to 13,800 ft

Distance: 14 km

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Moorland

Full board at Shira 2 Camp.

Soon after breakfast, your direction of walking changes to the southeast toward the Lava Tower, leading to the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after reaching the tower, you will come to the second junction, which brings you up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft.

Continue down to Barranco Hut at an altitude of 13,000ft. You will take some rest and enjoy dinner.

Elevation (ft): 13,800ft to 13,000ft

Distance: 7 km

Hiking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Semi Desert

Full board at Shira 2 or Moir Hut Camp.

After breakfast, leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge, passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite. This is a short day and is meant to give your body more acclimatization time.

Elevation (ft): 13,000ft to 13,100ft

Distance: 5 km

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Full board at Karanga Camp.

After breakfast, leave Karanga and head to the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail. Continue up to Barafu Hut. At this point, you have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.

Here, you will set up camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo can be seen from this position.

Elevation (ft): 13,100ft to 15,300ft

Distance: 4 km

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Full board at Barafu Hut Camp.

From midnight, continue your way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree toward Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the Kilimanjaro trek.

At Stella Point (18,600 ft), you will stop for a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see, weather permitting. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit.

Celebrate, take pictures, and make memories before descending straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite. You will stop at Barafu for lunch. You may need gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel on the way down. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon.

Later in the evening, you will enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft)

Distance: 5 km ascent / 12 km descent

Hiking Time: 7-8 hours ascent / 4-6 hours descent

Habitat: Arctic

Full board at Mweka Hut Camp.

After breakfast, continue your descent down to Mweka Park Gate.

Your vehicles will be waiting for you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi.

Elevation (ft): 10,000ft to 5,400ft

Distance: 10 km

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rain Forest

Half board.