9-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Climb with Crater Camp

• Register at the Londorossi National Park gate.
• Drive through farmland to reach the Lemosho roadhead.
• Have lunch in the glades before starting the walk.
• Walk up a small path through a beautiful, lush forest.
  • This area has a variety of game, including buffalo.
• Camp at Lemosho Forest Camp, also known as Big Tree Camp, at 7,800 ft.

Elevation (ft): 7,800 ft to 9,500 ft

Distance: 6 km

Hiking time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rainforest

Full board at Forest Camp, also known as Big Tree Camp.

• Leave Forest Camp and enter the moorland zone of giant heather.
• Climb steadily with wide views to reach the rim of the Shira Plateau.
  • There is a tangible sense of wilderness, especially if afternoon mists come in.
  • Camp in the plateau's centre at Shira One, at 11,500 ft.

Elevation (ft): 9,500 ft to 11,500 ft

Distance: 8 km

Hiking time: 5-6 hours

Habitat: Moorland

Full board at Shira One Camp.

• Explore the Shira Plateau for a full day.
• Take a gentle walk east toward Kibo's glaciered peak across the plateau.
• Reach Shira 2 Camp on moorland meadows by a stream.
• Continue to Moir Hut, a little-used site at the base of Lent Hills.
  • Lent Hills offers various walks, making this an excellent acclimatization opportunity.
  • Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth.
• Spend the night at Shira 2 Camp or Moir Hut after a relatively long hike with significant altitude gain.

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

Distance: 14 km

Hiking time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Moorland

Full board at Shira 2 Camp.

• Begin the day with a gentle ascent and enjoy panoramic views.
• Leave the moorland plateau behind and walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach.
• Have lunch near the Lava Tower at an altitude of 14,900 ft.
• Descend to the bottom of the Barranco Valley and camp at Barranco Camp at an altitude of 12,790 ft.
• Enjoy the sheltered campsite with towering cliffs and extensive views of the plains below.

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

Distance: 7 km

Hiking time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Semi-desert

Full board at Shira 2 or Moir Hut Camp.

• Climb up the Barranco Wall, which leads to an undulating trail on the southeastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the Southern Ice Fields.
• Enjoy the changing terrain to scree, with pockets of lush vegetation in sheltered hollows.
• Reach Karanga Camp, the last water point on the way to the summit, at an altitude of 13,100 ft.

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

Distance: 5 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine desert

Full board at Karanga Camp.

• Follow an easy path on compacted scree with wide views, gaining altitude unrelentingly to reach Barafu Hut at 14,800 ft for lunch.
• Take a short acclimatization walk to the plateau at the bottom of the southeast valley.
• Spend the remainder of the day resting in preparation for the early morning final ascent to the summit.

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

Distance: 4 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine desert

Full board at Barafu Hut Camp.

• Begin the day with an ascent to the Kibo Crater, unlike other routes that have a nighttime ascent.
  • The going is slow, but with constant encouragement from your climb team, you reach the rim of Kibo.
• Descend a little way into the caldera to Crater Camp.
• Spend the afternoon relaxing and take short walks with one of your guides.

Elevation (ft): 15,300 ft to 19,345 ft

Distance: 6 km ascent / 12 km descent

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

Habitat: Arctic

Full board at Mweka Hut Camp.

• Begin the shortest final summit bid of any route, which takes around 1 hour, after spending a night in the crater.
• Time your arrival with the sunrise for a spectacular view.
• Reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, the top of the highest freestanding mountain in the world.
• Descend for a final night on the mountain at Mweka Camp, passing back through the heath zone.
• Enjoy the plentiful Endemic Proteas, pollinated by Malachite Sunbirds.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Overnight stay at Mweka Camp.

• Descend to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates after breakfast.
  • At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy.
  • Gaiters and trekking poles will help.
  • Shorts and T-shirts will probably be plenty to wear.
• Drive back to the hotel in Arusha or Moshi from Mweka Gate.

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

Distance: 10 km

Hiking time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rainforest

Half board