Kilimanjaro Climbing
7-Day Lemosho Route Trek
Lemosho begins at Londorossi on the western side of the mountain, a considerably longer drive from Moshi than the southern gates, and that inconvenience is precisely what makes it good. The first two days see almost no other trekkers, the forest is genuinely wild, and buffalo and elephant sign is regularly encountered on the lower section.
The route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east, which is the finest walking on the mountain. The plateau is the eroded floor of an older volcanic cone, roughly 13 kilometres across, and the crossing gives an unmatched sense of Kilimanjaro’s scale before you commit to the summit cone.
From Shira the route joins the Machame path at the Lava Tower and follows the southern circuit through Barranco, Karanga and Barafu. That means you get the Barranco Wall and the Lava Tower acclimatisation day, but you arrive at them already better acclimatised than a Machame trekker because of the longer, gentler approach.
Summit success on seven day Lemosho is consistently reported at 85 percent or above, among the highest on the mountain. Combined with the scenery and the low traffic on the early days, it is the route we recommend most often to trekkers whose budget allows it.
Planning your trip
Practical planning. The itinerary runs over 7 days, which sets the pace: each additional day reduces transfer pressure and gives the guide room to respond to conditions rather than follow a fixed schedule. We quote fees at the tariff period current at the time of booking, since park, conservation and crater charges are revised periodically and are a significant share of the total cost. Yellow fever certification is required if you are arriving from or transiting a country with risk of transmission, and travel insurance covering medical evacuation is a condition of travel on all our programmes.
Season. The two reliable climbing windows are January to mid March and June to October. The long rains from late March through May and the short rains in November bring wet forest sections, heavier cloud and colder summit nights. Climbing outside the main windows is possible and cheaper, but success rates fall and the experience is materially harder.
On the mountain. Walk slowly, drink three to four litres of water daily and report headaches or nausea to your guide rather than concealing them. Guides carry pulse oximeters and check oxygen saturation twice daily. Descent is the only reliable treatment for altitude sickness, and a guide who calls it is protecting you rather than failing you. Porters are paid and loaded according to Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project guidelines.
Where this trip goes
Read the full destination guides for every protected area covered by this itinerary before you travel. Each one sets out habitat, seasonality, access and the managing authority in detail.
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Highlights
- Quiet western approach with very few trekkers on the first two days
- Full west-to-east crossing of the Shira Plateau
- Wild forest section with buffalo and elephant sign
- Lava Tower acclimatisation and the Barranco Wall
- Summit success typically 85 percent or above
Trip itinerary
Day 1: Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp
A three to four hour drive from Moshi around the western flank of the mountain to Londorossi Gate for registration, then a further drive to the trailhead.
Three to four hours of walking through undisturbed rainforest to Mti Mkubwa, the Big Tree Camp, at 2,780 metres. Buffalo and elephant sign is common on this section.
Day 2: Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp
Five to six hours climbing out of the forest onto the western rim of the Shira Plateau, with the vegetation shifting to heath and moorland.
Shira 1 Camp at 3,505 metres sits on the open plateau with a full view of the summit cone ahead.
Day 3: Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp
A gentler four to five hours east across the plateau, the finest walking on the mountain, to Shira 2 Camp at 3,850 metres.
An optional afternoon walk towards the Shira Cathedral adds useful acclimatisation.
Day 4: Shira 2 to Barranco Camp via the Lava Tower
Six to eight hours east and up to the Lava Tower at 4,630 metres for lunch, then a descent into the Barranco valley to camp at 3,960 metres.
The classic climb-high, sleep-low day, and by now you have already had three nights above 2,700 metres.
Day 5: Barranco to Karanga Camp
Four to five hours starting with the Barranco Wall scramble, then across the Karanga valley to camp at 3,995 metres with a free afternoon.
Day 6: Karanga to Barafu, summit night
Three to four hours across scree to Barafu Camp at 4,673 metres, arriving around midday for an early dinner and sleep.
Departure around midnight for the ascent to Stella Point at 5,756 metres and on to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres, then descent to Barafu and on to Mweka Camp.
Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Three to four hours descending through moorland and rainforest to Mweka Gate at 1,640 metres, certificates, and the transfer to Moshi.
Included
- Kilimanjaro National Park entry, camping and rescue fees
- Four-season mountain tents, sleeping mats and mess tent
- Professional KPAP-registered guides and assistant guides
- Porters, cook and all mountain meals
- Two nights hotel in Moshi before and after the climb, bed and breakfast
- All transfers including the long Londorossi Gate drive
- Emergency oxygen, pulse oximeter, daily health checks and portable toilet
Excluded
- International flights and Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance with high altitude trekking cover, mandatory
- Sleeping bag and personal trekking equipment, hire available
- Tips for the guiding and porter team
- Personal items, drinks and laundry
Accommodation
Six nights camping in four-season tents with sleeping mats, mess tent and a private portable toilet. The early camps at Mti Mkubwa and Shira 1 are notably quiet compared with the southern route camps.
Two hotel nights in Moshi bracket the climb. Note that day one involves a long drive around the mountain to Londorossi, so departure from Moshi is early.
FAQs
Why is Lemosho more expensive than Machame?
Mainly the transfer. Londorossi Gate is three to four hours from Moshi around the western side of the mountain, and park transfer logistics for the crew cost more. The route is also a day longer than six day Machame.
Is Lemosho really quieter?
For the first two days, considerably. Once you join the southern circuit at the Lava Tower on day four you share the trail with Machame trekkers, so the camps from Barranco onward are just as busy.
How does Lemosho compare with the Northern Circuit?
The Northern Circuit is the same start but continues around the quiet northern slopes over eight or nine days, with the highest success rate on the mountain. Lemosho at seven days is the shorter, cheaper version of the same good idea.
Will I see wildlife on this route?
Sign rather than animals, usually. Buffalo and elephant tracks and dung are common in the western forest, and blue monkey and colobus are sometimes seen. Actual large mammal sightings are uncommon but not unheard of.
What level of fitness does this climb require?
You need to be able to walk five to seven hours a day on consecutive days and to manage a summit push of fourteen to sixteen hours. Regular hill walking with a loaded pack in the months before travel prepares you far better than gym cardio. Kilimanjaro is a walk, not a technical climb, but it is a long one at altitude.
How are porters treated and paid?
We operate to Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project guidelines on load limits, wages, meals and shelter. Load weights are checked at the gate and again on the mountain. If you would like to see the wage schedule for your climb we will provide it.
What happens if I cannot continue?
An assistant guide descends with you while the rest of the group continues, which is why guide ratios matter. Descent is the treatment for altitude sickness and it is effective and immediate. Emergency oxygen is carried on every climb and evacuation arrangements are in place.
What equipment do I need to bring?
Broken-in boots, a sleeping bag rated to at least minus ten Celsius, insulated summit layers including a down jacket, waterproof shell, gloves, headtorch and trekking poles. We send a full kit list on booking and most items can be hired in Moshi if you would rather not carry them from home.
How far in advance should I book 7-Day Lemosho Route Trek?
For peak months, meaning July to October and the Christmas and New Year period, six to twelve months ahead. Camps and mountain permits in those windows genuinely sell out. For green season travel, two to three months is usually sufficient.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes. Every itinerary we publish is a starting point. Days can be added or removed, accommodation tiers changed, internal flights substituted for road transfers, and extensions to Zanzibar or the southern parks attached. Tell us the constraint and we will build around it.
