There are several possible variations to the Kilimanjaro Lemosho route, so don't be surprised if you see an intinerary that mentions different camps and different heights...
The itinerary below describes a seven night/eight day Kilimanjaro climb on the Lemosho Route.
Like Machame this trek can be shortened if you skip the night in the Karanga Valley and instead walk straight from the Barranco Huts to the Barafu Huts in one day.
Some operators also skip the second night at Shira One, making it a VERY strenuous six day trek.
The trek can be extended by adding an extra night at Moir Huts for acclimatisation.
For experienced mountaineers there is also a challenging and dangerous specialist version via the Western Breach.
(Note: altitudes and distances are approximations. Different sources will give you different numbers.)
Starting Point: Londorossi Gate (2100 m/6900 ft)
Duration: 7-10 days
Day 1 - Londorossi Gate/Lemosho trail head - Big Tree Camp (Mti Mkubwa) (2650 m/8695 ft)
Walking distance: 6 km/3.7 miles
Walking time: 2-3 hours
Altitude gain: 550 m/1795 ft
The starting point for the Lemosho Route is the Londorossi Gate. It is a two to three hour drive to get there and on this first day you may well spend more time driving and waiting around at the gate than you will be walking.
Londorossi (name for the village and the park gate) looks like something pulled out of a cheap Western. The place is entirely made out of wood. The high timber fences you see are supposed to keep the wildlife out.
That already indicates the advantage of taking this less trafficked route. You do indeed have a better chance to see some wildlife on the first days.
In fact, you very well may right then and there: a troop of the beautiful black and white Colobus monkeys have taken up residence in the trees right next to the park ranger quarters. Check them out while you are waiting for the registration and permits to be organised... The usual start of a Kilimanjaro climb!
After the registration at the gate you have to return the way you came, about ten minutes through some fields and cypress plantations, to get to the trail head. Some call it Londorossi, some Lemosho Glades, some Simba.
Another gate, another fee—paid to the forest authority for maintainig the road.
You follow the muddy road for another 20 minutes until you finally get to the real trail head.
Your trek begins in dense, misty rainforest. The forest is beautiful, like out of a fairy tale. It is full of smaller wildlife, colobus and blue monkeys being the most conspicuous. In the early days, shortly after the route was established, you had to be accompanied by an armed ranger here because of the water buffaloes. The much larger number of climbers these days means bigger animals are are rarely seen.
This very first day on the Lemosho Route has several steep sections to get the pump pumping, but it only takes two to three hours to reach your fist campsite, the Big Tree Camp or Mti Mkubwa. (The official name is Forest Camp but nobody calls it that.)
It's a lovely camp, located, as the name says, under a big tree and with plenty of monkeys and birds around. Even if you don't see them, you should hear them in the evenings and mornings.
Day 2 - Big Tree Camp - Shira I (3480 m/11420 ft)
Walking distance: 8 km/5 miles
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 830 m/2725 ft
The second day may be "only" a four to five hour walk, but it won't be a short day. The trail is very steep today and you will take many breaks.
Once you reach the first major ridge, you leave the forest behind and enter the moorland with its giant heathers, as you work your way up towards the Shira Plateau.
There are a couple more steep ridges, offereing great views, a well deserved break, and a descent in the valley on the other side.
Eventually, some time after lunch, the path flattens out. (Did I mention the path is steep?) Before you know it you are standing on the edge of the Shira Plateau at 3612 m (11840 ft): Kibo is straight ahead of you, the Shira Ridge to your right and you are overlooking the plateau below.
Yes, below. It's all downhill from here. Your next camp, Shira I, is at 3480 m (11420 ft).
If all this sounds strenuous don't be put off. You have all the time in the world. Many climbers name this as their favourite day of the walk.
Day 3 - Shira I - Shira Huts (3850 m/12630 ft) via Shira Cathedral
Walking distance: 11 km/6.8 miles
Walking time: 6-8 hours
Altitude gain: 370 m/1210 ft
There are many different possibilities on day three, many variations to the route. The more common version takes you directly across the plateau. The walk leads steadily uphill but is nowhere near as steep as yesterday.
After one to one and a half hours you reach the junction of the Lemosho Route and the four wheel drive track that is the beginning of the Shira Route. This is the location of the Simba Cave Campsite (3590 m/11780 ft) on the side of the Simba River.
Another hour to hour and a half, and you reach your most likely final destination, the Shira Huts camps.
People trekking with a higher end operator may instead take the turn off half way between the route junction and the Shira Huts, and spend the night at the quieter Fischer Campsite(3885 m/12745 ft), which is some way off the main trail.
Some companies may even use Fischer as a lunch stop only and continue to Moir Huts (4140 m/13579 ft).
There is also the option to stay at Shira Huts and make the detour to Moir Huts tomorrow.
This was the more common straight route. There is another, much more interesting and longer option for day 3: a detour to the southern edge of the rim and the Shira Cathedral, including a climb to its summit (3720 m/12200 ft).
Yes, it makes for a much longer day, but it is a very scenic and varied walk, with great views all the way, and don't forget the benefits of the additional acclimatisation you get by climbing to the top of the Cathedral.
Find an operator who takes the detour. It's worth it.
Day 4 - Shira Huts - via Lava Tower (4640 m/15220 ft) - Barranco Huts (3985 m/13070 ft)
Walking distance: 9 km/5.6 miles
Walking time: 6-8 hours
Altitude gain: 135 m/440 ft (790 m/2590 ft to Lava Tower)
Today, first thing in the morning, you will tackle the Barranco Wall.
There are stories about the Barranco Wall "requiring significant climbing experience", being "almost impossible" or "perilously dangerous". That's nonsense.
It is strenuous to climb and it is very steep. And if you never set foot on any mountain in your life it may in places appear a little precarious. But in no way does it require climbing experience!
The wall is exposed and you will use your hands to steady yourself, but you can pretty much walk all the way to the top. Only at a few points do you need to scramble. (And you don't need experience to scramble...)
Don't forget to turn around every now and then and admire the views, including the line of climbers/ants behind you.
The wall takes about an hour and a half to scale, and as you come over the final ridge you are met with a breathtaking view of Kibo, which all of a sudden looks a lot closer!
You'll have a short break to enjoy the stunning views, and then it's down again on a much gentler slope. From here it's another couple of hours over volcanic scree and through several small, sheltered valleys, until you reach the Karanga Valley Camp.
The narrow and steep Karanga Valley is a green oasis, albeit a cold, windy one. The camp is on the other side of the valley (another climb...) and you can spend the afternoon resting, exploring, or chasing that perfect picture of one of the iridescent, malachite sunbirds that live here...
Day 5 - Barranco Huts - Karanga Camp (4040 m/13255 ft)
Walking distance: 5.5 km/3.5 milesWalking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 55 m/185 ft
Congratulations to you, for you have done well!!
The walk today is short. You leave the Karanga Valley on an easy but steep path, through an increasinlgy inhospitable landscape, with the Southern Glaciers looming to your left. The path keeps getting steeper until you reach the Barafu Camp for lunch.
This is the benefit of having the extra night at Karanga in your schedule. You have plenty of time to eat, rest and recover, prepare everything for the summit attempt, maybe even go on a short acclimatisation walk, eat some more, and then have an early night. Tonight it the night...
Barafu Camp has an otherworldy feel to it, perched on an exposed ridge in a bleak and barren landscape... Do familiarise yourself with the area before the sun goes down! It is quite possible to simply step of the edge if you have to stumble around in the dark to find the toilet...
Day 6 - Karanga Camp - Barafu Huts (4680 m/15360 ft)
Walking distance: 3.5 km/ 2.2 miles
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 640 m/2105 ft
I hope you arrived at Barafu Camp early enough to get plenty of rest. (Climbers on shorter treks skipped the Karanga Camp and may not have.).
Your day pack should be ready with everything you will need tonight: rain gear if you aren't wearing it anyway, enough water, hand warmers, balaclava... You should have fresh batteries in your head torch and camera and you should already be wearing the right clothes. Make sure everything you are wearing is bone dry!
This day will likely go down in your memory as the most physically challenging day in your whole life. Likely it will also be one of the earliest starts you ever made...
Your guides will wake you up some time between 11 pm and 1 pm. There will be some hot drinks and maybe some food, but mostly it's a matter of crawling out of your sleeping bag, putting on a few more layers of clothes, your boots and your head torch. Grab your day pack and off you go...
After an initial little scramble over some small cliffs to get out of the Barafu Camp, the path becomes easier to follow. But it doesn't take long and you reach a sharp turn to the left. And then it starts, the endless succession of switchbacks, snaking back and forth, back and forth, up the steep slope of loose, volcanic scree that is the side of Kibo Peak.
As steep as the slope is, due to the many switchbacks the path itself isn't all that bad. However, the scree is lose and you keep sliding down, and nothing's easy without oxygen. The air is incredibly thin, getting thinner all the time.
You may feel horrible. Don't push yourelf too hard. Take all the time you need and for goodness sake don't let anyone pressure you into moving faster than you feel comfortable to. Steady, steady, one tiny little step after the other.
Other groups overtaking you? Let them go!
It doesn't matter if you reach Uhuru Peak or even the rim in time for sunrise. It only matters that you reach it and that you will be able to get back down safely! You can not move too slowly on Kilimanjaro.
The people who do not feel the effects of the altitude are few and far between. Hopefully the worst you have to deal with is a headache and the occasional wave of nausea. Throwing up is not as uncommon as you might hope and is no reason for concern. (It's just awful...)
It's impossible to have long breaks in these temperatures. The cold starts creeping into your hands and feet first, then into your whole body.
When you cross a frozen stream and notice some boulders you are very close! It's about 30 minutes to the rim from here, but that last bit of slope is cruel, the steepest and hardest part of the whole night... But you won't be giving up now, right?
It takes most people five to six hours to reach Stella Point. If you are among the slower climbers, don't worry. The break of dawn invariably provides a much needed boost of energy for those last metres, and before you know you will be up there, admiring the rising sun from 5752 m/18871 ft.
Congratulations to you, for you have done well!!
The park authorities will reward you with a certificate, even if you decide not to continue along the crater rim past the glaciers to Uhuru Peak.
The good thing about reaching the crater rim at Stella Point rather than Gilman's (like the Rongai and Marangu route would): it may be harder to reach the rim, but from here to Uhuru peak it's only 45 minutes. A piece of cake... (Not!)
Even though most consider the climb up to Stella Point the hardest part, the walk around the rim can prove challenging, too.
The more time you spend at this extreme altitude, the more you will feel it. The path rises steadily. It may not look steep, but by now every step uphill can be a battle...
(Mind you, for other people it's a breeze, but it's certainly better to be prepared for the worst and find it easier than expected, than the other way around.)
Congratulations again. What you just accomplished is truly impressive and no matter what you expected, the reality of it will be totally different. Some people get very emotional, some are on a big high, some are so dazed, they barely take any notice at all... There is no way to describe or imagine the experience of climbing to nearly 6000 m altitude.
It's time for hugs and photos. There won't be time for much else, because it will be too cold and also too dangerous to remain at this altitude for more than a few minutes.
You probably don't have the tiniest little bit of energy left now. Well, guess what? The day has only begun and it's another long day...
You now have to drag yourself back to Stella Point. From there it's nearly 1100 m down, down, down... Until you get back to Barafu. The descent is cruel on the knees and you will appreciate the walking poles!
If you scree run then this isn't too bad. It's actually quite fun. And fast! But pity those who have to stagger back down the same way they came up, switchback for painful switchback...
Lunch should be waiting for you at Barafu. You just want to collapse and sleep; you can not imagine getting up from that chair again. But after what you have done to your body today it is not safe to remain at this altitude. You have no choice but to pack up your gear and keep going, the sooner the better. Down and down you go, for several more hours, to Millenium Camp or Mweka Huts, whichever your tour company chose.
What will happen now is something of a miracle. Because as you descend further there will be air again. Oxygen! Lots of it!
Oxygen is life and that is exactly what will be injected back into you. You may not believe this now, but there is a good chance that after this additional descent you may feel better and have more energy than you did at lunch time.
Dinner is often a much livelier affair, with everybody's eyes shining as they recount the experiences of the day. And I have no doubt that you will sleep well tonight!
Day 7 - Summit attempt via Stella Point (5752 m/18871 ft) to Uhuru Peak (5895 m/19340 ft) and descent to Millenium Camp (3820 m/12530 ft) (or to Mweka Hut)
Walking distance: 5 km/3 miles ascent + 10 km/6.2 miles descent
Walking time: 5-6 hrs + 1-2 hours up, 5-6 hours down (the overall walking time may vary from 10 - 16 hours)
Altitude gain: 1072 m/ 3511 ft (Stella Point) or 1215 m/3980 ft (Uhuru Peak)
Descent: 2075 m/6810 ft
After beakfast you set off, down, down, down again... It's your last day on the mountain and you may have trouble getting enthusiastic about your surrounds.
What you will probably notice more is the fact that the path is rather steep, and that the steps on the steepest sections are hell for your abused knees...
The day takes you through some really pretty forest with lots of birdlife. Try to muster some interest. It may distract from the pain...
Once you get to the gate you'll have to endure some more formalities, but eventually you will say good bye to your guides (a sad and emotional moment), climb into the vehicle waiting for you and be whisked away to your hotel for hot showers and cold beers.
Walking distance: 20 km/12.5 miles
Walking time: 5 hours
Descent: 1990 m/6530 ft
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