Lemosho Route

Yes, you climb the Barranco Wall on the Lemosho route. But don't let this concern you – the Barranco Wall is perfectly manageable. And for many it ends up being one of their favourite parts of the entire trek!

All routes leading up Kilimanjaro are hard routes, as Kilimanjaro is one tough cookie!

That said, the Lemosho route is a fairly manageable route, and we feel confident recommending it to first-time trekkers. This is because it's not too steep, nor does it make you ascend the mountain too quickly, which can lead to altitude sickness.

You might like to see this detailed description of the Lemosho route itinerary.

There are two possible Lemosho route itineraries: the seven-day and the eight-day itineraries. The latter provides an extra day during the ascent to give your body longer to acclimatise to the increased altitude. Both itineraries are described in our Lemosho route blog post.

Deciding between the two itineraries is a personal choice. On the one hand, an extra day of acclimatisation is a great thing as it decreases your chances of developing altitude sickness and so increases your chances of a successful summit. On the other hand, an extra day on the mountain involves committing a little more time and money.

Generally speaking, we find the seven-day Lemosho route tends to offer adequate acclimatisation time. That said, we always recommend the eight-day itinerary to anyone who is unsure. It's just the safer option.

Please feel free to chat with us about this so we can offer you some personalised advice.

The total distance of the Lemosho route is 70 km (43 miles). It's one of the middling routes, being neither long nor short in comparison to the others.

The Lemosho route is arguably the most beautiful of all the Kilimanjaro routes. The nature and scenery are varied and the route takes you past memorable landmarks and features, like Shira Cathedral and Barranco Wall.

You also might see Kilimanjaro impatiens on the Lemosho route. This is a pretty, vibrant little flower that grows in the forest of Kilimanjaro and nowhere else in the world!

To learn other titbits of knowledge, we invite you to read 10 interesting facts about Mount Kilimanjaro.

On the Lemosho route, you go to the toilet in the toilet tent provided by your tour operator when at camp. During the day's trek, you go to the toilet behind a rock or bush. But note that you can't leave any loo paper behind, as Kilimanjaro National Park has a 'leave no trace' policy. So you'll need to carry little disposable bags with you for carrying your used toilet paper till you reach camp.

It's worth noting that you need to pee all the time on Kilimanjaro, as discussed in 6 things I wish I knew before climbing Kilimanjaro. Also, climbing at altitude can bring on your period early. Ladies, you might find it useful to read Advice for women climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.