Kilimanjaro Lemosho route
The Lemosho route is one of the newest Kilimanjaro routes. It was introduced as an alternative to the Shira route, which starts at a higher and therefore more challenging altitude. In light of its versatility, gorgeous scenery and rather untouched, wild start to the climb, the Lemosho is considered the route with the most variety. This route can be completed in seven or eight days.
Follow Alice’s view
At Follow Alice we love the Lemosho route. It’s our personal favourite because you get to experience a bit of everything. We really enjoy the first couple of days in the forest, and also the opportunities to take beautiful photographs of the amazing views and scenery along the way. In fact, the Lemosho route stops over at locations that offer some of the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro.
All of this beauty goes hand in hand with the fact that the chances of summiting Kilimanjaro are high among trekkers using the Lemosho route – always a plus!
The Lemosho route therefore ticks all of the boxes when it comes to choosing a Kilimanjaro climb. If you’re especially concerned about acclimatising, you can also opt for an eight-day Lemosho route over the seven-day option, as this gives you even more time to acclimatise.
Highlights
✓ Good acclimatisation
✓ High success rate
✓ Beautiful scenery
✓ Varied terrain
✓ Quieter than other routes
Considerations
– Forest section is muddy in wet season
– Camping is the only option
The Lemosho route is for climbers who want the best scenery and a high chance of successfully summiting the mountain.
Learn more about the different Kilimanjaro routes in this video …
What is the scenery like on the Lemosho route?
The Lemosho route is known for being one of the most beautiful Kilimanjaro routes. You walk through lush rainforest on the first couple of days. Spotting large wildlife, like antelopes, is not very common but possible! The route also gives you the experience of hiking across the Shira Plateau, which is one of the largest high-altitude plateaus in the world. The plateau affords you fantastic views of the dramatic rock buttress known as Shira Cathedral.
How hard is the Lemosho route?
No Kilimanjaro climb is easy, but the Lemosho route is generally considered one of the ‘easier’ climbs because of it’s great acclimatisation profile. It has great ‘climb high, sleep low’ opportunities. Put simply, with the right Kilimanjaro preparation anyone can climb this route. You should be physically fit, and with the right support in the form of your mountain crew, you can achieve the summit whether you have previous hiking experience or are a first-time trekker.
What is the Lemosho route summit success rate?
The Lemosho route has one of the best summit success rates of all the routes up Kilimanjaro. This is because the path more than once takes you high before dropping you back down to sleep low. Proper acclimatisation is the name of the game on this route! Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all Kilimanjaro operators is 90% for the eight-day Lemosho trek and 85% for the seven-day Lemosho trek. Follow Alice has a success rate of over 95% for both the seven- and eight-day Lemosho routes!
How long does it take to hike the Lemosho route?
The Lemosho route can be completed in seven or eight days. The extra day gives you more time to acclimatise.
How busy is the Lemosho route?
The Lemosho route is generally less busy than other Kilimanjaro routes such as the Machame route. This is especially the case on the first couple of days when you’re passing through the forest. You then join the Machame route near the Lava Tower. This is when the crowds can get a little bigger in peak season.
What is the accommodation like on the Lemosho route?
The Lemosho route only offers camping accommodation. As part of the Follow Alice climbing package, all of your camping equipment is included: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and pillow. And during the trek all tents are pitched and then taken down by our mountain crew.
What does the Lemosho route cost?
Follow Alice offers the Lemosho route as a seven-day group climb or private climb. Our seven-day Lemosho package costs $2,585 per person (based on double occupancy). This includes seven days on the mountain and one day either side at our beautiful partner lodge in Moshi. If you’d like to know more about how we arrived at this price and what’s included, please read How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?
If you decided to go for the eight-day Lemosho Route, the cost increases to $2,895 per person (also based on double occupancy). This option includes eight days on the mountain and one day either side at our partner lodge in Moshi. For more information on package inclusions and exclusion, as well as more details about the trip, head to our Kilimanjaro climb page.
“We climbed Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho route with Follow Alice and had a great time! We were a small group that got along really well and felt greatly taken care of by the crew! The guides made us feel safe at all times.” Christoph
Lemosho route overview
The Lemosho route can be done in seven or eight days. The extra day on the eight-day route allows for an extra day of acclimatisation, which is always a good thing. Have a look at the two itineraries below before deciding which option suits you.
7-day Lemosho route
The trek starts at Lemosho Gate on the western slope of Kilimanjaro. You climb to the summit, then descend the mountain via the Mweka route, which has you exit the park at Mweka Gate on the southern slope.
| Day | Start | Altitude (m) | Altitude (ft) | Finish | Altitude (m) | Altitude (ft) | Time (hr) | Distance (km) | Distance (miles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lemosho Gate | 2,100 | 6,890 | Mti Mkubwa | 2,895 | 9,498 | 3-4 | 6 | 4 |
| 2 | Mti Mkubwa | 2,895 | 9,498 | Shira 2 Camp | 3,505 | 11,500 | 8-10 | 18 | 11 |
| 3 | Shira 2 Camp | 3,505 | 11,500 | Lava Tower | 4,630 | 15,190 | 4-6 | 8 | 4 |
| Lava Tower | 4,630 | 15,190 | Barranco Camp | 3,976 | 13,044 | 2-3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 4 | Barranco Camp | 3,976 | 13,044 | Karanga Camp | 3,995 | 13,106 | 6-8 | 5 | 3 |
| 5 | Karanga Camp | 3,995 | 13,106 | Barafu Camp | 4,673 | 15,331 | 4-5 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Barafu Camp | 4,673 | 15,331 | Uhuru Peak | 5,895 | 19,341 | 6-8 | 5 | 3 |
| Uhuru Peak | 5,895 | 19,341 | Mweka Camp | 3,068 | 10,065 | 6-8 | 12 | 7 | |
| 7 | Mweka Camp | 3,068 | 10,065 | Mweka Gate | 1,640 | 5,380 | 3 | 10 | 6 |
Route in profile
The graphs below show the seven-day Lemosho route in profile – first in metres, then in feet. Its often easier to understand a climb in visual form like this.
8-day Lemosho route
The trek starts at Lemosho Gate on the western slope of the mountain. You climb to the summit, then descend via the Mweke route and exit the park at Mweka Gate. As you can see, you spend more time around the 4,000 m mark, allowing your body even better acclimatisation before climbing higher.
| Day | Start | Altitude (m) | Altitude (ft) | Finish | Altitude (m) | Altitude (ft) | Time (hr) | Distance (km) | Distance (miles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lemosho Gate | 2,100 | 6,890 | Mti Mkubwa | 2,895 | 9,498 | 3-4 | 6 | 4 |
| 2 | Mti Mkubwa | 2,895 | 9,498 | Shira 1 Camp | 3,505 | 11,500 | 5-6 | 8 | 5 |
| 3 | Shira 1 Camp | 3,505 | 11,500 | Moir Hut | 4,206 | 13,800 | 5-7 | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | Moir Hut | 4,206 | 13,800 | Lava Tower | 4,630 | 15,190 | 4-5 | 8 | 4 |
| Lava Tower | 4,630 | 15,190 | Barranco Camp | 3,976 | 13,044 | 2-3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 5 | Barranco Camp | 3,976 | 13,044 | Karanga Camp | 3,995 | 13,106 | 6-8 | 5 | 3 |
| 6 | Karanga Camp | 3,995 | 13,106 | Barafu Camp | 4,673 | 15,331 | 4-5 | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | Barafu Camp | 4,673 | 15,331 | Uhuru Peak | 5,895 | 19,341 | 6-8 | 5 | 3 |
| Uhuru Peak | 5,895 | 19,341 | Mweka Camp | 3,068 | 10,065 | 6-8 | 12 | 7 | |
| 8 | Mweka Camp | 3,068 | 10,065 | Mweka Gate | 1,640 | 5,380 | 3 | 10 | 6 |
Route in profile
The graphs below show the eight-day Lemosho route in profile – first in metres, then in feet.
Lemosho route itinerary
The Lemosho route approaches the mountain from the west. Before the climbing can begin, you must drive to the Londorossi Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park. If you’ve been staying in Moshi, as we do, the drive takes four hours. You spend the first couple of days trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge. You then join the Machame route near the Lava Tower. The route then follows a path known as the Southern Circuit, which traverses underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field. You then summit from Barafu, and descend via the descent-only Mweka route.
In the itinerary below we describe the eight-day Lemosho trek route.
Lemosho is one of the most beautiful Kilimanjaro routes because of its varied scenery and terrain.
Day 1: Lemosho Gate to Mti Mkubwa
At Londorossi Park Gate you are entered into the Kilimanjaro National Park’s records. You then drive for another hour to Lemosho Gate and the
Day 2: Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp
After an early morning breakfast, you begin your ascent out of the rainforest and into the heather and moorland zone. You cross many streams and walk over a plateau that leads to Shira 2 Camp. At this campsite you have a spectacular view of the Western Breach, which is a gap formed by lava flow. You can also see glaciers. You hike for about five to six hours in total today.
Day 3: Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut
Today you walk along the Shira Plateau, which offers a fantastic view of the Western Breach. This is where lava broke through the outer rim of Kibo Peak. The vegetation is fascinating, and includes giant lobelias and giant groundsels, which are endemic to Kilimanjaro.
Day 4: Moir Hut to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Today’s trek is along the lines of ‘climb high, sleep low’, meaning you hike to a higher altitude before dropping back down to a lower altitude for the night. This strategy works wonders for acclimatisation. Today’s hike can therefore be broken into two parts: the climb to Lava Tower, then the descent to Barranco Camp.
Part 1 | Moir Hut to Lava Tower
Today you hike up to an impressive rock formation called Lava Tower at 4,630 m (15,419 ft). It takes four to six hours to get there and is a true highlight of the Lemosho trail.
Part 2 | Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
After lunch at Lava Tower, you head down to Barranco Camp. The walk takes about two to three hours. The camp is located in a valley below the Western Breach and Barranco Wall.
Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Today’s hike is six to eight hours and is important for your acclimatisation. After an early morning breakfast, it’s time for you to conquer the great Barranco Wall, which is a steep wall of rock. Although it may look intimidating at first, trekkers usually say it turns out to be easier than they anticipated. At the top of the wall you are above the clouds and enjoy superb views of the southern ice fields and the summit. The trail then winds up and down until you arrive at Karanga Camp.
Day 6: Karanga to Barafu Camp
It’s getting real! You’re now very close to the summit and have some amazing views of the mountain during your climb of four to five hours to reach Barafu Camp. This campsite sits at 4,600 m (15,091 ft) above sea level. You go to bed early tonight as tomorrow’s summit hike starts in the dark. This is partly to enjoy the sunrise from up high, and partly because of the long hours of trekking required.
Day 7: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Today is summit day! One final push to victory. The days’s trek consists of two parts: the climb from Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak, the tallest spot on Kilimanjaro, followed by the descent to Mweka Camp.
Part 1 | Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak
You are woken up around midnight to get ready for your summit attempt. This is the moment to dig deep mentally and physically to try reach the tippy-top of Africa. The route heads northwest into the dark night. After about six to seven hours of trekking you reach Stella Point on the crater rim. You then continue for another hour or so on a sometimes snow-covered trail to reach Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m (19,341 ft) above sea level. You did it!
Part 2 | Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
Having reached the summit, you descend to Mweka Camp for the night. Having hiked for about 12 to 16 hours, you fall asleep immediately, trust us!
Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Today you do the last bit of hiking down to the foot of the mountain, where your driver is waiting for you. Achievement of a lifetime: check!
The 7 Kilimanjaro routes
- Lemosho Route
The Lemosho is the most beautiful Kilimanjaro route. - Machame Route
The Machame is the most popular Kilimanjaro route. - Marangu Route
The Marangu route offers hut accommodation. - Rongai Route
The Rongai is the only route that approaches from the north. - Shira Route
The Shira approaches from the western side of Kilimanjaro. - Northern Circuit Route
The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest route. - Umbwe Route
The Umbwe is the shortest, steepest and hardest route.
Keen to explore more of Tanzania?
If you want to add a little adventure onto the end of your Kilimanjaro climb, we recommend going on a Tanzania safari – you won’t find a better African safari! Or hop over the border into Uganda to trek with mountain gorillas. Alternatively, if you’ve limited time and budget, why not do one or two extra activities in the Kilimanjaro region like visit a Maasai village or a coffee farm?
