Your Lemosho Route adventure begins with arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) where our representative will greet you with a warm "Karibu!" (Welcome!). We'll transfer you to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi where you can relax after your journey. In the evening, our lead guide will conduct a comprehensive pre-climb briefing covering all aspects of your upcoming adventure.

Key Activities: Airport pickup, hotel check-in, gear check, comprehensive briefing, meet your guide, final preparations.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Arusha/Moshi

Meals: Dinner (if arrival time permits)

Altitude: 1,400m / 4,593ft

After breakfast, we drive approximately 3 hours to Londorossi Gate (2,100m) for registration and meet our full climbing team. Today's short trek takes us through beautiful, dense rainforest where you might spot wildlife including colobus monkeys and various bird species. The trail is less traveled than other routes, offering a true wilderness experience. We'll reach Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp in the afternoon with plenty of time to acclimatize.

Key Activities: Drive to Londorossi Gate, registration, rainforest trek, wildlife spotting, camp setup, acclimatization walk.

Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain: +650m / +2,133ft

Terrain: Rainforest with moss-covered trees, gentle trails

Today we leave the rainforest and enter the heath and moorland zone. The trail climbs steadily through thinning forest into open heathland with stunning views of the Shira Plateau. You'll notice dramatic changes in vegetation as we gain altitude. We'll pass through the picturesque Shira Plateau, one of Kilimanjaro's three volcanic cones that collapsed millions of years ago. Shira 1 Camp offers panoramic views of Kibo Peak and the surrounding landscape.

Key Activities: Moorland trek, Shira Plateau crossing, photography opportunities, acclimatization, sunset views of Kibo.

Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain: +750m / +2,461ft

Terrain: Rocky path, moorland with giant heather and lobelia

A relatively easy day trekking across the Shira Plateau. The trail is mostly flat with a gradual ascent, allowing for excellent acclimatization. We'll explore the Shira Plateau's unique landscape, with optional afternoon hikes to Shira Cathedral or nearby viewpoints. The extra day at altitude significantly improves your acclimatization and increases summit success chances.

Key Activities: Plateau trek, optional acclimatization hikes, photography, rest and acclimatization.

Accommodation: Shira 2 Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain: +350m / +1,148ft

Terrain: Gentle plateau, rocky paths

This is a key acclimatization day following the "climb high, sleep low" principle. We trek eastward across the Shira Plateau, passing the striking Lava Tower (4,630m) where we'll stop for lunch. After lunch, we descend nearly 700m into the Great Barranco Valley, which provides excellent acclimatization. The descent into Barranco Camp offers spectacular views of the Breach Wall and the Heim Glacier. Today's altitude variation helps your body adjust to higher elevations.

Key Activities: Acclimatization trek to Lava Tower, descent to Barranco Valley, photography at Barranco Wall, sunset views.

Accommodation: Barranco Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain/Loss: +780m / -680m (net +100m)

Terrain: Alpine desert, rocky scree, valley descent

We begin with the famous Barranco Wall scramble - a non-technical but steep section requiring some easy scrambling. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of the climb. After conquering the wall, we trek along a relatively flat path with spectacular views of the southern glaciers. We descend into the Karanga Valley before ascending to Karanga Camp. This shorter day allows for additional acclimatization and rest before summit night.

Key Activities: Barranco Wall scramble, glacier views, valley crossing, acclimatization, rest afternoon.

Accommodation: Karanga Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain: +45m / +148ft

Terrain: Scrambling section, ridge walking, valley ascents/descents

Today's trek takes us to Barafu Camp, our base camp for the summit attempt. The trail climbs steadily through barren alpine desert with minimal vegetation. We'll arrive at Barafu Camp by early afternoon, giving you time to rest, hydrate, and prepare your summit gear. After an early dinner, we try to sleep for a few hours before waking at around 11 PM for the final summit push. Our guides will conduct a detailed summit briefing covering clothing layers, pacing, and safety procedures.

Key Activities: Alpine desert trek, arrival at base camp, summit preparation, gear check, final briefing, early rest.

Accommodation: Barafu Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain: +678m / +2,224ft

Terrain: Rocky alpine desert, steep ascents

SUMMIT NIGHT (11 PM - 7 AM): We wake at around 11 PM for hot tea and biscuits before beginning our summit attempt. Using headlamps, we trek slowly ("pole pole") through the night. We'll pass Stella Point (5,739m) at sunrise, where you'll witness one of Africa's most spectacular dawns. From Stella Point, it's approximately 1 hour along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) - the highest point in Africa! We'll celebrate, take photos, and then descend back to Barafu Camp for a short rest.

DESCENT (10 AM - 4 PM): After resting at Barafu Camp, we continue descending to Mweka Camp (3,100m) through varied terrain. This long but rewarding day ends at Mweka Camp where we can finally rest properly after our summit achievement.

Key Activities: Summit attempt, sunrise at Stella Point, Uhuru Peak celebration, descent to Mweka Camp, celebration dinner.

Accommodation: Mweka Camp (tents)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Altitude Gain/Loss: +1,222m / -2,795m

Terrain: Steep scree, rocky paths, gradual descent through multiple zones

Our final morning on Kilimanjaro! After breakfast, we descend through rainforest to Mweka Gate (1,640m). At the gate, you'll receive your official summit certificate (gold for reaching Uhuru Peak, green for Stella Point). We'll celebrate with our entire climbing team before transferring back to your hotel in Arusha/Moshi. The afternoon is free for relaxing, hot showers, and celebrating your incredible achievement. In the evening, we'll enjoy a proper celebration dinner together.

Key Activities: Final descent, certificate presentation, team celebration, hotel transfer, celebration dinner, departure preparations.

Accommodation: Hotel in Arusha/Moshi

Meals: Breakfast, Celebration Dinner

Altitude Loss: -1,460m / -4,790ft

Departure: You can depart anytime on Day 10, or extend your stay for safari or beach holiday

The Lemosho Route is widely regarded as Kilimanjaro's best route due to its combination of stunning scenery, low traffic (especially in the first days), excellent acclimatization profile (8 days), and high success rate (95%+). Starting on the remote western side, it offers a true wilderness experience before joining the more popular routes higher up. The gradual ascent and extra day make it ideal for both first-time climbers and experienced trekkers seeking the best overall experience.

Lemosho is generally considered superior to Machame for several reasons: 1) Longer duration (8 vs 7 days) for better acclimatization, 2) More scenic with remote western approach, 3) Lower traffic in early days, 4) Higher success rates (95% vs 90%). While both routes are excellent, Lemosho's extra day and wilderness start make it our recommended choice for those who can spare the additional time. Machame is slightly more challenging due to steeper trails and one less acclimatization day.

Overall Lemosho Route success rates average 85-90%, but with our 8-day itinerary and expert guides, we achieve 95%+ success rates. The key factors are: 8-day duration (not 7), optimal acclimatization (extra day on Shira Plateau and "climb high, sleep low" on Day 5), experienced guides, and good physical preparation. The additional day makes a significant difference in both safety and summit success compared to shorter routes.

The best climbing seasons are: Dry Seasons: June-October (cool, dry, clear) & December-March (warmer, dry). Shoulder Seasons: November & April-May (possible rain, fewer climbers, lower prices). Lemosho's western approach can be affected by rain more than other routes during wet seasons, but the trail drains reasonably well. We recommend dry seasons for first-time climbers and shoulder seasons for experienced trekkers seeking maximum solitude.

Absolutely! Most climbers combine Kilimanjaro with a Tanzania safari (4-7 days) and/or Zanzibar beach holiday (3-7 days). We recommend: Climb first (when you're fittest), then safari (more relaxing), then beach (recovery). Popular combinations: 8-day Lemosho + 5-day Serengeti/Ngorongoro safari, or 8-day Lemosho + 4-day Zanzibar. We can create customized packages including all transfers and logistics. Many climbers find the combination creates the ultimate African adventure.

Lemosho is significantly less crowded than Machame, especially in the first 3-4 days. The remote western start sees far fewer climbers. Traffic increases after merging with the Machame route around Barranco Camp. During peak seasons (July-September, January-February), you'll encounter more climbers but still far fewer than on Machame. For maximum solitude, consider shoulder seasons or our private climbs. The route's length and remote start naturally limit crowds.