10 Days Climbing Kilimanjaro, Lemosho route in 7 days

Day 1: Arrival Kilmanjaro airport

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, our driver will transfer you to the hotel. Settle in and take time to relax and to get used to the African atmosphere. It is possible to book an extra day of rest prior to start of the climb, to give you ample time to acclimatise and recover from the flight. This extra day increases your chances of reaching the summit.

NOTE: The hotel below is suggestion for the first and last night. Depending on your preference we can offer you various options, from basic to luxurious accommodations. The choice is yours!

Day 2: Drop off (3500 m/ 11,483 ft) – Shira 1 (3505 m/ 11,499 ft)

Elevation gain: 5 m | Distance: 5 km | Walking time: 1-2 hours Difficulty: easy | Environment: meadows

Your guide will arrive at the hotel in the morning, and you will drive approximately 4 hours by car to the west entrance of Kilimanjaro National Park (2,200 m). The road leads through beautiful tropical rainforest. You arrive at the drop-off point at 3,500 meters where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Shira plateau for the first time. The walking route to the first camp is a flat which allows you to get used to the high altitude. This will be your first day at this height, so it is highly recommended to follow these instructions from here: Drink as much water as possible. You can possibly take a Diamox tablet in case of symptoms of altitude sickness.

Day 3: Shira 1 (3505 m/ 11,499 ft) – Shira 2 Camp (3900 m/ 12,795 ft)

Elevation gain: 395 m | Distance: 7 km | Walking time: 3-4 | Difficulty: easy | Environment: heather

In the morning you will depart from Shira 1 Camp (3,505 m) to Shira 2 Camp (3,900 m). This walk is not difficult and you can enjoy a beautiful view of Africa and the unique flora of Kilimanjaro’s surroundings. Shira 2 Camp is the perfect location to see Mount Meru (the fifth peak of Africa) – but you will only see the peak when the weather is clear. When you arrive at the camp you will have lunch and a 2 hours to rest, before you can take an acclimatization walk to Lava Tower Camp (elevation gain of 200m).

Note: The acclimatization walk is an easy hike with a slight rise in height, this will accelerate the acclimatization process. The acclimatization hikes are very important, they will increase your chances of success to summit and reduce the chance of altitude sickness

Day 4: Shira 2 Camp (3900 m/ 12,795 ft) – Lava Tower (4630 m/ 15,190 ft) – Barranco Camp (3960 m/ 12,992 ft)

Elevation gain: 730 m/ 2,395 ft | Elevation loss: 630 m/ 2,066 ft | Distance: 12 km | Walking time: 6-8 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

Today the Lemosho route joins the Machame route. Today’s hike leads from Shira Camp 2 to the beautiful Lava Tower. This part of the climb has many asents and descents and offers beautiful views along the way. It is a long hike and you may start to feel a bit uncomfortable because of the height. It is therefore important to stay at Lava Tower for 1 to 2 hours in order for your body to adjust to the altitude. We will use this time to have lunch here. After lunch, you descend to Barranco Camp. Here you will encounter strange looking flowering plants that grow up to five meters high! The Barranco Camp is located at the foot of the imposing Barranco Wall, which is impressive due to its sheer size and steepness. Fortunately, the path leading to it is not that difficult.

Option: If there are participants who prefer to choose a lower altitude route (instead of lava tower), it can be adjusted to a one with a maximum altitude of 4400 meters.

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3960 m/ 12,992 ft) – Karanga Camp (4035 m/ 13,238 ft)

Elevation gain: 75 m/ 246 ft | Distance: 5 km | Walking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: heather

After breakfast you depart from Barranco Camp to the Barranco Wall. For many people this is their favorite part of the climb, partly because of the beautiful views. Once at the top of the Barranco Wall, for example, you have a spectacular view to the left of Kibo Volcano and to the right of Mount Meru. Afterwards a more difficult hike starts to reach Karanga Camp. This route has many ascents and descents, but our guides are experts in choosing the right route and the right pace. When the camp is reached, it is time for lunch. After a few hours of rest, you will take an acclimatization hike from Barafu Camp, where you will have to complete an ascent with 300 meters elevation gain and then descend back to the camp.

Day 6: Karanga Camp (4035 m/ 13,238) – Barafu Camp (4640 m/ 15,223 ft)

Elevation gain: 605 m/ 1,984 ft | Distance: 6 km | Walking time: 4-5 hours | Difficulty: medium | Environment: alpine desert

After breakfast the hike to Barafu Camp starts. This is the starting point for your ascent to the Uhuru Peak – the top of Kilimanjaro! You will arrive at the camp around lunch. Tents are set up in advance to relax on arrival at the camp. After you regain your strength, you can take an acclimatization hike to Kosovo Summit Camp (4800m) and then back to Barafu Camp. There, a hot meal will be served when you return and you can relax for the rest of the day before starting the ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro around midnight!

Day 7: Barafu Camp (4640 m/ 15,223 ft) – Uhuru Peak (5895 m/ 19,340 ft) – Millennium Camp (3820 m/ 12,532 ft)

Elevation gain: 1255 m/ 4,117 ft | Elevation loss: 2075 m/ 6,807 ft | Distance: 15 km | Walking time: 8-12 hours | Difficulty: difficult | Environment: arctic

At night you depart Barafu Camp to start your ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak). It is a climb on good trails and the most challenging part is the high altitude. There is one personal guide per two climbers in order to keep a close eye on the climbers physically and mentally health. If the ascent is successful, you can descend to the nearest glacier if you wish. Then you return to Barafu Camp to start the descent to Millennium Camp after 2 hours of rest. When descending, pay close attention to where you put your feet to prevent any injury.

Day 8: Millennium Camp (3820 m/ 12,532 ft) – Mweka Gate (1650 m/ 5,413 ft)

Elevation loss: 2170 m/ 7,119 ft | Distance: 12 km | Walking time: 4-5 | Difficulty: easy |Environment: rain forest

The Camp is located in a tropical rainforest. You will awake with a pleasant feeling due to the reduction in altitude and the satisfaction of reaching the summit. After breakfast you will exit the park and the entire group comes together to congratulate each other.

The cost of the hotel is not yet included in the price. In consultation we are happy to find a hotel that suits your needs best.

Day 9- 10: to Kilimanjaro airport

Today you can relax at the lodge or explore the surrounding area. You can choose to extend your journey with a beautiful Sir Tours Safari. Another option is to unwind on the tropical Zanzibar Island or one of the other exotic beach destinations. If you choose to fly home after your Kilimanjaro trek, you will arrive back home on day 10.