How difficult is the Lemosho Route?

The Lemosho Route is considered moderately difficult, with a gradual ascent and excellent acclimatization opportunities, making it suitable for beginners with good fitness.

What is the success rate for summiting Kilimanjaro via Lemosho Route?

Due to its longer duration and better acclimatization profile, the summit success rate is around 90% for well-prepared climbers.

Do I need prior mountaineering experience?

No technical climbing skills are required, but good physical fitness and stamina are essential.

What is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro?

The best months for trekking are June to October and December to February when the weather is dry and visibility is clear.

How cold does it get at the summit?

Temperatures at Uhuru Peak can drop to -20°C (-4°F) or lower, so proper thermal gear is necessary.

10-Day Kilimanjaro Climbing Itinerary (Lemosho Route)

This 10-day Kilimanjaro trekking adventure via the Lemosho Route offers a well-paced and scenic climb to Africa’s highest peak. The route is known for its breathtaking landscapes, gradual altitude gain, and high success rate for summiting. Starting at Londorossi Gate, the trail winds through lush rainforests, alpine meadows, and rocky ridges before reaching the summit at Uhuru Peak. With experienced guides, well-planned acclimatization days, and full support from our team, this trek provides an incredible opportunity to conquer Kilimanjaro safely and successfully.

Accomodation
Mountain Camps (Tents)
Admission Fee
Included in the package
Arrival City
Arusha / Moshi
Best Season
October, December – February
Departure City
Arusha / Moshi
Meals
Full-board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Meeting Point
Hotel in Arusha / Moshi
Tour Availability
Daily departures with prior booking
Transportation
4x4 vehicle to the starting point

Overview

Itinerary

FAQs

Map

About the Lemosho Route

The Lemosho Route is considered one of the most beautiful trails on Mount Kilimanjaro, offering spectacular views and a less crowded path to the summit. It begins on the western side of the mountain at Londorossi Gate, passing through pristine rainforest before ascending to the Shira Plateau. Trekkers then merge with the Machame Route and navigate famous landmarks such as Lava Tower, Barranco Wall, and Karanga Valley before reaching the final ascent at Barafu Camp. This route provides excellent acclimatization opportunities, increasing the chances of a successful summit at Uhuru Peak.

Trip Highlights

Stunning and diverse landscapes, from lush rainforests to alpine deserts
Less crowded and more scenic than other routes
Gradual ascent for better acclimatization and higher summit success rates
Trek through iconic landmarks like Lava Tower, Barranco Wall, and the Shira Plateau
Professional guides and porters for a safe and supported climb
Unforgettable sunrise summit at Uhuru Peak, 5,895m

Day 01 :

KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO ARUSHA

Your first night is to be spent at coffeeLodge in Arusha. If you have chosen to be picked-up by us from Kilimanjaro International Airport, your Calabash Adventures driver will be waiting to meet and welcome you and take you to your lodge in Arusha to relax after your flight

Accommodation: Coffee LodgeMeal Plan: Bed,Breakfast, and Dinner
Journey time and Distance: 1 hour, 55 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha

Day 02 :

LONDOROSSI GATE & STARTING POINT – MTI MKUBWA

After an early breakfast (07.00), we leave the hotel one hour later to arrive at the Londorossi Gate for registration around 12.00, and in time to have our picnic lunch. After Londorossi, we have a short drive to the start-point of today’s walk. Today our walk is a distance of 7km, with an expected 3.5 to 4 hours of walking time. Our starting altitude is some 2100 metres and we finish at 2700 metres. Our approach to the mountain is from the west and some people say this provides the best views of Kilimanjaro. At the start of our walk, we may be lucky enough to spy some colobus or blue monkeys, though an encounter with buffalo, elephant or leopard would be rare nowadays. Our walk, steadily upwards, is a wonderful experience, with fantastic forest and some colourful flowers. Mti Mkubwa Camp (‘Big Tree Camp’) is normally reached by 18.00 and dinner is served at 19.30.

Accommodation: Mti Mkubwa Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 4 hours, 2700 m from Londorosi Gate to Mti Mkubwa

Day 03 :

MTI MKUBWA – SHIRA 1 CAMP

You will soon become used to the early, 07.00 breakfast and our departure time is at 08.00. Although our walking distance is similar to yesterday, today we will be ascending from 2700 metres to 3500 metres and we expect a longer walking time of between 6.5 and 7 hours. Today, the trees of our first day thin out, we eventually leave the forest environment behind as we move onto the moorland and are able to get our first view of both the Shira Plateau and Kibo itself. As ever, you should concentrate on walking pole pole (slowly) to reduce the chances of feeling unwell. Our direction is largely eastwards, picnic lunch is taken around 13.00. Walking is steep at first after lunch, but then flattens and with the snow-topped Kibo ahead of you, you descend slightly to the Shira 1 Camp. Arriving at around 16.00, our dinner will be ready at 18.30

Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 7 hours, 3500 m from Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp

Day 04 :

SHIRA 1 CAMP – SHIRA 2 CAMP

Compared to yesterday, our climbing today is less (350 metres of ascent) and takes us up to an altitude of 3850 metres. The distance we cover will be similar, at approximately 7km. It is a steady, uphill climb and you should expect about 3.5 to 4 hours of walk time in total. Our breakfast today is at the civilised hour of 08.00 and our departure one hour later. We set off in a south-eastern direction across the moor and heathland of the Shira Plateau. Buffalo, dik-dik and klipspringer graze here and can occasionally be seen. We intend to reach Shira 2 Camp – which is also known as Shira Huts – by 13.00, in time to be served a hot lunch. Dinner tonight will be 18.00

Accommodation: Shira 2 Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 4 hours, 3850 m from Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp

Day 05 :

SHIRA 2 CAMP – BARRANCO CAMP

Today we are back to our early, 07.00 breakfast time, ready for 08.30 departure. We have around 10km to cover, but although we will finish our day only 90 metres higher than we started it, in between we have to climb to the foot of the Lava Tower (4267 metres) before we then descend once more, down to Barranco for our overnight stop. You can expect around 6.5 to 7 hours of walking, during which time you leave the Shira Ridge and the Lemosho Route joins up with the more popular Machame trail. The scenery today changes to predominantly Alpine desert. Your picnic lunch will be at 13.00, arrival at Barranco around 16.00 and dinner at about 19.00

Accommodation: Barranco Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 7 hours, 4267 m from Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp

Day 06 :

BARRANCO CAMP – KARANGA CAMP

Today we breakfast slightly later (07.30) and our walk is short, being only 4km but still taking between 3.5 and 4 hours of walking time. Our departure time today will be 08.30 and we will enjoy a hot lunch at 13.00 at Karanga and have the afternoon to enjoy the views before dinner at 18.00. Our altitude gain today is only 160 metres. At the beginning, we encounter the hardest part of today’s stage as we have to scramble up the near-vertical face of the Barranco Wall (also commonly referred to as the ‘Breakfast Wall’ as you tackle it right after your breakfast!). At the top of this climb, you will be rewarded with views of the Heim Glacier. After this, the rest of today’s walk becomes a bit easier as we first descend to the gully below, and into the cold but beautiful Karanga Valley. We then continue and finally climb up a steep series of zig-zags until reaching the Karanga Camp

Accommodation: Karanga Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 4 hours, 4427 m from Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Day 07 :

KARANGA CAMP – BARAFU CAMP

Another short day -in terms of distance – begins with our breakfast at the camp at 07.30 and another 08.30 departure. Today we will ascend about 500 metres in a distance of around 5km and walking time once again is between 3.5 and 4 hours. We will be aiming to arrive the Barafu Camp by 13.00, when we will be rewarded with a hot lunch. (With tomorrow being the summit day, it will be important to relax and prepare for the hard work ahead.) Dinner tonight is served at 17.30, giving you time to get to bed early. After leaving Karanga, today’s stage climbs steadily, passing through barren, rocky landscape, with the Decken and Kersten glaciers visible away to your left. At the top of the climb, the landscape remains bleak as you descend into a valley and you get your first sight of another glacier, Rebmann. At the end of this valley is today’s goal, the Barafu Camp, at which you arrive after a short, steep scramble and a walk

Accommodation: Barafu Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 4 hours, 4927 m from Karranga Camp to Barafu Camp

Day 08 :

BARAFU CAMP – UHURU (SUMMIT) – MWEKA CAMP

Today is the most challenging day, but hopefully with the great sense of achievement of reaching your goal – the summit of Kilimanjaro! Our schedule for our ‘Summit Day’ is of course very different. Rising at 23.00, we take our tea and biscuits (23.30) before a midnight departure. The day starts with the long, tough climb from Barafu at 4600 metres to Stella Point at 5745 metres; for some of this you will be walking on scree, making your trek more difficult. From there it is another 150 metres of ascent and 45 minutes’ walk to the summit. Our goal is to reach the summit by around 07.00 then celebrate reaching the top, take our precious photos and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the summit, we return to Barafu, where we rest for a couple of hours, take a hot lunch and then leave again at 13.30 to continue to descend to Mweka Camp (3100 metres) where we spend the night. We would expect to arrive at 17.00 and take our dinner at 19.00. (In total, we cover around 17km today with about 13 hours of walking.)

Accommodation: Mweka Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Altitude: 13 hours, 5895 m from Karranga Camp to Barafu Camp

Day 09 :

MWEKA CAMP – MWEKA GATE – ARUSHA

Still thrilled by your achievement, breakfast is taken at 07.00 and at 08.00 you can take the chance to reward your trekking team at the ‘Tipping Celebration.’ Departure is at 09.00 and you descend down to Mweka Gate at an altitude of 1640 metres, where you will be served a hot lunch at midday and be presented with your hard-earned certificate. Your transport will be waiting to return you back to your Hotel in Arusha, where you can choose to relax – or celebrate!

Accommodation: Karama Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box
Journey time: 3 hours from Mweka Gate to Arusha

Day 10 :

DEPARTURE – KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

After a good night’s rest at your lodge, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00. (If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for day room which ends at 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.) If you have booked a transfer to the airport, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travellers who have booked to go on safari, our Easy Travel guide will be meeting you in the evening to provide you with a briefing.

Meal Plan: Breakfast
Journey time and Distance: 5 hours, 245 km from Arusha to Kilimanjaro International Airport