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Climb Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Route (Private) Detailed ItineraryDay 1 – Arrive Moshi. Pre-trek preparationYour Kilimanjaro climb holiday starts at check-in to your hotel. Nestled at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, Moshi is the coffee producing centre of the country and gateway to one of the most iconic mountains on our planet. Tonight you will receive a pre-trek briefing and can make any final preparations for your climb.
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| Average Time | 3 hours |
| Altitude Gained | 650 metres, from 2,100 metres to 2,750 metres |
| Summary | A relatively easy first day through lush forest |
| Accommodation | Camping at Mti Mkubwa |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 3 - Trek to Shira Camp One on Shira Plateau
On this and subsequent mornings, you’ll be woken around 6 am with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, and if the weather is clear, by a superb view of Uhuru Peak. Today’s trail gradually steepens as you head up from lush rich montane forest and through the Giant Heather Moorland Zone, a savannah of tall grasses, volcanic rock and bearded heather. You’ll also encounter giant groundsels as you hike through valleys and across streams. Lunch is taken just below the Shira Plateau.
After lunch you’ll cross the Shira Ridge (3,600m), enjoying superb views of the extinct volcano of Mount Meru and surrounding plains, to arrive on the Shira Plateau itself where you will be able to see Kilimanjaro’s great Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. Sometimes, the walls of the Western Breach are draped with extensive ice curtains. A final short walk drops gently to Shira Camp One (3,500m) set in a scenic location by a stream on the Shira Plateau. About 12 km are covered today taking around 5 hours. Most climbers tend to pace themselves, walking slowly and resting every half-hour.
| Average Time | 5 hours |
| Altitude Gained | 850 metres ascent, 100 metres descent with a net gain of 750 metres |
| Summary | Steady climb leads to splendid campsite on Shira Plateau |
| Accommodation | Camping at Shira Camp One |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 4 – Exploring the Shira Plateau on acclimatisation day; walk to Shira Hut
Today is an easy day allowing you more time to acclimatise and offering an opportunity to explore the moorland meadows and volcanic rock formations of the Shira Plateau. Although just 6 km are covered today, taking between 2 to 3 hours, you can extend this to include an optional walk, perhaps to the summit of Shira Cathedral, a prominent buttress of rock which is enclosed by pinnacles and steep spires. After a short hike west, you’ll reach Shira Camp Two located close to Shira Hut (3,840m). Temperatures at this exposed camp will be colder tonight, dropping below freezing.
| Average Time | 2-3 hours |
| Altitude Gained | 340 metres ascent |
| Summary | An easy acclimatisation day |
| Accommodation | Camping at Shira Camp Two |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 5 – Trek to Great Barranco Valley via Lava Tower
The entire Shira Plateau greets you this morning with sweeping vistas across to Meru and the Shira Needles. A steady walk takes you up to the pass at Lava Tower (4,630m), where you stop to have lunch. Standing several hundred feet high the Lava Tower is a prominent landmark and a remnant of the earlier volcanic activity of Kilimanjaro. Crossing the Bastains stream, you will begin to descend towards Barranco Camp (3,950m). This 2 hour descent takes you along an immense canyon called Grand Barranco below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall.
En route you will see numerous waterfalls which are fed by streams coming from the mountain, converging to form the Umbwe River. Your camp is at a similar altitude to last night and lies in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner. Today's walk covers 15 km.
| Average Time | 7 hours |
| Altitude Gained | 790 metres ascent, 680 metres down |
| Summary | Rocky semi-desert with dramatic views of the Lava Tower and Breach Wall |
| Accommodation | Camping at Barranco |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 6 – Trek to Karanga Valley via Great Barranco Wall
After spending a night under the imposing Great Barranco Wall, you’ll climb this awesome obstacle, which turns out to be easier than it looks. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you can now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. After lunch your route heads down into the lush Karanga Valley, where giant senecios and lobelia grow, to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route.
The last water on the route is in the Karanga Valley (3,940m). From your camp you should be able to see the jagged peaks of Mawenzi jutting out in the east. This afternoon is at leisure to either rest or explore the Karanga Valley. This short day is very important for your acclimatisation as tomorrow you’ll begin your push for the summit. Today's walk covers 7 km.
| Average Time | 3-4 hours |
| Altitude Gained | Rises 380 metres over Barranco Wall then falls back to 3,940 metres |
| Summary | A steep and exposed climb up the Barranco Wall |
| Accommodation | Camping in Karanga Valley |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 7 – Ascend scree trail on high alpine desert to Barafu
Today your route continues with a scenic climb up a ridge to Barafu (4,550m) which is mostly on a moraine with a view of Mawenzi Peak towering majestically to the right, and overhead, Kibo Peak seemingly just out of reach. The alpine desert terrain encountered at this point is mostly a mineral environment with lichens and mosses.
Tonight your tent will be pitched on a narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge, so make sure that you familiarise yourself with the terrain. You’ll take a light dinner and turn in early to try and get as much sleep as you can. Your guide should give you a short pre-climb talk after dinner. Make sure you purify plenty of drinking water for the coming night’s walk and keep your fluid levels up as much as possible at altitude. Distance covered today is around 6 km, taking 4-5 hours.
| Average Time | 4-5 hours |
| Altitude Gained | 610 metres |
| Summary | A steady climb to be followed by a much tougher night |
| Accommodation | Camping at Barafu |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 8 - Pre-sunrise trek to Stella Point, continue to Uhuru Peak; descend to Mweka Camp
You will be woken around 11.30 pm to walk through the night. This is primarily because you need the time to reach the summit and still be able to descend in daylight. Also, walking at night is easier with cold or frozen ground underfoot. With an altitude gain of 1,195 metres of vertical height and a loss of 2,795 metres, this is a challenging day for everyone. After eating and drinking whatever is on offer you should be leaving between 12.30 am and 1.00 am.
Your big day begins with a 6-hour climb northwest up through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers. At Stella Point (5,685m) you’ll stop for a short rest and a chance to see sunrise - generally considered to be the finest sunrise on earth with amazing views looking down on the plains below. If you feel up to it, the true summit is Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), a further 1 hour away with gentler gradients and easier terrain. On the summit, you can enjoy your achievement - a day that you will remember for the rest of your life.
After a 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you will have a well-earned but short rest, collect your gear, and hike down a rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100m). This camp is in the upper forest, so you can expect mist or rain in the late afternoon. Dinner, and washing water will be prepared, and the camp office sells drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates, and beer!
| Average Time | 15-16 hours (8 hours up, 7-8 hours down) |
| Altitude Gained | 1,195 metres up and 2,795 metres down |
| Terrain | A steep, rough ascent on loose scree and rocks to crater rim |
| Summary | Most strenuous stage of the route attempted after midnight |
| Accommodation | Camping at Mweka |
| Included Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Day 9 - Descend to Mweka Gate then transfer to hotel in Moshi
This morning is an easy 15 km hike (3 hours) down the Mweka Route to Mweka Gate (1,980m). After saying farewell to your guide and porters at the gate, you will continue down to Mweka village, possibly a muddy, 3 km, 1 hour hike if the road is too muddy for vehicles. Finally you will be transferred to your Moshi hotel for your last night.
| Accommodation | Bristol Cottages (or similar) |
| Included Meals | Breakfast and lunch |
Day 10 – Optional safari in Arusha National Park; trip ends
Depending on your onward travel arrangements there may be time to take an optional safari game drive in Arusha National Park. One of Tanzania’s smallest wildlife reserves, Arusha National Park is well worth a visit. Despite its lack of big cats, it does offer first sightings of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, warthog, waterbuck, baboons, monkeys, flamingos and numerous other bird species.
It is, however, the park’s variety of natural habitats and spectacular views of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro that delight most visitors. Your itinerary once in the park is flexible to a degree and can be discussed with your safari guide/driver. A popular place to head to for a picnic lunch is the rim of the Ngurdoto Crater, a vast volcanic crater inaccessible to visitors and a haven for hippo, antelope and birdlife. Your trip ends upon check out from the hotel.
| Included Meals | Breakfast |
Safari Combinations and Zanzibar Island Holidays
Why not take the opportunity of combining an ascent of 'Kili' with a Serengeti safari - we offer a great selection of northern circuit safaris. This Kilimanjaro climb itinerary has also been planned to allow adequate time for you to take one of the daily early afternoon flights from Arusha to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia Islands. If you are considering maximising your holiday time in Tanzania by staying for a second or third week, please take a look at our range of private safaris in southern Tanzania and western Tanzania, or relax and unwind on one of our Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia Island holidays.
