Lemosho Route

Lemosho

Lemosho is a classic, serene route for climbers who are looking to hike with less traffic. Because this route lies on one of the highest plateaus in the world and has Kibo Peak as it’s backdrop, the scenery cannot be beaten! There are also many options to hike at a higher elevation, yet sleep at a lower elevation, which makes this route very unique. Lemosho Route may be utilized during wet season, however, hikers who aren’t ready for a big adventure may be better off taking the Marangu Route. Some climbers on the Lemosho Route may be lucky to spot animals such as buffalo and elephants!

Overview

Lemosho is a classic, serene route for climbers who are looking to hike with less traffic.

Because this route lies on one of the highest plateaus in the world and has Kibo Peak as it’s backdrop, the scenery cannot be beaten!

There are also many options to hike at a higher elevation, yet sleep at a lower elevation, which makes this route very unique.

Lemosho Route may be utilized during wet season, however, hikers who aren’t ready for a big adventure may be better off taking the Marangu Route. Some climbers on the Lemosho Route may be lucky to spot animals such as buffalo and elephants!

Day 01

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by a representative from Keys Hotel and transferred to the hotel in Moshi (approx 1 – 1 ½ hour’s drive), where you will overnight including a continental breakfast.

There are two sister hotels – Keys Mbokomo and Keys Uru. Both of these hotels have good views of Mount Kilimanjaro and are classified as modern “tourist” standard hotels.

They are of medium size, and rooms are all en-suite.

Some have air-conditioning, television and mini-bar. Meals consist of buffet continental breakfast, full restaurant meals, bar snacks served all day and occasional barbecues.

A bar with a full range of drinks including beers, bottled water and soft drinks is available. Amenities include room service, full laundry service, swimming pool, international telephone, facsimile and internet services, car parking and security.

Leave any excess clothing and valuables at the hotel – they will lock them up for you. Pack your bag carefully for the climb – remember the weight limit of 12 kg.

Our representative will meet you either today or tomorrow morning, please feel free to ask her for any assistance you may require.

Please also chat to her about the tipping situation (I have attached a document for your perusal).

Overnight Keys Hotel Moshi

Day 02

Londorossi Gate (2375m) – Forest Camp (2895m)

Hiking time: 3-4 hours – Distance: 6km

Habitat: Rainforest

Depart from Moshi at 7:30 am for Londorossi Gate, where you will complete entry formalities.

We then drive approximately one hour to the Lemosho trail head.

Upon arrival, eat lunch and then start the 3-4 hour trek through forest to the first camp.

Overnight at Forest Camp (Mtee Mkubwa Camp). (2895m)

Day 03

Forest Camp (2895m) – Shira 1 (3720m)

Hiking time: 5-6 hours – Distance: 8km

Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast, leave camp and make your way out of the forest.

You will take a steep track into a Savanna of tall grasses, heather (ornamental plant), and volcanic rock draped with lichen beards (tree moss).

Ascend through the lush rolling hills below the Shiru Plateau, finally reaching camp at the edge of the plateau where you can see a view of Kibo Peak.

Overnight Forest Camp – Shira 1 (3720m)

Day 04

Shira 1 Camp – Fischer’s Camp (3900m)

Hiking time: 3-4 hours (without optional excursions) – Distance: 10km

Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast, embark on a full-day exploration of the Shira Plateau.

Trek east toward Kibo’s glacier peak, with the option to visit the ancient collapsed Shira cone, the oldest of Kilimanjaro three volcanoes. Arrive at Fischer’s Camp for the night.

Overnight Fischer’s Camp (3900m)

Day 05

Fischer’s Camp – Barranco Camp (3950m)

Hiking time: 5-7 hours – Distance: 15km

Habitat: Semi desert

After breakfast, proceed trekking upward for approximately four hours over expansive ridgelines of high desert to Lava Tower for lunch. In the afternoon, descend the steep track into the Great Barranco Valley.
Barranco Camp is set on a valley enclosed on three sides with the massive valley walls and the Kibo massif itself. Hanging glaciers can be seen glistening above among a landscape of fascinating plants.

Day 06

Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp (4673m)

Hiking time: 4-5 hours – Distance: 5km

Habitat: Alpine desert

This is a short trekking day but proven to be important for acclimatization.

The day begins after breakfast with a scramble up the steep “Barranco Wall” then traversing up and down the slopes of valleys which have carved their way into the mountain’s southern face.

Kibo’s glaciers are above on your left while the peaks of Mawenzi jut into the sky straight ahead. Reach Karanga Camp after 3-4 hours of trekking for a hot lunch and an afternoon of relaxation.

Day 07

Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp (5895m)

Hiking time: 4-5 hours – Distance: 4km

Habitat: Alpine desert

This trekking day is difficult but important. After breakfast, you will head out on the trail that is steadily uphill. The temperature is colder and the landscape sparse.

Barafu Camp is set on a small, exposed flat area on a ridge which acts as a base camp for which you will make your summit attempt at midnight.

Eat and drink copious amounts of water before retiring early in preparation of your midnight summit attempt.

Day 08

Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka Camp (3110m)

Hiking time: 8-9 hours – ascent/4-6 hour’s descent – Distance: 5km ascent/12km descent

Habitat: Stone screen and ice-capped

You will receive a midnight wake-up call and a steaming hot drink to start your 12-15 hours of trekking!

The temperatures range from just below freezing at midnight then -12 degrees Celsius to -23 degrees Celsius just before dawn at the summit.

After about 5 hours of walking, you will come to the edge of the crater; Stella Point (5790m) on the crater rim is the end of the steep track.

From here, there is a gentle slope about 1 hour to Uhuru Peak which climbers find to be extremely difficult but monumental to complete!

After a short time at the summit, descend the steep scree trail back to Barafu camp for some rest, and then summon your strength again for further descent to Mweka Camp for the night.

Day 09

Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate (1830m)

Hiking time: 3-4 hours – Distance: 10km

Habitat: Rainforest

Descend straight to the gate which will be a 3-4 hour trek. Upon arrival, you will enjoy lunch and be awarded climbing certificates. At this point, you will transfer to your hotel in Moshi.

From Wayne Wetherall – Wild Spirit Adventures

When you choose a climb or adventure operator there are certain points that should be checked before you place your life in their hands. Everyone has their own set of criteria – we list below some important issues regarding your Mt Kilimanjaro Climb that may be of interest.

There are a few more points that may help you in this decision:

Price issues – these always come up when groups “research“trips and then compare options. Some will want to go for the cheapest option, some want the better quality and peace of mind of booking through an experienced, reliable licensed operator. At the end of the day, you all buy safe vehicles, put safe tyres on them, and plan to live a long life – don’t compromise on something as important as summiting Kilimanjaro. Temperatures drop to minus 200C, and if you don’t have the correct gear, crew, food and so forth, you may be putting your life, and others, at risk. You want to get to the top, safely – and have a good time doing it.Just looking at our success rate of 95%+, and the AVERAGE success rate of about 50 – 60%, you have about a 30% better chance with us than a budget operator. You don’t want to waste your money. This is where our experienced staff, kit lists, detailed presentations at our offices etc help a LOT.

A lot of the reasons for our success rate boils down to money – we pay enough to get good guides, crew, and to buy you good food, and use decent equipment (which is maintained/upgraded regularly). When you consider that about $600 per person on a 6-day climb goes on park fees alone, and you work out what a budget operator has got left to run a business on, you can see that on budget trips corners will probably be cut. All to the detriment of YOU, the guest.

It has been estimated that in GOOD weather, your summit chances with a budget operator are probably only slightly less than if you climb with a decent operator. In BAD weather, the chances of summiting – indeed surviving without injury – are 40% better with a higher standard of climb. Basically a good, qualified, well paid crew, with decent leadership and good gear, is what you need – and get – from our standard of climb. It is not a luxury trip, but we ensure that both standards and service are maintained to a high level. Our trips are not cheap – and they never will be. We pay our crew well, use good gear, pay local taxes, operate ethically etc. You will however, get good value for money and a good chance at the summit.

Consider the above points well – they are ALL questions you should be asking. I am confident that, knowing the above, we will soon see you on a Wild Spirit Kilimanjaro Climb. If you want cheap, we suggest you contact many of the other “operators“ out there.

Hope to see you up there soon.

Wayne Wetherall
Wild Spirit Adventures

Mountain Safety

Safety, when undergoing these treks, is important to us and we strive to give you all available and necessary information in regards to your health and well being while going on your adventure. We strongly recommend you read the following pages of information on mountain safety – particularly in regards to health issues that can occur at high altitudes and in unfamilar climates.

High Altitude Travel Notes
Medical List and Altitude Sickness

What’s Included

What’s Excluded

“Adventure Grade” Camping Safaris

“Adventure Grade” Camping Safaris are run with a crew of a cook / assistant plus guide. It is a viable option for those keen to camp and stay in more remote places.

You are accompanied by an experienced, knowledgeable guide, a camp assistant and a cook – all fully trained professionals who will prioritise your comfort and safety as well as striving to ensure optimal game-viewing opportunities throughout your journey.

Meals usually consist of a cooked breakfast or brunch, light lunch and a three course dinner. Fridges are used for safe and efficient storage of meat and food, and cool boxes are used for keeping your drinks cold – your guide will show you the best places to purchase these prior to departure and along the way.

You are requested to erect your own tent on arrival at camp and dismantle your tent on departure. This is very simple to do and takes about five minutes – your guide will show you how this is done. The balance of the chores (cooking, washing up, etc) will be taken care of by the camp assistant and cook.

It is important to note that this is a quality camping product, and not a luxury mobile camp. Accommodation is in the public campsites of Tanzania’s National Parks and, despite our best efforts, we have very little control over the quality and standards of ablution facilities at the campsite.

Please be aware that the toilets in public campsites are long-drop style without flush.

Game viewing at Lake Manyara National Park with picnic lunch included.

Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake at the base of a sheer stretch of the western Rift Valley escarpment.

The north-western area of this lake is protected in a 330 square kilometre national park, which contains a remarkable diversity of terrestrial habitats: the grassy floodplain of the lakeshore, the rocky base of the escarpment, a belt of thick acacia woodland and a lush patch of groundwater forest just inside the northern entrance gate. An interesting biodiversity of fauna and flora can be observed here and a variety of large mammal species including elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and lion.

Perhaps, however, the most immediately visible residents are the troupes of olive baboon, sometimes found in the company of the smaller and rather beautiful blue monkey. This is also a wonderful location for viewing groups of elephant and, for keen birders, Manyara has recorded almost 400 species due to the wide habitat diversity.

After game viewing, you will weave your way upwards into the dense forest slopes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, pausing to admire the splendid view of the crater floor 600 m below at Heroes Point, before driving on to our campsite on the rim of the Ngorongoro caldera.

If we arrive and set up camp in good time, you may consider an early evening/sunset visit to a Maasai boma where you can spend some time learning about the culture, traditions and beliefs of this ancient, noble warrior tribe. This visit is at an additional cost, and should be discussed with, and paid directly to the guide.

Trekking Gear List – Mount Kilimanjaro

(This is our recommendation of gear required)

Gear List – Mount Kilimanjaro

* If travelling with friends or part of a group you may be able to share some of the above items e.g. creams / lotions.
* This list is our recommendation of what to take

FAQ - The Kilimanjaro

The Kilimanjaro Adventurer

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Safari

  • Duration: 2 Days
  • Led By: Locally LED
  • Price: $1,463.00

Ngorongoro & Serengeti Safari

  • Duration: 2 Days
  • Led By: Locally LED
  • Price: $1,463.00

Ngorongoro & Serengeti Safari

  • Duration: 5 Days
  • Led By: Locally LED
  • Price: $2,195.00

Ngorongoro & Serengeti Safari

  • Duration: 7 Days
  • Led By: Locally LED
  • Price: $2,395.00