8 Days Lemosho Route Kilimanjaro Climb
Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights
Group Size
Unlimited
Travel Styles
Trekking
Starts from $3,012​ Per person
Overview of the Lemosho route
The 8-day Lemosho trek is a strong Kilimanjaro choice for climbers who want a slower, more scenic and better-paced route. It begins lower on the western side of Kilimanjaro, enters through forest, crosses the Shira Plateau, passes Lava Tower, follows the southern circuit through Barranco and Karanga, then climbs to Barafu for the summit attempt. This 10-day tour includes arrival and departure days, giving clients a complete and organized mountain program with Guruguru Safaris.
Why Choose the 8-Day Lemosho Trek?
This version adds an extra trekking day compared with the shorter Lemosho option. The benefit is a gentler start, better rhythm on the mountain, and more time for the body to adjust before the high camps. It is especially suitable for first-time high-altitude trekkers, couples, families, and travelers who prefer a less rushed Kilimanjaro climb.
Unlike the shorter Lemosho variations that often begin with a higher vehicle drop-off, this program starts lower at the western forest entrance. That makes the first mountain day more gradual and gives climbers the classic Kilimanjaro transition from rainforest to moorland, alpine desert, and summit zone.Â
Route Summary
| Route Detail | Information |
|---|---|
|
Route |
Lemosho Route |
|
Duration |
10 days total, including arrival and departure; 8 days on the mountain |
|
Trek Start |
Trek Start Londorossi Gate / Lemosho western forest approach |
|
Mountain Accommodation |
Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut, and Kibo Hut |
|
Highest Point |
Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m / 19,341 ft |
|
Finish Point |
Mweka Gate, followed by transfer back to hotel |
|
Difficulty |
Moderate to challenging; suitable for fit beginners with preparation and experienced hikers |
|
Best For |
Climbers who want the scenic forest start, steady acclimatization, and a less rushed Kilimanjaro experience |
Kilimanjaro Trek Packing List
Get PDF Safari Packing List + Useful Tips
Get PDF Safari Packing List + Useful Tips
Prices for Marangu route
8-DAY CLIMBING (+ 2 days in a hotel)
Price per person
1 Pax
$5,016
2 pax
$3,837
3 pax
$3,458
4 pax
$3,415
5 pax
$3,323
6 pax
$3,156
7 pax
$3,085
8+ pax
$3,012
8-DAY CLIMBING (+ 2 days in a hotel)
Price per person
1 Pax
$10,274
2 pax
$7,184
3 pax
$6,608
4 pax
$6,392
5 pax
$6,285
6 pax
$6,168
7 pax
$5,793
8+ pax
$5,662
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport - Transfer to Hotel
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Guruguru Safaris representative and transferred to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi. The rest of the day is reserved for recovery after your flight, gear organization, and personal preparation before the climb.
In the evening, your mountain guide will conduct a detailed briefing. The briefing covers the route plan, altitude safety, daily trekking rhythm, packing check, weather expectations, tipping guidance, and how the Guruguru Safaris mountain crew will support you during the expedition.
Meal Plan
Dinner and overnight at the hotel, or as confirmed in the final quotation
Overnight
Hotel in Arusha or Moshi
Day 2
Hotel - Londorossi Gate - Lemosho Forest - Mti Mkubwa Camp
After breakfast, your Guruguru Safaris guide and mountain crew will meet you at the hotel for a final equipment check before driving to the western side of Kilimanjaro. The drive to Londorossi Gate passes through rural landscapes, farms, forest edges, and mountain villages.
At Londorossi Gate, the team completes park registration, permit checks, and porter luggage weighing. After the formalities, you continue to the Lemosho trailhead and begin the first trekking section through lush rainforest.
The trail to Mti Mkubwa Camp, also known as Big Tree Camp, is a gentle but active introduction to the mountain. The forest can be humid, muddy, and alive with birds and colobus monkeys. Walk slowly from the first day, drink water often, and allow your body to settle into the mountain pace.
Acclimatization hike:
Main area
Rainforest zone
Hiking distance:
Approx. 6-7 km
Trekking Time:
3-4 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Overnight
Mti Mkubwa Camp / Big Tree Camp
Day 3
Mti Mkubwa Camp - Shira 1 Camp
Today the trail gradually leaves the rainforest and enters the heather and moorland zone. The landscape opens as you gain altitude, with wider views and a stronger sense of the mountain ahead.
The climb is steady, with some steeper sections as you approach the Shira Ridge. Your guides will keep the pace slow and controlled to support acclimatization. This is not a race; the goal is to arrive at camp feeling stable and ready for the next stage.
By afternoon, you reach Shira 1 Camp on the edge of the Shira Plateau. This is your first open highland camp, with big skies, cooler temperatures, and beautiful views when the weather is clear.
Acclimatization hike:
Main Area
Forest to moorland
Hiking distance:
Approx. 8 km
Hiking time:
5-6 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight
Shira 1 Camp
Day 4
Shira 1 Camp - Shira 2 Camp - Acclimatization Hike
After breakfast, you cross more of the Shira Plateau, one of the most scenic and open areas on the Lemosho Route. The walking is generally moderate, and the views can stretch toward Mount Meru and the plains below when the sky is clear.
Depending on the group pace and weather, your guide may include a scenic detour around Cathedral Peak or continue directly to Shira 2 Camp. Both options help keep the day manageable while maintaining good acclimatization progress.
After lunch and rest at Shira 2 Camp, you will complete a short acclimatization walk toward the direction of Lava Tower before returning to camp. This helps the body adjust by following the useful mountain principle of climbing higher and sleeping lower.
Acclimatization hike:
Acclimatization
1-2 hours
Hiking distance:
Approx. 7 km
Hiking time:
3-4 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Overnight
Shira 2 Camp
Day 5
Shira 2 Camp - Lava Tower - Barranco Camp
This is one of the most important acclimatization days of the climb. The trail climbs steadily toward Lava Tower, a dramatic volcanic formation at high altitude. You may feel the altitude more clearly today, so slow walking, hydration, and honest communication with your guide are essential.
Lunch is normally taken around the Lava Tower area before descending toward Barranco Camp. The descent is useful because your body receives high-altitude exposure during the day but sleeps lower at night.
Barranco Camp sits below the famous Barranco Wall, with dramatic views of Kibo and the surrounding valleys. The wall may look intimidating from camp, but it follows a non-technical hiking route that your Guruguru Safaris guides will manage carefully the next morning.
Acclimatization hike:
Key Point
Lava Tower
Hiking distance:
12 km
Hiking time:
6-8 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Overnight
Barranco Camp
Day 6
Barranco Camp - Barranco Wall - Karanga Camp
The day begins with the climb up Barranco Wall, one of the most memorable sections of the Lemosho Route. It is not a technical rock climb, but it requires focus, patience, and careful steps in a few short places.
After reaching the top of the wall, the trail continues through ridges and valleys with views across the southern circuit of Kilimanjaro. Although the distance is short, the repeated ups and downs make the day more active than it first appears.
You arrive at Karanga Camp in time for lunch and a quieter afternoon. The rest period here is valuable before moving higher to Barafu. Your guide will continue health checks and monitor how everyone is adapting to altitude.
Acclimatization hike:
Main Feature
Barranco Wall
Hiking distance:
Approx. 5 km
Hiking time:
4-5 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and early dinner.
Overnight
Karanga Camp
Day 7
Karanga Camp - Barafu Camp
After breakfast, you leave Karanga and continue toward Barafu Camp, the base camp for the final summit attempt. The route becomes drier, rockier, and more alpine as you approach the high mountain zone.
On arrival at Barafu, the priority is rest. Your crew will prepare camp and meals while you conserve energy for the night ahead. Drink water, organize your summit clothes, prepare your headlamp, and keep your daypack simple.
Your guide will explain the summit schedule, cold-weather layers, water management, and the slow pole pole rhythm needed for the ascent. You will have an early dinner and try to sleep before the midnight wake-up call.
Acclimatization hike:
Main Goal
Summit preparation
Hiking distance:
Approx. 4-6 km
Hiking time:
4-5 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast, lunch, and early dinner
Overnight
Barafu Camp
Day 8
Barafu Camp - Uhuru Peak - Millennium Camp
Around midnight, you begin the summit push toward Stella Point and Uhuru Peak. This is the hardest part of the expedition because of cold temperatures, darkness, steep volcanic scree, and high altitude. Guruguru Safaris guides will keep the pace slow, check the group regularly, and support every climber step by step.
Reaching Uhuru Peak is the highest point in Africa and the main goal of the climb. After photos and a short celebration at the summit, you descend carefully back toward Barafu Camp for rest and refreshments.
The descent continues to Millennium Camp, where thicker air and lower altitude bring relief after the long summit day. The team will encourage careful footing because many climbers are tired after reaching the top.
Acclimatization hike:
Highest Point
Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m
Hiking distance:
Approx. 15 km
Hiking time:
8-12 hours
Meal Plan
Light midnight snack, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Overnight
Millennium Camp
Day 9
Millennium Camp - Mweka Gate - Transfer to Hotel
After breakfast, you begin the final descent through the rainforest toward Mweka Gate. The air becomes warmer and thicker as you lose altitude, and the trail gradually returns to the lush lower slopes of Kilimanjaro.
At Mweka Gate, the group completes park exit formalities. Successful climbers receive Kilimanjaro certificates before saying thank you to the guides, cook, and porters who supported the expedition.
A Guruguru Safaris vehicle will transfer you back to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi. The rest of the day is for a hot shower, rest, and celebrating the achievement.
Acclimatization hike:
Finish
Mweka Gate
Hiking distance:
Approx. 12 km
Hiking time:
4-5 hours
Meal Plan
Breakfast and lunch; dinner at the hotel or as confirmed in the quotation.
Overnight
Hotel in Arusha or Moshi
Day 10
Departure - Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport
After breakfast, relax at the hotel until your scheduled airport transfer. Depending on your flight time, you may add a short Arusha or Moshi town visit, coffee experience, souvenir shopping, or an extra hotel day at additional cost.
For travelers continuing their Tanzania adventure, Guruguru Safaris can arrange a private safari to Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Lake Manyara, or a beach extension to Zanzibar.
Meal Plan
Breakfast
Overnight
Departure / optional extension
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What's included
- Airport transfers as specified in the final itinerary.
- Hotel accommodation before and after the climb, as confirmed in the quotation.
- Kilimanjaro National Park fees, hut fees, forest fees, and rescue fees
- Professional mountain guides, assistant guides, cook, and porters
- Accommodation in Kilimanjaro mountain huts during the trek.
- Three meals per day on the mountain, prepared by the mountain cook.
- Safe drinking water during the trek.
- Fair porter luggage allowance according to Kilimanjaro regulations.
- Summit certificate for successful climbers.
- Transfers between hotel, Marangu Gate, and back to hotel after the climb.
What's not included
- International and domestic flights.
- Tanzania visa fees and travel insurance.
- Personal trekking gear, sleeping bag, and optional gear rental.
- Tips for guides, cook, and porters.
- Personal snacks, drinks, laundry, and extra hotel services
- Extra accommodation before or after the scheduled itinerary.
- Medical costs, evacuation beyond included rescue arrangements, and personal expenses
- Optional safari, Zanzibar, or cultural extensions.
BOOK THIS TOUR
Optional Extensions with Guruguru Safaris
After Kilimanjaro, many travelers add a private Tanzania safari or Zanzibar beach holiday. Popular combinations include a 3-day Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara safari; a Serengeti and Ngorongoro safari; or a Zanzibar beach extension for rest after the mountain.
- The Marangu Route is known as the Coca-Cola Route and is the classic Kilimanjaro hut route, but it is still a serious high-altitude climb.
- The route uses mountain huts instead of camping tents, which makes it attractive for climbers who prefer basic indoor accommodation on the mountain.
- Walk slowly from the first day. A controlled pace is one of the best ways to protect acclimatization.
- Drink water frequently and tell your guide early if you feel headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual fatigue, or breathing difficulty.
- Pack warm layers for summit night, including thermal base layers, insulated jacket, gloves, warm hat, and headlamp with spare batteries.
- Consult your doctor before travel if you plan to use altitude medication or if you have any medical condition.
- The descent after summit is long. Careful foot placement is important when climbers are tired.
- Waterproof hiking boots that are already broken in before travel.
- Thermal base layers, fleece layer, insulated jacket, waterproof jacket, and waterproof trousers.
- Warm gloves, liner gloves, warm hat, sun hat, neck gaiter, and sunglasses.
- Sleeping bag suitable for cold mountain nights, unless rented through Guruguru Safaris.
- Headlamp with spare batteries for summit night.
- Daypack, water bottles or hydration bladder, trekking poles, sunscreen, lip balm, and personal medication.
- Soft duffel bag for porter-carried luggage and dry bags to protect clothing from rain.
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