Lemosho Route – A Remote And Beautiful Route On Kilimanjaro

The Lemosho Route is often called the most beautiful of the Kilimanjaro routes. This relatively new trail on Kilimanjaro  is one of my favourite ways to reach Uhruru Peak.

It starts on the Western side of Mount Kilimanjaro at the Londorossi Gate. This trek was introduced as an alternative to the Shira Route which begins at a higher, more challenging altitude. Lemosho has a better, gentler acclimatisation profile and a high summit success rate.

In this article, I explain why the Lemosho Route is a good choice for your Kilimanjaro trek. I'll also go into detail about the itinerary and explain the difference between the 7 and 8 day options.  Read on for everything you need to know about this popular route!

Why Choose The Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route?

High Summit Success Rate

Arguably the top reason for climbing Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route is that it has one of the highest summit success rates. This is because Lemosho has a long and gentle ascent which gives your body a better chance to adjust to the low oxygen levels. It's one of the best acclimatisation profiles on Kilimanjaro.

According to our local operators, the 8-Day Lemosho route generally has a 90% summit success rate while the 7-Day option is slightly lower (around 80%). I'll discuss the difference between these options later in the article.

Stunning Scenery

A major reason to hike Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route is for the beautiful landscapes. You start the trek in the rainforest and make your way up to the Shira Plateau. 

The western side of Kilimanjaro is still very wild and you may get lucky and spot large antelope, buffalo and maybe even elephant.

The Lemosho Route joins the Machame Route at Lava Tower. Hikers on Lemosho route cross the entire Shira Plateau (west to east) which is a pleasant and much flatter hike compared to the steep Machame Route. You will also generally find less people on the Lemosho route up until the trails meet.

The trail then heads down towards Barranco Valley via the Southern Circuit (see map below). As with the Machame Route, Lemosho trekkers need to transverse the Barranco Wall and then summit from Barafu Camp.

Descent is via the Mweka route. This is a scenic way to end the journey you descend through Moorland and back down to jungle.

Lemosho Route Map

Most trekkers complete the Lemosho Route in 8 days; however some tour operators offer 7 day treks and 6 day hikes (not recommended) on the Lemosho.

The 8-day variation is great for acclimatisation and of course increases the probability of success (see Kilimanjaro success rates).

The 7-day route typically skips either Shira 1or Karanga camp. The  8-Day option has that extra  acclimatization day, more on this later on.

Lemosho Route Itinerary

Below is the typical itinerary for an 8-day Lemosho Route.

Day 1 – Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) – start point 2,360 meters to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters)

The Lemosho Route departs from the far West side of Mount Kilimanjaro. Getting to Londorossi Gate (2,100 meters) takes approximately 2 hours from Moshi and longer from Arusha. At the gate you will register with the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities before getting back into vehicles to be transported to the starting point which is a further 12km from Londorossi.

During the wet season (April-May) the track can be very inaccessible to vehicles and you may need to walk the last few miles to the starting point. Most tour operators provide lunch at this point before starting the short trek to Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters).

Spotting large wildlife like elephant and buffalo is unlikely, but is not unheard of on this stretch of the mountain (see what animals live on Mount Kilimanjaro). Dinner will be served when you reach Mti Mkubwa Camp ('also known as Big Tree Camp'. 

Day 2 – Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 meters) to Shira Camp 1 (3,500 meters)

Day two starts with a gradual hike through the final stretch of the rainforest zone and then gets steeper as you approach the low alpine moorland zone. The trek is relatively short and easy to Shira Camp 1, which is on the western edge of the Shira Plateau; just over 8km from your starting point. 

Day 3 – Shira Camp 1 (3,500 meters) to Moir Hut (4,200m)

From Shira Camp 1 you will continue on your hike across and up the Shira plateau to Shira Camp 2 at 3,850 meters. Here you will join trekkers from the Machame Route whilst enjoying stunning views across the valley below and Western Breach of Kilimanjaro above. The plateau is exposed so be prepared for strong winds with temperatures getting below zero in the early hours. 

You then continue up the Shira Caldera and onto an off-the-beaten path to Moir Hut. 

Today is long and finishes at high altitude. You may start feeling altitude sickness symptoms. Make sure you monitor yourself closely. Sleeping high on this night will pay dividends on your trek going forward.

Day 4 – Moir Hut (4,200 meters) to Lava Tower (4,600 meters) and then Barranco Camp (3,900 meters)

On day four you will continue trekking through a desert-like landscape as you approach Lava Tower and the Shark’s Tooth formation at 4,600 meters. You will have lunch at Lava Tower before joining the Southern Circuit trail (see map above) which descends to Barranco Camp 3,900 meters where you will spend the night at a very similar elevation as the night before.

Climbing high and sleeping low is a good way to acclimatise the body to altitude.

Day 5 – Barranco Camp (3,900 meters) to Karanga Camp (3,960m)

On day five you will be presented with the relatively steep Barranco ‘Breakfast’ climb, a 257 meter scramble up the Barranco Wall. Be prepared to use all four limbs as you traverse the wall to the top of the Karanga Valley. From here you will follow a path that sojourns through many inclines and declines to Karanga Camp (3,960 meters). For those on an eight day hike, this will be your camp for the night.

On some seven day packages, trekkers will stop here for a brief lunch before continuing on through the barren desert landscape that leads to the Mweka trail and up to Barafu Camp (4,680 meters).

Day 6 – Karanga Camp (3,960m) to Barafu Camp (4,680m)

Day 6 is a relatively short and easy trek. Starting at Karanga Camp, the trail quickly joins the Mweka route and heads up to base camp, Barafu at 4,680m. 

We recommend you use the easy day to enjoy the scenery, rest the muscles, and prepare your mind for the summit push.

Day 7 – Barafu Camp (4,680 meters) to Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters) and then Mweka Camp (3,100 meters)

Day seven starts at midnight with hot tea, biscuits and a long and zigzagging hike up the heavy scree that covers the steep slopes of Kibo. The going is slow and very tough. You will need to dig deep and ensure you maintain a consistent pace to push yourself up to the crater rim.

After about 4-6 hours hiking you will reach Stella Point (5,739 meters) where you will have a chance to rest and watch dawn break across the Tanzanian landscape. It is a good idea to have some hot tea or hot chocolate at this point as you will need to muster the energy to continue for another 1-2 hours around and up the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895 meters). Remember to keep your momentum moving forward, one step at a time. Over 60% of climbers stop at Stella Point but most can make it to the summit if they are able to find the metal strength to push through. Obviously if you are experiencing severe AMS symptoms you should descend immediately.

Your time at Uhuru Peak will be brief. Take as many pictures as you can, savour your accomplishment and then start heading back to Stella Point. Many trekkers slide down the scree slopes of Kibo to Barafu Camp, where you will have a chance to rest before continuing on to Mweka Camp (3,100 meters). In total you will be trekking between 12-16 hours on day 5 so it is really important that you pace yourself and remain hydrated.

Day 8 – Mweka Camp (3,100 meters) to Mweka Gate (1,640 meters)

The final day on the mountain is a short one, but nonetheless tiring as your body will be exhausted and your knees will likely be sore from the previous day’s descent. Go slowly and enjoy the wonderful rainforest scenery as you head towards Mweka Gate (1,640 meters).

At the gate you will need to sign-out with the authorities and will also receive your certificate, either for Stella Point or for Uhuru Peak.

It is customary to pay your tips to your trekking team before you depart back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha.

7-Day Vs. 8-Day Lemosho Route - What's The Difference?

There are several variations of trekking the Kilimanajro Lemosho Route. Usually, you have an option on how many day's you take to do the route. Most operators offer a 7 or 8 day option, you might even come across a 6 day Lemosho (not recommended).

Version 1: Skip Shira 1 Camp

For the 7-Day Lemosho Route, some operators skip Shira Camp 1 and continue on to spend the night at Shira Camp 2. This means you would not stay at Moir Hut and also have a very long day of hiking on Day 2.

The distance between Big Tree Camp to Shira 2 is around 15 km / 9.3 miles and takes about 9-10 Hours. Usually, groups stop at Shira 1 for lunch.

Version 2: Skip Karanga Camp

Alternatively, some operators running the 7-Day Lemosho route choose to skip Karanga Camp instead. In this case, you would walk directly from Barranco camp to the base camp at Barafu.

This is about 8.5km/ 5.3 miles in total, so not too bad distance wise. The problem with doing it this way is that trekkers miss out on an extra night at a high altitude camp. This extra can make a big difference in acclimatisation.

Generally, I always recommend you choose the 8-Day Lemosho Route. It's better to give yourself an extra day. 

Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route Altitude Profile

Here's what the Kilimanjaro Lemosho route altitude profile looks like.

Other Kilimanjaro routes and helpful guides:

• Kilimanjaro Machame Route
• Marangu Route
• Northern Circuit on Mount Kilimanjaro
• Rongai Route
• Umbwe Route
• Training for Kilimanjaro
• Guide to the Mt Kilimanjaro trek
• Full moon dates on Kilimanjaro
• Cost to climb Mt Kilimanjaro