The Lemosho route is the longest trek starting from the west side known for less crowds and a high success rate. You are likely to spot wild game along the way, like elephants, antelope, and buffalo. Gaze upon breathtaking sunrises among the varied beautiful viewpoints. The trek is 7 days with the most optimal opportunities to acclimatize, thus maximizing the chance to successfully summit. The route joins with climbers from the Machame route to meet before Barranco Wall on day five. Enjoy the remote beauty of this trek with us!
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Total Days: 9 | Climb Days: 7
Included: transportation, park fees, meals, guides & porters, tents, first aid supplies, oxygen tank & accommodations.
See Inclusions & Exclusions here
See Inclusions & Exclusions here

DAY 1. From Kilimanjaro International Airport to Christina House
Full Board (Tastes of the local food)
Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred to Christina House in Arusha for your overnight. You will also meet with a professional mountain guide to give you a short briefing of your Kilimanjaro trekking. Every day on the mountain your guide will be briefing you about the next day’s hike before you go to bed.
DAY 2. ARUSHA- LONDROSS GATE- MTI MKUBWA | Distance: 5.4 km | Trek Time: 3-4 hours | Climate Zone: Rainforest
Wake up for breakfast, you will meet with your guide and start driving to Londross gate at 8:00 am, it takes about two hours’ drive including the one stop at Boma Ng’ombe a place in between usually the crew will stops for their breakfast and little shopping of their personal needs and then proceed to Londross gate for the registration processes and weighing of all the team trekking stuffs that they carry up the mountain during the all days trekking. After the registration process you will drive through the mountain glades of Kilimanjaro on the west up to the starting point 2100m a.m.s.l, where you will have lunch before start ascending to Mti Mkubwa camp, which means Big Tree camp 2650m a.m.s.l 7km for four hours through the natural rain forrest. Dinner and overnight at Mti Mkubwa camp.
DAY 3. MTI MKUBWA- SHIRA I CAMP | Distance: 15.6 km | Trek Time: 7-8 hours | Climate Zone: Moorland
Wake up for breakfast then hike to Shira I camp for 7 hours through the natural rain forrest that connects with the heath and moorland zone being the third zone which is dominated by shorter plants like Erica Arborea, Erica Excelsa, Everlasting Flowers, Stoebe Kilimanjarica, Tussock Grass, Lobelia Deckenii, and some of the Helicrisum species which gives an exposed view of the Mountain Meru in Arusha and the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro’s mountain glades. Dinner and overnight at Shira I camp.
DAY 4. SHIRA 1- SHIRA 2 CAMP | Distance: 11 km | Trek Time: 5-7 hours | Climate Zone: Low Alpine
Wake up early for breakfast and hike through the Shira plateau for 6 hours 10km, via Simba cave the vegetation here is covered by plants like Erica Arborea, Everlasting Flowers, Stoebe Kilimanjari and birds like the Alpine Charts, Sun birds, Streaky Canary and Raven are easily to be seen. This western part of mount Kilimanjaro has an easier path of animals migrating from Amboseli National Park in Kenya that shares its ecosystem and ecology with Kilimanjaro National Park for instance Simba cave which means Lion’s cave is known from the witnessed Lion and the digits that were believed to be its territory or path wondering in the Shira plateau, and sometimes the heard of the Jackal’s bark and Lion’s roal and from this direction of the Mountain.
DAY 5. SHIRA 2- BARANCO CAMP | Distance: 11 km | Trek Time: 5-7 hours | Climate Zone: Low/High Alpine
Wake up as usual for the breakfast and hike up to Baranco camp via Lava tower from Shira 2 camp, start hiking east up a steepening path above highest vegetation towards Kilimanjaro’s looming mass. After several hours you walkthrough a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark called Lava tower 4600m /15,318ft a.m.s.l. ,the chunky remnant Kilimanjaro’s earlier volcanic activity is several hundred miters high being the highest point of acclimatization for it heights similar altitude level to the base camp Barafu. Visitors will have the packed lunch at Lava tower and descend to Baranco camp. It takes two hours below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and the breach wall to Baranco camp, this camp is in the valley below the breach and the Great Baranco walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while waiting for your dinner. Expect to see birds, like the Alpine Charts aka tennis ball, Raven, Sun birds, Streaky Canary aka seed eaters and the small mammal four Stripped Grass Mouse. Baranco camp is nicknamed as the home of tree plants called Giant Scenecio due to the presence of abundance of these plants which likes the water catchment areas. Dinner and overnight at Baranco camp.
DAY 5. BARANCO CAMP– KARANGA CAMP | Distance: 9.5 km | Trek Time: 7-8 hours | Climate Zone: High Alpine
This is one of the shorter days hiking for 5km, after your breakfast you will climb this awesome obstacle which will turn out to be easier than it looks. Topping out just below the Heim glacier, you can now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga valley and goes over the intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka route which will be your descending route. You have now completed the Southern circuit, which offers the view of the summit from many different angles. It is also the last water point because it is all dry beyond Karanga camp. You will have hot lunch at Karanga camp then spend the rest of hours resting there waiting for another acclimatization to the top of Karanga ridge and get back to the camp for the sunset, dinner and overnight.
DAY 6. KARANGA CAMP– BARAFU CAMP | Distance: 4.6 km | Trek Time: 3-4 hours | Climate Zone: High Alpine
This is another short day hike for 3-4 hours max to Barafu camp but it gives you enough time resting and prepare for the summit night to the roof of Africa. Barafu means ice in Swahili, your potters will fetch and carry water from Karanga to Barafu because it is completely dry at the base camp. The famous snows of Kilimanjaro are far above Barafu camp near the summit. Your tent/s will be set on the narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge. It’s good to prepare your equipment and warm clothing for the summit night. You can go to bed around 7pm after dinner and try to get few hours of precious sleep.
DAY 7. BARAFU CAMP- UHURU PEAK SUMMIT- MWEKA HUT CAMP
Distance: 4.5 km ascent, 11 km descent | Trek Time: 6-8 hour ascent, 5-8 hour descent | Climate Zone: Alpine & Glacial
Wake up at mid night around 11:00pm prepare for conquering the summit, get a cup of tea, a bowl of soup or a bowl of porridge to awake you and start hiking to the highest point of Africa UHURU 5895m /19,340ft a.m.s.l. at 12:00am for 4.6km approximately 6 hours or more depending with your final paces. Actually there will be no main course of meals at summit night due to the fact that we don’t want you to get any trouble with your digestion system, so we recommend you to have your own snacks, power bars or any other energy snacks for the use up on the way to the summit. This should include placing you head lump and camera batteries preventing freezing, consider carrying your thermal flask. This is the steepest part of all but the steepness is reduced by trekking through zigzags and switchbacks, the trail is of sand and screes with some few parts of climbing boulders of the solidified Lava rocks. Expecting the sun rise close or at the highest point of Africa you can spend no more than 10-15min taking pictures then you descend back down to the base camp Barafu as quick as you can due to the fact that if you stay there longer you might get sick caused by the strong wind, sun burnt and the insufficient Oxygen supply, so it’s better to go down and have a little rest at Barafu again for not more than 2 hours, get your lunch before descending down to Mweka Hut for the dinner and overnight.
DAY 8. MWEKA HUT- MWEKA GATE- ARUSHA | Distance: 9 km | Trek Time: 3-5 hours | Climate Zone: Rainforest
Wake up for breakfast and descend down to the exit Mweka gate for 4 hours 10km, the conquerors of the summit will be awarded with Certificates for reaching the highest point of Africa. After reaching at Mweka gate and exit the driver will drive you back to Christina house or at the place of accommodation opted and end the Kilimanjaro tour.
Tipping is recommended $10 a day per potter, $15 a day for the chef and assistant guide/s and $20 a day for the Head guide this is due to their division of labor as addressed by the government and the staff’s associational parties encouraging them for their team hard work as far as the uprising of their wages. This is preferred by staffs to be given to the crew in the morning before a descent to Mweka gate.
DAY 9. DEPARTURE
From Christina house to Kilimanjaro International Airport. For all Green Paw Adventures departures are flexible according to your own personal needs. Please contact us for further detailed information on our safaris, tours, travel and other trekking packages in Tanzania. KARIBU SANA and THANK YOU for choosing Green Paw Adventures!
Full Board (Tastes of the local food)
Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred to Christina House in Arusha for your overnight. You will also meet with a professional mountain guide to give you a short briefing of your Kilimanjaro trekking. Every day on the mountain your guide will be briefing you about the next day’s hike before you go to bed.
DAY 2. ARUSHA- LONDROSS GATE- MTI MKUBWA | Distance: 5.4 km | Trek Time: 3-4 hours | Climate Zone: Rainforest
Wake up for breakfast, you will meet with your guide and start driving to Londross gate at 8:00 am, it takes about two hours’ drive including the one stop at Boma Ng’ombe a place in between usually the crew will stops for their breakfast and little shopping of their personal needs and then proceed to Londross gate for the registration processes and weighing of all the team trekking stuffs that they carry up the mountain during the all days trekking. After the registration process you will drive through the mountain glades of Kilimanjaro on the west up to the starting point 2100m a.m.s.l, where you will have lunch before start ascending to Mti Mkubwa camp, which means Big Tree camp 2650m a.m.s.l 7km for four hours through the natural rain forrest. Dinner and overnight at Mti Mkubwa camp.
DAY 3. MTI MKUBWA- SHIRA I CAMP | Distance: 15.6 km | Trek Time: 7-8 hours | Climate Zone: Moorland
Wake up for breakfast then hike to Shira I camp for 7 hours through the natural rain forrest that connects with the heath and moorland zone being the third zone which is dominated by shorter plants like Erica Arborea, Erica Excelsa, Everlasting Flowers, Stoebe Kilimanjarica, Tussock Grass, Lobelia Deckenii, and some of the Helicrisum species which gives an exposed view of the Mountain Meru in Arusha and the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro’s mountain glades. Dinner and overnight at Shira I camp.
DAY 4. SHIRA 1- SHIRA 2 CAMP | Distance: 11 km | Trek Time: 5-7 hours | Climate Zone: Low Alpine
Wake up early for breakfast and hike through the Shira plateau for 6 hours 10km, via Simba cave the vegetation here is covered by plants like Erica Arborea, Everlasting Flowers, Stoebe Kilimanjari and birds like the Alpine Charts, Sun birds, Streaky Canary and Raven are easily to be seen. This western part of mount Kilimanjaro has an easier path of animals migrating from Amboseli National Park in Kenya that shares its ecosystem and ecology with Kilimanjaro National Park for instance Simba cave which means Lion’s cave is known from the witnessed Lion and the digits that were believed to be its territory or path wondering in the Shira plateau, and sometimes the heard of the Jackal’s bark and Lion’s roal and from this direction of the Mountain.
DAY 5. SHIRA 2- BARANCO CAMP | Distance: 11 km | Trek Time: 5-7 hours | Climate Zone: Low/High Alpine
Wake up as usual for the breakfast and hike up to Baranco camp via Lava tower from Shira 2 camp, start hiking east up a steepening path above highest vegetation towards Kilimanjaro’s looming mass. After several hours you walkthrough a rocky landscape to reach the prominent landmark called Lava tower 4600m /15,318ft a.m.s.l. ,the chunky remnant Kilimanjaro’s earlier volcanic activity is several hundred miters high being the highest point of acclimatization for it heights similar altitude level to the base camp Barafu. Visitors will have the packed lunch at Lava tower and descend to Baranco camp. It takes two hours below the lower cliffs of the Western Breach and the breach wall to Baranco camp, this camp is in the valley below the breach and the Great Baranco walls, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while waiting for your dinner. Expect to see birds, like the Alpine Charts aka tennis ball, Raven, Sun birds, Streaky Canary aka seed eaters and the small mammal four Stripped Grass Mouse. Baranco camp is nicknamed as the home of tree plants called Giant Scenecio due to the presence of abundance of these plants which likes the water catchment areas. Dinner and overnight at Baranco camp.
DAY 5. BARANCO CAMP– KARANGA CAMP | Distance: 9.5 km | Trek Time: 7-8 hours | Climate Zone: High Alpine
This is one of the shorter days hiking for 5km, after your breakfast you will climb this awesome obstacle which will turn out to be easier than it looks. Topping out just below the Heim glacier, you can now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga valley and goes over the intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka route which will be your descending route. You have now completed the Southern circuit, which offers the view of the summit from many different angles. It is also the last water point because it is all dry beyond Karanga camp. You will have hot lunch at Karanga camp then spend the rest of hours resting there waiting for another acclimatization to the top of Karanga ridge and get back to the camp for the sunset, dinner and overnight.
DAY 6. KARANGA CAMP– BARAFU CAMP | Distance: 4.6 km | Trek Time: 3-4 hours | Climate Zone: High Alpine
This is another short day hike for 3-4 hours max to Barafu camp but it gives you enough time resting and prepare for the summit night to the roof of Africa. Barafu means ice in Swahili, your potters will fetch and carry water from Karanga to Barafu because it is completely dry at the base camp. The famous snows of Kilimanjaro are far above Barafu camp near the summit. Your tent/s will be set on the narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge. It’s good to prepare your equipment and warm clothing for the summit night. You can go to bed around 7pm after dinner and try to get few hours of precious sleep.
DAY 7. BARAFU CAMP- UHURU PEAK SUMMIT- MWEKA HUT CAMP
Distance: 4.5 km ascent, 11 km descent | Trek Time: 6-8 hour ascent, 5-8 hour descent | Climate Zone: Alpine & Glacial
Wake up at mid night around 11:00pm prepare for conquering the summit, get a cup of tea, a bowl of soup or a bowl of porridge to awake you and start hiking to the highest point of Africa UHURU 5895m /19,340ft a.m.s.l. at 12:00am for 4.6km approximately 6 hours or more depending with your final paces. Actually there will be no main course of meals at summit night due to the fact that we don’t want you to get any trouble with your digestion system, so we recommend you to have your own snacks, power bars or any other energy snacks for the use up on the way to the summit. This should include placing you head lump and camera batteries preventing freezing, consider carrying your thermal flask. This is the steepest part of all but the steepness is reduced by trekking through zigzags and switchbacks, the trail is of sand and screes with some few parts of climbing boulders of the solidified Lava rocks. Expecting the sun rise close or at the highest point of Africa you can spend no more than 10-15min taking pictures then you descend back down to the base camp Barafu as quick as you can due to the fact that if you stay there longer you might get sick caused by the strong wind, sun burnt and the insufficient Oxygen supply, so it’s better to go down and have a little rest at Barafu again for not more than 2 hours, get your lunch before descending down to Mweka Hut for the dinner and overnight.
DAY 8. MWEKA HUT- MWEKA GATE- ARUSHA | Distance: 9 km | Trek Time: 3-5 hours | Climate Zone: Rainforest
Wake up for breakfast and descend down to the exit Mweka gate for 4 hours 10km, the conquerors of the summit will be awarded with Certificates for reaching the highest point of Africa. After reaching at Mweka gate and exit the driver will drive you back to Christina house or at the place of accommodation opted and end the Kilimanjaro tour.
Tipping is recommended $10 a day per potter, $15 a day for the chef and assistant guide/s and $20 a day for the Head guide this is due to their division of labor as addressed by the government and the staff’s associational parties encouraging them for their team hard work as far as the uprising of their wages. This is preferred by staffs to be given to the crew in the morning before a descent to Mweka gate.
DAY 9. DEPARTURE
From Christina house to Kilimanjaro International Airport. For all Green Paw Adventures departures are flexible according to your own personal needs. Please contact us for further detailed information on our safaris, tours, travel and other trekking packages in Tanzania. KARIBU SANA and THANK YOU for choosing Green Paw Adventures!