7-Day Mount Kili - Lemosho Route

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Day 1: Arusha (1400m) – Londorossi Gate (2100m) – Mti Mkubwa camp (2750m)

Hiking time: 3 hours
Habitat: Montane forest

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will brief you on the day. You will drive from Arusha (1,400m) to Londorossi Park Gate (2,100m) for two hours. In the village near Londorossi Gate, you will receive a packed lunch and can buy mineral water for the hike. Then, the final 45 minutes of the drive leading up to the gate will be on a bumpy forest track requiring 4WD vehicles. After the paperwork at the gate, you will start trekking. Be on the lookout for colobus monkeys! You will stop for an afternoon lunch break and arrive at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Campsite (2,750m) in the early evening. The porters, who arrive at the campsite before the clients, will set up your tent and boil water for drinking and washing, ensuring your comfort. The chef will prepare a snack and then dinner for the clients, providing delicious meals to energize you. At nighttime, mountain temperatures may drop to freezing, so be prepared!

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mti Mkubwa Camp (2750m) – Shira 2 Camp (3840m)

Hiking time: 6.5 hours
Habitat: Moorland

After an early morning breakfast, you will begin your ascent out of the rainforest and into the Heather-Moorland zone. You will cross many streams and walk over a plateau that leads to Shira 2 Camp (3,840m). At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and its glaciers in the east. Similar to the first night, your tents will be set up prior to arriving at camp, and the porters will prepare drinking and washing water for you. You will enjoy evening snacks and then dinner prepared by our chef. Be ready for a cold night as temperatures drop below freezing at this exposed camp.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Shira 2 (3840m) – Lava Tower (4630m) – Barranco Camp (3950m)

Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Semi-desert

Following an early morning breakfast, you will leave the moorland environment and enter the semi-desert and rocky landscape. After five hours of walking east, you will come face to face with the Lava Tower (4,630m). Packed lunches are served at the tower, and hikers have the option of climbing the massive Lava Tower, weather permitting. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects of the altitude, including headaches and shortness of breath.
After lunch, you will descend from Lava Tower (4,630m) to the Barranco Campsite (3,950m). The 6800m descent gives hikers a huge advantage in allowing their bodies to adjust to high altitude conditions. The descent to camp takes around two hours to reach. It is in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall (Breakfast Wall). Drinking and washing water and dinner will be served as hikers view the sun setting.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Barranco Camp (3950m) – Karanga Camp (3950m)

Hiking time: 4—5 hours
Distance: Approximately 5 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert

This is a short hiking day meant for acclimatization. After an early morning breakfast, it is time to conquer the Great Barranco Wall! Although it may look intimidating at first glance, hikers state that this Class 2 hike is usually much easier than anticipated. At the top of the wall, you will have a view of Heim Glacier, which will be above the clouds. The trail then winds up and down in the Karanga Valley. You will spend the night at Karanga Camp (3,950m) and enjoy dinner and washing at the site.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Karanga Camp (3959m) – Barafu Hut (4600)

Hiking time: 2—3 hours
Distance: Approximately 4 kilometers
Habitat: Alpine desert

After breakfast, you will begin your ascent. The trail intersects with the Mweka Route, the trail used to descend on the final two days. As you continue hiking for an hour, you will reach Barafu Hut. The hut is the last water stop for the porters because there is no accessible water at Barafu Camp (4,550m). The word “barafu” in Swahili means “ice,” this camp is located on a rocky, exposed ridge. Tents are exposed to wind and rocks, so hikers must familiarize themselves with the campsite before dark. An early dinner will be served so hikers can rest before attempting the summit the same night. Your guide will brief you in detail on how to prepare for summit night. Get to sleep by 7:00pm!

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Summit attempt at Barafu Camp (4600m) – Uhuru Peak (5895m) – Mweka (3100m)

Hiking time: 8 hours to reach Uhuru Peak, 7—8 hours to descend to Mweka
Distance: Approximately 7 kilometers ascent and 23 kilometers descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

Around 11:30pm, you can enjoy tea and biscuits before you begin your summit attempt. The route heads northwest, and you will ascend over stone scree. During the ascent, many hikers feel this is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the climb. In about six hours, you will reach Stella Point (5,685m) on the crater rim. You will continue ascending for about two hours on a snow-covered trail to Uhuru Peak (5,895m). Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is a lifetime accomplishment! You will be able to spend a short time on the summit taking photographs and drinking tea before the descent to Barafu begins. The hike down to Barafu Camp takes about three hours. At camp, you will rest and enjoy a hot lunch in the sun. After eating, you will continue descending to Mweka Hut (3,100m).

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mweka Camp (3100m) – Mweka Gate (1980m)

Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: Approximately 15 kilometers
Habitat: Forest

Following a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will have a big celebration full of dancing and singing. On the mountain, you will present your tips to the guide, assistant guides, chef(s), and porters. After celebrating, you will descend for three hours back to Mweka Gate. The national park requires all hikers to sign their names to receive certificates of completion. Hikers who reach Stella Point (5,685m) receive green certificates, and hikers who reach Uhuru Peak (5,895m) receive gold certificates. After receiving certificates, hikers will descend into the Mweka village for one hour (3 kilometers). You will be served a hot lunch, then drive back to Arusha for long overdue showers and more celebrations. End of service!

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.