Access to the trail begins with a long drive from Moshi or Arusha to Londorossi Gate. This can take three to four hours. Londorossi Gate is located in the western base of mountain.
Lemosho starts in lush, fertile rainforest. It is the first ecological zone you encounter on Kilimanjaro (we will trek through four). The route heads up and across the Shira Plateau, which used to be Kilimanjaro’s third peak before it collapsed. Then, we make our way north to Moir Hut, which serves as a great acclimatization day due to short hikes than can be done in the nearby Lent Hills.
Next, we climb high up and over Lava Tower before dropping into Barranco Valley, one of the prettiest areas on the entire trail. We climb the intimidating Barranco Wall and then circle along the southern circuit to Karanga and high camp Barafu Hut.
The summit attempt is made from Barafu in the early morning hours, often during the full moon. This is the coldest, windiest section of your adventure. But once the sun comes up, so can most of your extra layers. After the summit, the descent follows the Mweka trail.
Lemosho is designed for physically fit people with some hiking experience. However, we have many clients who tackle the route as their first real backpacking experience. They do very well. So do not be intimidated by this trail. If it appeals to you, we encourage you to climb Kilimanjaro on the route.
However, the trek from Barranco to Barafu, followed by the summit day are unchanged from the six day Lemosho variation. This schedule is still very tough, though the extra day on the mountain on the seven day route will help climbers deal with the exhausting itinerary better than those who opted for the six day route.
