7 Day Mount Kilimanjaro Climb – Lemosho Route

Route: Lemosho Trailhead (2,100 m) → Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650 m)

After breakfast, depart your hotel for the drive to the western side of Kilimanjaro and the Lemosho trailhead. Following park registration, begin your adventure through beautiful montane rainforest.

The gentle first-day trek provides an excellent introduction to the mountain. Keep watch for black-and-white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, small antelopes and colourful forest birds. Larger wildlife, including buffalo and elephants, also inhabit this part of the mountain, although sightings are less common.

Arrive at Mti Mkubwa, or Big Tree Camp, surrounded by dense mountain forest.

Transport: Private transfer – approximately 4 hours / 80 km
Hiking Distance: 7 km
Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
Elevation Gain: 550 m
Highest Altitude: 2,650 m

Route: Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650 m) → Shira Plateau → Shira 2 Camp (3,850 m)
Leave the rainforest behind and climb steadily into the heath and moorland zone. As the vegetation opens, your first impressive views of Kibo, Kilimanjaro’s highest volcanic cone, begin to appear.

Continue across rocky ridges onto the remarkable Shira Plateau, formed from the remains of an ancient volcanic caldera. The open landscape provides beautiful views towards Kibo, the Western Breach and Kilimanjaro’s glaciers before reaching Shira 2 Camp.

Hiking Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 7–8 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,200 m
Highest Altitude: 3,850 m

Route: Shira 2 Camp (3,850 m) → Lava Tower (4,600 m) → Barranco Camp (3,900 m)
Today is an important acclimatization day as you climb into Kilimanjaro’s increasingly rugged alpine landscape.

Ascend towards Lava Tower at 4,600 metres, a dramatic volcanic rock formation surrounded by stark high-altitude scenery. After reaching the day’s highest point, descend into the beautiful Barranco Valley.

Although you finish the day at a similar elevation to where you started, climbing high and sleeping lower helps your body adjust to altitude. Arrive at Barranco Camp beneath the impressive Barranco Wall.

Hiking Distance: 12 km
Hiking Time: 6–7 hours
Elevation Gain: Approximately 750 m to Lava Tower
Highest Altitude: 4,600 m

Route: Barranco Camp (3,900 m) → Barranco Wall → Karanga Camp (3,995 m)

Begin the morning with one of the Lemosho Route’s most memorable experiences — climbing the famous Barranco Wall. Despite its dramatic appearance, the ascent is a manageable scramble with your guides assisting along the way.

From the top, continue across a series of ridges and valleys with spectacular mountain scenery before descending into Karanga Valley. A final climb leads to Karanga Camp, where the afternoon is available for rest and further acclimatization.

Hiking Distance: 6 km
Hiking Time: 4–5 hours
Net Elevation Gain: 95 m
Highest Sleeping Altitude: 3,995 m

Route: Karanga Camp (3,995 m) → Barafu Camp (4,673 m)
Leave Karanga after breakfast and continue through Kilimanjaro’s increasingly barren alpine desert. Join the trail connecting with the Mweka Route before following the rocky terrain towards Barafu Camp.

Situated high beneath Kibo, Barafu provides dramatic views of the summit and surrounding high-altitude landscape. After arriving at camp, spend the afternoon resting, preparing your equipment and receiving the final briefing for the summit attempt.

An early dinner and rest follow, as the climb towards Uhuru Peak begins around midnight.

Hiking Distance: 4 km
Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
Elevation Gain: 678 m
Highest Altitude: 4,673 m

Route: Barafu Camp (4,673 m) → Stella Point (5,685 m) → Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) → Mweka Camp (3,100 m)

Your summit attempt begins around midnight. Trek slowly through the darkness, following steep switchbacks across scree towards Stella Point at 5,685 metres on Kilimanjaro’s crater rim.

After a short rest, continue along the crater rim towards Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres — the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the African continent.

Celebrate your achievement and take in the extraordinary high-altitude scenery before beginning the long descent. Return to Barafu Camp for a short rest and meal, then continue down through changing vegetation to Mweka Camp.

This is the longest and most demanding day of the expedition, but also its most rewarding.

Hiking Distance: 17 km
Hiking Time: 12–14 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,222 m
Descent: 2,795 m
Highest Altitude: 5,895 m

Route: Mweka Camp (3,100 m) → Mweka Gate (1,640 m) → Hotel
Enjoy your final morning on Kilimanjaro as you descend through the lush montane rainforest towards Mweka Gate.

After completing the park formalities, successful climbers receive their Kilimanjaro certificates and celebrate the completion of an extraordinary mountain journey with the climbing team.

Say farewell to your mountain crew before meeting your driver for the private transfer back to your hotel, where you can rest and celebrate your Kilimanjaro adventure.

Hiking Distance: 10 km
Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
Descent: 1,460 m
Final Altitude: 1,640 m
Transport: Private transfer – approximately 30 minutes / 17 km