The 8-day Lemosho route starts in the quiet forest of the far west. You take your time: a night in the rainforest, two on the Shira Plateau and a slow approach along the south side. More days means more time to adjust, which is why many climbers choose it.
The Lemosho Route starts on the western side of Kilimanjaro, where few people go. The first two days are in untouched rainforest and open moorland, and you often have the trail almost to yourself.
With eight days on the mountain, you climb in small steps. You sleep in the forest, then twice on the Shira Plateau, before the Lava Tower and the southern circuit. This slow, gradual profile is the best thing you can do for your chances on summit night.
Each point is where you sleep. See how gently the line climbs for the first four days, then the Lava Tower and the summit night. Tap a camp to see it on the profile.
915 m · Hotel before and after the climb
2,780 m · "Big tree" camp in the rainforest
3,500 m · Western edge of the Shira Plateau
3,840 m · Eastern side of the plateau
3,960 m · After the Lava Tower, below the Wall
4,035 m · Short day, afternoon of rest
4,640 m · High camp for the summit night
3,090 m · First night down, in the forest
This is how the trip usually runs. Your guide will adjust each day around the weather, the trail and how the group is acclimatising.
We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive about an hour to Moshi. If the clouds lift, you will see Kibo’s snow high above the town.
At Kibo Palace Hotel your guide takes you through the whole climb, checks your gear and answers your questions. It is a good evening to eat well and sleep early.
The drive round to the west side takes about an hour and a half, through farmland and past Londorossi, where you register with the park. The trail starts at Lemosho Gate at about 2,200 m.
It is a gentle first walk through deep, mossy rainforest. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are common here, and the birdsong is loud. You sleep at Mti Mkubwa, which means “big tree” in Swahili.
The drive is long, so lunch is usually eaten at the gate or on the trail. Keep a warm layer handy; the forest is cooler than Moshi.
The forest thins quickly this morning into giant heather, and the path gets steeper and more open. By midday the views stretch out behind you over the plains.
You top out on the Shira Ridge and drop gently onto the plateau to Shira 1 Camp. It is quiet, wide and often clear in the evening, with Kibo in the east.
Today is easy on purpose. You walk east across the flat Shira Plateau, an old crater floor covered in heather, grasses and lava rock, with the summit ahead of you all day.
You reach Shira 2 by early afternoon. The rest of the day is for resting, eating and drinking while your body adjusts to the height.
The plateau is windy and the sun is strong at this height. Wear a hat and sunscreen even when it feels cool.
You climb steadily into the alpine desert to the Lava Tower at 4,630 m, the highest you have been so far, and stop for lunch at its foot.
Then you drop into the Barranco Valley, where giant groundsels line the path, to sleep at 3,960 m. Going high and sleeping lower is what makes the next days easier.
The morning starts with the Barranco Wall, a steep scramble where you sometimes use your hands. Your guides show you where to step, and it is over in an hour or two.
At the top Kibo’s glaciers are right above you. The path winds across ridges to Karanga Camp, and you have the whole afternoon to rest.
Karanga is the last place with water on this side. Your crew collects it here for the high camp, so drink your fill.
The path climbs through dry alpine desert, past stone cairns and loose rock. It is quiet and exposed, and the air feels thin.
Barafu Camp is on a rocky ridge at 4,640 m with Mawenzi to the east. You eat an early dinner, check your summit layers and try to sleep until about 11 pm.
You leave at around midnight and climb slowly up the scree by headtorch. Around sunrise you reach Stella Point on the crater rim.
From there it is about an hour along the rim to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m. After photos you head back down past Barafu to Mweka Camp. The descent is long, but it gets easier as the air thickens.
Even after eight days, summit night is hard: 15 hours or more in the cold. Your guides check you all the way up and will turn you around if it is not safe. Nobody can promise the summit, and your health comes first.
A gentle walk down through the rainforest brings you to Mweka Gate at 1,650 m. You receive your summit certificate and say goodbye to the crew who carried you up.
A one-hour drive takes you back to Kibo Palace Hotel for a hot shower and a well-earned dinner.
After breakfast you have time to relax or walk around Moshi before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Many climbers add a few days on safari before flying home.
Two nights in a hotel in Moshi and seven nights on the mountain, from a forest camp in the far west to the high camp at Barafu. Your crew carries and pitches everything and cooks every meal.
Nights on the mountain: Mti Mkubwa Camp, Shira 1 Camp, Shira 2 Camp, Barranco Camp, Karanga Camp, Barafu Camp, Mweka Camp.
A comfortable hotel in Moshi with a swimming pool, a garden, a bar and a restaurant. You stay here before the climb and after it.
Your first night in the forest, where the slow start to acclimatisation begins.
Open moorland with wide views across the plateau and good sunsets.
Higher and cooler, with a big view of Kibo before the Lava Tower day.
Below the Barranco Wall, among giant groundsels and cliffs.
In a valley below Kibo’s southern glaciers, for a quiet afternoon of rest.
Rugged alpine desert with views of Mawenzi, the base for the summit.
The last night on the mountain, warm and green after the summit.
Hotels are shown “or similar”. On the mountain you sleep in the park’s official campsites, in tents our crew carries and pitches for you.
Lemosho can be climbed all year, but the western forest is wettest in April and May. For firm trails and clear summit mornings, choose January to March or June to October.
| Month | Season | On the mountain | Climbing |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | DryWarm & clear | One of the best months. Warm days, clear summit mornings and fewer climbers than in August. | Best |
| February | DryWarm & clear | Very good climbing. Clear skies, and snow on the summit is possible after a cold night. | Best |
| March | Dry → wetWarm, some showers | Still good early in the month. Showers start to build towards the end. | Good |
| April | Long rainsWet & cloudy | The wettest month. Muddy trails and cloud; very few climbers. | Wet |
| May | Long rainsWet, clearing late | Rain eases later in the month. Quiet trails, but expect wet days. | Wet |
| June | DryCold & clear | The dry season starts. Cold nights up high, and the trails get busier. | Good |
| July | DryCold & clear | Peak season. Cold, clear and dry, with the most climbers of the year. | Best |
| August | DryCold & clear | Peak season. Very reliable weather; book early for this month. | Best |
| September | DryMild & clear | Excellent conditions. Slightly warmer and a little quieter than August. | Best |
| October | DryMild & clear | Good weather and quieter trails before the short rains. | Best |
| November | Short rainsShowers | Short afternoon showers, mostly lower down. Possible, with good rain gear. | Good |
| December | Short rains → dryMixed | Rain clears through the month. Busy over Christmas and New Year. | Good |
| Price per personYour group | All yearPrivate climbAny start date |
|---|---|
| 1solo climber | $2,830USD per person |
| 2–5climbers | $2,610USD per person |
| 6–10climbers | $2,530USD per person |
| 11+climbers | $2,474USD per person |
| Check dates → |
Climb as a group and pay less. A group of 11+ pays about 13% less per person than a solo climber.
Prices are in US dollars, per person, for a private climb with two hotel nights in Moshi. It is well below freezing on the summit in every month. We send a full kit list when you book.
Time is the best help against altitude. Eight days lets you climb in small steps, with a forest night, two plateau nights and a rest afternoon at Karanga. Most people find the summit night more manageable after it. See our altitude safety guide.
They meet at the Lava Tower and share the same path to the summit. Lemosho starts further west, is much quieter for the first days and spends longer on the Shira Plateau. Machame is shorter and busier from the start. Our route guide has the details.
The first three days are usually quiet, with few other groups. From the Lava Tower you join the southern circuit, which is busier, especially at Barranco and on the Wall in July and August.
You should be able to hike 5 to 7 hours on several days in a row. Bring broken-in boots, warm layers, a down jacket, gloves, a headtorch and a sleeping bag rated to about -15°C. Our preparation guide has a training plan and a full kit list.
Ideas that fit well with this climb. Ask us and we’ll add any of them to your plan.
Rest your legs in a safari vehicle: Tarangire, the crater or the Serengeti.
Finish with warm sea, white sand and Stone Town’s old streets.
How acclimatisation works and how our guides keep you safe.
Training, gear and what to expect on summit night.
Other climbs with a similar route, length or style.
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