Lemosho Route Overview
The Lemosho Route is widely recognized as the top choice for summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, offering climbers a flexible journey with options for a 7- or 8-day ascent. Starting from the western side of the mountain, the route begins with a scenic drive from Moshi town to the Lemosho Gate. It is known for its beautiful and diverse scenery, with less crowding in the earlier stages and a gradual altitude gain that allows climbers to acclimatize effectively. The descent is made via the Mweka Gate, with a slightly different path for the 7-day option
Lemosho Route Map
Summit Success Rate
- Lemosho Route boasts the highest summit success rate among all Mount Kilimanjaro routes.
- 95% of climbers reach Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
- The 8-day itinerary is particularly recommended for optimal acclimatization.
- Enhanced acclimatization further increases the chances of a successful summit.
Ahsante Tours’ Experience with Lemosho Route
- Ahsante Tours highly recommends the 8-day Lemosho Route for those with more time.
- Ideal for climbers wishing to maximize their chances of a successful and enjoyable climb.
- The route offers a balanced and rewarding experience.
- Provides the best conditions for acclimatization.
- Ensures a memorable adventure to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
8 Days Lemosho route Prices
1 Pax |
2 - 4 Pax |
---|---|
From $ 2,650 (£ 2,019 ) |
From |
5 - 9 Pax |
10 + Pax |
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From $ 2,350 ( £ 1,790 ) |
From |
Climbing Cost Includes
- Park fees, camping fees & rescue fee
- 18% VAT on tour fees & services
- Accommodation in tents complete with sleeping mats.
- Sleeping Bags (-15oC Limit) *If clients have warmer sleeping bags they are advised to bring their own.
- Transportation to & from the mountain gate
- Professional mountain guides, cooks and porters
- 3 meals daily while on the mountain
- Katadyn filtered water throughout the trek
- Pre & Post Trek accommodation in Moshi town on Half Board Basis
- Fair wages for the mountain crew as approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (KINAPA), Kilimanjaro Association of Tour Operators (KIATO)
- Tree donation in support of our environmental conservation projects
- 2-way airport transfers - 1 on arrival and 1 on departure
- Supplemental Oxygen & Pulse Oximeter
Climbing Cost Excludes
- Visa
- Tips to mountain crew – See Tipping Guidelines for more details
- Items of a personal nature
- Laundry Services
- Tanzanian mountain doctor
- Single Supplement Request - $100
- Travel Insurance (Recommended – Travel insurance with medical cover of 6,000m and above)
- Spending a night in the crater - $200 per person
- Western breach approach without a night at the crater camp - $100 per person
- Tanzanian mountain doctor - $200 per group per day
- Portable chemical toilet - $150 per toilet (including tent & porter)
8 Days Lemosho Route Itinerary
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) by an Ahsante Tours representative and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Your guide will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Gear which is missing can be rented on this day.
Meals: Dinner Only
Accommodation: Weruweru River Lodge.
You will be picked up at your hotel at around 08:00am and transferred to the Lemosho gate located on the western side of Kilimanjaro. After the registration process you will still start our climb steadily through the forests of the Lemosho glades to reach Big Tree camp where you will be spending the night.
Distance: 7km / 4.3mi
Duration: 3 – 4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Big Tree Camp
Today you will cover a lot of ground as you trek across a plateau of grassy moorland and heather scattered with volcanic rock formations. We will trek through Shira 1 Camp from where there are often views of Kibo Peak floating on the clouds as we head towards our destination which is Shira 2.. We gain a reasonable amount of altitude as we head towards Shira 1 and parts of the route are fairly steep. As you proceed towards Shira 2 you will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. Our steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views.
Distance: 16.5km / 10.3mi
Duration: 9 – 11 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Shira 1 Camp
Today you will get the chance to view the Northern Ice fields from the western side of the mountain with some unusual views of Kibo. Our steady climb across the moorland of the Shira Plateau will help with acclimatization and we enjoy great panoramic views. Our destination today is the Shira 2 Camp. In the afternoon you will take an acclimatization walk then head back to camp for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 8km / 5mi
Duration: 5 – 6 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Shira 2 Camp
Your trek starts with an ascent with far-reaching panoramic views, walking in to the climatic zone of the upland desert and on the lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. You will reach the distinct pinnacle of the Lava Tower (4640 m), our high point for the day and a great place to enjoy your lunch. In the afternoon we make a steep descent to our camp for the night, located in the base of the Great Barranco Valley (3960 m), sheltered by towering cliffs but with extensive views of the plains below.
Distance: 10km / 6.2mi
Duration: 6 – 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Barranco Camp
Our day starts by descending into the start of the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley. From here we have a steep climb up from Karanga valley to our night’s camp at Karanga camp, set at 3963m. For those feeling strong we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.
Distance: 5.5km / 3.4mi
Duration: 5 – 6 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Karanga Camp
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4640m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp, we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. It is important to keep hydrated and warm. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.
Distance: 3km / 1.9mi
Duration: 3 – 4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Barafu Camp
We start off at around midnight, and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest.
Distance: 13.4km / 8.3mi
Duration: 12 – 15 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Millennium Camp
A gentle trek takes us down through the rain forest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by our vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome shower (and a cold beer or two!) before our big celebration.
Distance: 12.1km / 7.5mi
Duration: 6 – 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included.
Accommodation: Weruweru River Lodge.
The day is left free to rest and relax after a long, challenging week of trekking. You can choose to extend for Zanzibar Beach Experiences or Wildlife Safari in Near National Park Like Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park, or if your schedule is not allowing you for safari Extension, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport to fly home.
EXCELLENTBased on 143 reviewsVerifiedIan W2024-02-28Excellent Ahsante! We had an excellent experience with this company, on the Lemoshu route, with Justin as our Head Guide and Selestine as Assistant Guide. The whole team were fantastic which enabled my friend and I to summit on 15th February 2023. Thank you so much to everyone at Ahsante for for making our trip so amazing and memorable. We would also like to thank the lovely Godwin for our Safari. It was incredible. Lucy & Ally xxVerifiedSupriya K2024-02-07Best Kilimanjaro climb with awesome mountain crew When I decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro I started scouting for the perfect operator. One vital criteria for me was that I wanted to go with a local, Tanzanian company. I inquired with a few operators and Ahsante was the first to respond. They checked all the boxes for me and I didn't need to look any further. From then on every thing was handled with professionalism yet personally. I was in touch with Emmanuel from their team via email and WhatsApp and he answered all my questions patiently. He helped me decide which route to pick and also addressed my million inane questions. Once I landed in Kilimanjaro, everything went smoothly from the airport pick up to my stay at Weru Weru river lodge. A special shout out to the mountain crew and my guides Aden and Benson who were beyond fantastic! As a solo femal traveller I was mindful of my safety and security on the mountain. Not once through the entire 8 days did I feel insecure. The food prepared by our "stomach engineer" Nuru was varied and he even treated us to cake on the mountain! We were well fed and taken care of through the climb. Aden and Benny are knowledgeable guides and quickly understood my strengths and weaknesses. I wouldn't have summited Mt. Kilimanjaro without the mountain crew! I would recommend Ahsante Tours for a fuss -free, efficient climb to Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll be back for a safari soon!VerifiedTirok I2024-02-03Unforgettable experience!! Thank you so much Ahsante Tours for an incredible trip! You have an extremely kind and professional team that supported us all the way to the summit! We will forever remember our experience with you, and we can’t wait to come back!VerifiedNelly K2024-02-03Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro A big thank you to Ahshante Tours for taking us up the mountain and taking care of us day by day. The service was exceptional. We felt appreciated and at home. Thank you to Ahshante.VerifiedNatalie H2024-01-15Incredible activity up to the Meru summit What a hike! Our guide Jimmy/James and the Ahsante team made the Mount Meru trek an unforgettable experience! During the straightforward booking process, Holyfield answered all our questions and was very helpful. We had to rent some equipment from Ahsante Tours and everything we rented was in very good condition and of perfect quality. The sleeping bags are super warm and more than adequate for the temperatures we had on our trek. The food provided was good and more than enough. We had some rough and rainy hours during this challenge. But Jimmy was always in a good mood and very motivating. And on top of that we had free Swahili lessons :-) He guided us through the ACTIVITY with his knowledge of nature and the mountains, at just the right pace for us to reach the summit. We had a lot of fun with Jimmy and our waiter January who made sure we had everything we needed throughout the trip. Ahsante sana to the whole team. We wouldn't have made it to the summit without you!VerifiedSM C2023-12-04From Kilimanjaro to Ngorongoro - Tanzania Our Tour with Ahsante Tours was a perfect combination, with 5 days of biking and 2 days of Safari. We started at an isolated Maassi Lodge with beautiful views, lovely cottages and good food. The next day as we biked we had to stop to let 9 giraffes cross the route in front of us! It doesn't get better than that. The driver for the week is normally a Safari driver so the day in Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks were incredible. We stayed in some wonderful Safari Lodges where the service was wonderful.VerifiedEmma F2023-11-22Excellent Kili and Safari Adventure We did a hike up Kilimanjaro as well as a safari with Ahsante tours and the overall experience was excellent. We were taken care of from pickup to airport drop off seamlessly. Our guide Moses and assistant guide Charles on Kili were supportive, informative and made us feel like we were in safe hands. The good was also excellent! Our safari experience was tailored to the short time we had and our drivers and guides were great. Additionally, when we would speak to different people who worked for Ahsante (eg guides and drivers) they all spoke very positively of Ahsante as an employer and many have worked with them for many years. Overall we would recommend Ahsante to friends and family who were interested in trekking on Kilimanjaro and/or interested in a safari in Tanzania.VerifiedMrsTills20212023-11-15Amazing Absolutely brilliant! The team were incredible. They made it the trip of a lifetime and couldn’t have done more for us. Would lightly recommend! Thank you so much Julio and team you’re all stars!Verifiedlmv1302023-10-25I owe one of the best experiences of my life to this tour company! Climbing Kili was one of the toughest and rewarding experiences of my life and I literally could have never done it without Ashante Tours. The porters, trail guides, camp managers, and more were extremely supportive, compassionate, helpful, and kind. I felt extraordinarily cared for on every level by the staff and crew throughout our 6 day ascent via the Machame Route. And to top it all off, the founder of the company HIMSELF guided me by hand to the summit and took my picture in all my exhausted and delighted glory. I would urge anyone interested in attempting this life-altering event to book with Ashante Tours.VerifiedCaz2023-10-24Felt the love ❤️ So supportive and welcoming. Would definitely recommend this company to friends and family. Big shout out to Whitey and to Marco who ensured I made the summit and got safely back down again. Maximum respect.
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FAQs about Lemosho Route
The Lemosho Route is one of the most scenic and less crowded routes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It offers stunning landscapes, including lush rainforest, heath, and moorland, and gives climbers a better chance of acclimatization due to its longer itinerary.
The Lemosho Route typically takes 7 to 8 days to complete, allowing ample time for acclimatization. The route covers approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) from start to finish.
The Lemosho Route is considered moderate to challenging. Its longer duration and gradual ascent make it an excellent choice for those seeking to acclimatize properly, though it still requires a reasonable level of fitness and preparation.
Better Acclimatization: The extended itinerary gives trekkers more time to adjust to the altitude.
Beautiful Scenery: You pass through different ecosystems, including rainforests and alpine deserts, offering a wide variety of landscapes.
Fewer Crowds: This route is less crowded compared to others like the Machame and Marangu routes.