7 Days Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route

The Lemosho Route is widely regarded as the most beautiful path up Kilimanjaro and is the route we recommend to climbers who want the best balance of scenery, acclimatisation and cost. It starts on the remote western side of the mountain at Lemosho Gate (2,100 m) and climbs through pristine rainforest to the vast Shira Plateau. From Shira the route joins the southern circuit, traversing beneath the great southern glaciers and past the Barranco Wall before turning up to Barafu (4,673 m) for the summit attempt.

The western start is what sets Lemosho apart. The first two days are quiet, walked by only a handful of climbing parties, and the approach across the Shira Plateau gives some of the finest wide angle mountain views on the continent. Because the route joins Machame from Barranco onwards, you get the same summit day, but you arrive at Barranco with an extra day of acclimatisation already on your legs.

We run Lemosho as a seven day itinerary, six nights on the mountain, with the classic climb high sleep low profile on day four (Lava Tower at 4,600 m, sleep at Barranco at 3,950 m). Our summit success rate on the seven day Lemosho is around 90%. All our climbs are KPAP registered, our porters are paid the proper wage, carry no more than 20 kg, sleep in proper tents and eat three hot meals a day.

The summit is reached at sunrise on day six after a midnight start from Barafu. Descent to Mweka Camp (3,068 m) the same afternoon, and out through the rainforest on day seven. Total trail is around 66 km.