The Lemosho Route offers an incredible journey up Mount Kilimanjaro, renowned for its stunning scenery, gradual ascent, and excellent acclimatization profile. Spanning eight days, this climb is designed for adventurers who want to maximize their chances of summiting Uhuru Peak while enjoying the beauty of Kilimanjaro’s diverse ecosystems.

Day 1: Lemosho Forest

• Start – 6,890ft / 2100m
• End – 8,695ft / 2650m
• Distance – 4 Miles / 7km
• Time – 4-6 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Afromontane Forest

After breakfast you depart by vehicle to Kilimanjaro National Park. At the gate your crew finalise packing and after finishing with formalities you return to your vehicle for another 30 minutes or so until you arrive at the start of the Lemosho Trail. Today’s hiking is through verdant afromontane forest and is steep in places. A picnic lunch is usually taken on trail during the hike before reaching Forest Camp for the night.

Day 2: Shira 1

• Start – 8,695ft / 2650m
• End – 11,844ft / 3610m
• Distance – 4 Miles / 7km
• Time – 5-7 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Heath

From the forested slopes of Lemosho you ascend through Podocarpus and Juniper forest and break out of the forest on to the heath zone and the Shira Plateau. A hot lunch is taken at Shira 1 Camp and the rest of the afternoon is spent relaxing and acclimatising to the new environment.

Day 3: Moir Camp

• Start – 11,844ft / 3610m
• End – 13,780ft / 4200m
• Distance – 6 Miles / 10km
• Time – 4-5 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Alpine Desert

Crossing the Shira plateau can be one of the most scenic parts of the trip and this morning we hike for around 4-5 hours to Moir Camp, where lunch is taken. The afternoon is spent acclimatising and for those with the energy a hike in the late afternoon up to a viewpoint is highly recommended to keep the blood flowing.

Day 4: Pofu Camp

• Start – 13,780ft / 4200m
• End – 13,232ft / 4033m
• Distance – 8 Miles / 12km
• Time – 6-8 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Alpine Desert

The route today diverges from the traditional western routes and heads north, curving clockwise around the Kibo Massif. Here, for the time being at least, there are relatively few other groups. You hike through the alpine desert skirting the edge of the heath zone to Pofu Camp. Most groups arrive for lunch and then take an afternoon acclimatisation hike.

Day 5: Cave 3 Camp

• Start – 12,232ft / 4033m
• End – 12,468ft / 3800m
• Distance – 5 Miles / 8km
• Time – 6-8 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Alpine Desert

From Pofu you hike a ridge and continue around the northern side of the Kibo Massif to Cave 3, still skirting the edge of the heath zone. Once at Cave 3 there is time to rest and a short acclimatisation walk in the late afternoon.

Day 6: School Hut

• Start – 12,468ft / 3800m
• End – 15,749ft / 4800m
• Distance – 3 Miles / 5km
• Time – 4-6 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Alpine Desert

From Cave 3 you continue around the north eastern flanks of Kibo until you arrive at School Hut in time to check through your gear for the summit bid. After an early dinner you retire for some sleep before setting off for the summit bid.

Day 7: Summit Bid / Horombo Hut

• Start – 15,749ft / 4800m
• End – 12,205ft / 3720m
• Distance – 14 Miles / 23km
• Time – 16 Hrs
• Climate Zones – Alpine Desert, Arctic, Heath

Rising early, normally before midnight, you start out from School hut towards the peak. At night time the scree sections are normally much firmer and the night time start enables the best chance of a clear summit attempt. It takes around 6 hours to reach Gilman’s point and then a further 1.5 – 2 hours to reach Uhuru Peak (Alt: 19,341ft, 5895m) the highest free standing point in the world and the highest point in Africa. You then descend the same route before a short stop at Kibo Hut for a refuel and short rest. By the evening you descend back down to Horombo Hut for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Arusha

• Start – 12,205ft / 3720m
• End – 6,165ft / 1879m
• Distance – 12 Miles / 19km
• Time – 5-7 Hrs
• Climate Zone – Afromontane Forest

After breakfast you descend once again through afromontane forest and around midday, after lunch, diplomats collection and saying farewell to your crew, you are picked up and transferred back to your lodge for a well-deserved shower! Later that evening you will be visited by a Worth Of Africa Representative to congratulate you, to find out how the trip went and to answer any final questions you may have about your onward journey.