Lemosho Route
Londorossi Gate (2,250m / 7,380ft) - Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m / 8,692ft).
• Elevation Gain: 400 Meters / 1,312 Feet
• Hiking distance: 6 Kilometers
• Hiking time: 3 - 5 Hours
• Habitat: Rainforest
The Undugu Safaris Crew will arrive at the hotel on the first morning in order to meet you and hold a small briefing before the summit. After the briefing, we will load the gear into our group's transportation and then travel by vehicle (roughly 3 to 4 hours) to Kilimanjaro National Park's western entrance: Londorossi Gate (2,200 m).
The route from Londorossi Gate -> Mti Mkubwa Camp features a small elevation gain and is not too physically challenging. Due to this, you will be able to properly begin the process of acclimatization.
By the time you reach camp, our professional mountain crew will have prepared the camp and prepared dinner for everyone.
This will be your first day at this altitude, so it is strongly recommended you heed the following instructions from this point on:
-Abstain from consuming alcohol and caffeine.
-Drink over 4 liters of bottled water daily (little by little, frequently).
-Take a Diamox pill to help alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness.
Most mountain climbers take Diamox in the morning, in order to reduce discomfort associated with altitude sickness. We recommend you consult your doctor prior to the trip to secure all necessary medications you may need for your summit with US.
Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,650m / 8,692ft) - Shira 1 Camp (3,505 m / 11,499ft)
• Elevation Gain: 855 Meters / 2,807 Feet
• Hiking distance: 5 Kilometers
• Hiking time: 5 - 6 Hours
• Habitat: Rainforest + Moorland
The 2nd days trek will take us out of the rainforest and into moorland. The transition between the two ecosystems is gradual and contains a number of breathtaking views.
The US Mountain Crew is often keen to allow time in the day for brief breaks. We encourage you to hydrate and replinish calories during this time.
If everyone doing good on time, the team will arrive to Shira 1 Camp around lunch where we will finish our days trek.
Shira 1 Camp (3,505m / 11,499ft) - Shira 2 Camp (3,850m / 12,631ft)
• Elevation Gain: 345 Meters / 1,132 Feet
• Hiking distance: 7 km
• Hiking time: 3 to 4 hours
• Habitat: Moorlands
Day 3 hosts spectacular views of Africa and the unique flora of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Shira Camp 2 is the best place on the trip to see Mount Meru (5th tallest peak in Africa) weather permitting.
Depending on the status of the group and amount of time left in the day, your guides will take you for an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 200-meter gain in altitude.
Note: The acclimatization hike is an easy trek with a slight gain in altitude done in order to speed up the acclimatization process. You should take the acclimatization hikes very seriously. They help increase your chances of successfully summiting Kilimanjaro and save you from the consequences of altitude sickness. However you can also choose to hike it tomorrow on the way to barranco camp.
Acclimatization hike:
Change in Elevation: Shira 2 Camp (3,900m / 12,795ft) to Destination Point in route to Lava Tower (4,110 m / 13,484ft)
• Elevation Gain: 210 Meters / 689 Feet
• Hiking distance: 2 km
• Hiking time: 1 to 2 hours
• Habitat: Moorlands
Shira 2 Camp (3,850m / 12,631ft) - Lava Tower (4,630m / 15,190ft) - Barranco Camp (3,960m / 12,992ft)
• Elevation Gain: 110 Meters / 361 Feet
• Hiking distance: 10.8 km
• Hiking time: 6 to 8 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert
The trek to Barranco camp hosts some key features of the entire summit. Today we will trek through alpine desert to Lava Tower which actually has the same elevation as Base Camp! After having lunch at Lava Tower, we will decend to barranco camp.
Note: If you have been to the lava tower before or you simply don't wish to go, a guide can lead you to a shorter trail that leads to barranco camp. The group may also choose to do this and we will adjust the route, following instead the road for porters. In this scenario we will not reach an altitude of 4,630 meters, but instead only reach a maximum of 4,400 meters.
Barranco Camp (3,960m / 12,992ft) - Karanga Camp (3,963m / 13,002ft)
• Elevation Gain: 3 Meters / 10 Feet
• Hiking distance: 5.5 km
• Hiking time: 5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert
Today's start is an epic one, Barranco Wall is the first and only technical part of the summit and is adjacent to the Barranco Ravine. The Wall divides the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a vertical climb over rock that will prove long and tiring.
After we've reach the top of Barranco Wall, we will pass underneath the Heim and Kersten Glaciers. We then head towards the Karanga valley which is the last steep climb up before our night’s camp at Karanga camp.
Depending on the status of the group, we will go for a mid-afternoon acclimatization trek up to around 4200m before descending back to camp for the night.
Karanga Camp (3,963m / 13,002ft) - Barafu Camp (4,640m / 15,223ft)
• Elevation Gain: 677 Meters / 2,221 Feet
• Hiking distance: 3 km
• Hiking time: 3 hours
• Habitat: Alpine Desert
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our trek to Barafu camp . The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a steep walk made more difficult by the altitude.
Upon arrival, 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 everyone will get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.
Barafu Camp (4,640m / 15,223ft) - Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,340.55 ft) and then on to Millennium Camp (3,790m - 12,434ft)
• Elevation Gain: 1,255 Meters / 4,118 Feet
• Hiking distance: 13.4 km
• Hiking time:12-15 hours
• Habitat: Arctic condition
Today you’ll stand taller than any other on the entire African Continent. We will be climbing 1,255 meters over the course of 4 to 5 hours. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us for what is one of most incredible sunrises you will ever see in Africa.
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. We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then back to Barafu Camp for breakfast before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a well-earned rest.
Millennium Camp (3,790m / 12,434ft) - Mweka Gate (1,650 m / 5,414ft)
• Hiking distance: 12 km
• Hiking time: 4 to 5 hours
• Habitat: Rainforest
After a much needed night of rest, we will head for the park's exit: Mweka Gate (1,650 m). After the descent, the whole group will gather to congratulate you, followed by offering you a chance to share your opinions on the climb in the parks guestbook.
Lastly, we will present you with your commemorative certificates in our office and provide you a transfer back to the hotel to enjoy a shower, dinner and celebrations with a Kilimanjaro beer!
