9 Days Lemosho Route with Crater Camping
9 Days Lemosho Route with Crater Camping
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via Lemosho Route is regarded by many climbers, guides (including Nduwa Tours Mountain Guides), and mountain consultants as the best route and the easiest route for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Its 9 days itinerary gives a climber a better environment for acclimatization, nevertheless, climbers will be needed to ascend Barranco Wall and climb steeply to the summit night.There is no technical climbing required but only good level of fitness. Nduwa Tours can give you a Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Training Program to help you put your body into good shape and fit for a better and more successful climb. 9 Days lemosho route Kilimanjaro Climbing makes a fantastic journey and a great chance of summiting successfully.
Nduwa Tours will ensure safety and security to all of their climbers, we have very professional mountain guides with a lot of experience, and we have very experienced, professional, and charming porters. Very good chefs who know what their clients want and understand the menu that is to be used during the climbing. There is also a rescue team in this climbing adventure, so when you feel uncomfortable just feel free to contact your guide at any time during the climbing.
Detailed Itinerary
Welcome to Tanzania: Meet and greet at arrival point(usually at Kilimanjaro International Airport ,JRO) by our transfer and representative driver from Nduwa Tours who will escort you to the waiting vehicle for loading your luggage then drive you to the Hotel in Arusha town. You will meet our representative who will show up at the Airport with a sign board with your name and a warm smile on his/her face when welcoming you to Tanzania. After checking in at the hotel you will get a briefing about your next day’s 9 Days Lemosho Route without Crater Camping then your mountain guide will check/inspect your climbing gears. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing at the pool or exploring the town of Arusha.
Accommodation: Mid-Range Hotel in Arusha on Bed & Breakfast Basis
At 8am, leave Arusha and head to Londorossi Gate, arriving not later than 1200hrs. Roughly spend about one hour or more depends on the busy situation at the gate for the registrations process.
Soon as you are done with all registering formalities at the gate, last drive before your climb begins to the trailhead where you will enjoy your first meal in the mountain forest at the lunch picnic site before starting the trek to Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp passing under canopies shaded trail through the rain forests of Kilimanjaro viewing trees, variety of flowers species birds species singings along the way. Arrive at the campsite in the late afternoon or evening. Dinner and overnight at the Mti Mkubwa campsite.
Duration: Approx. 4 – 5 hours of hiking Vegetation Type: Forest
Early morning around 0800hrs in max, hike through the forest zone begins to Kilimanjaro’s moorland and enjoy the stunning variety of beautiful wildflowers with the evergreen scenery along the trail. As the trail flattens out, take in your first views of Ice peak (Kibo peak) with the shade of mount Meru in Arusha far away on the western of Kilimanjaro. After lunch climb the Shira Plateau, created when Kibo’s lava flows filled up the Shira plateau and left behind a plain area dominated with lots of grasses with heather plants as the result of the shallow soil ground. Dinner and overnight at the Shira1 campsite.
Duration: Approx. 6 – 8 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Heather & Moorland
The best part of this day’s hike is to offer a great chance for acclimatization that allows you taking a whole day hiking explore the beauty of the massive plain of the Shira Plateau. Look to the west at sunset and you may catch a glimpse of the twin eruptions from the craters of Ol Donyio Lengai (The Mountain of God), an active volcano 100 kilometers distant lying on the same line with Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru in Arusha but also the Ngorongoro crater over 400kms away. Lunch, dinner and overnight at the Shira 2 campsite.
Duration: Approx. 3 – 5 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Heather & Moorland
After breakfast, hike starts continues more to the east on the Shira Plateau for roughly two – three hours before reaching the junction for the Machame Route climbers, then continues through the barren landscape for another 1.5 to two hours for the lunch stop at the Lava tower camp (4600m asl).
After lunch, begin with the long descent about 700m less down to the Barranco Camp. Descent to Barranco camp leads you through the magnificent valley dominated by varieties of igneous with metamorphic rocks but also many different unusual plants species including the Senecio kilimanjari and Lobellia dekinii. Barranco Camp is mainly considered to be the most scenic campsite on the route.From the campsite, enjoy magnificent views of Mount Meru shade, Heim Glacier, but also the Kibo’s southern face and the imposing Barranco Wall on the western side. Dinner and overnight at the Barranco campsite.
Duration: Approx. 6 – 8 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Heather & Moorland
A day starts with the hike through the Barranco great wall nicknamed as the breakfast wall as it is the first approach soon after you are done with your breakfast for an hour-and-a-half scramble up the wall (4200m asl). This part considered as the hardest part of the day and in some places as you may technically require to use your hands just to aid your climb.After reaching the top of the wall, hike through fairly level terrain before making a short but steep descent into the green Karanga River Valley all the way up as the camp located right at the ridge above the Karanga river valley. Lunch, dinner and overnight at the Karanga campsite.
Duration: Approx. 3 – 5 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Heather & Moorland
Leave Karanga Valley after breakfast heading to Barafu Camp, viewing several of Kibo’s glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail. This day has hike with the nice views of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers but only depends on clear sky. Although the trail to Barafu passes through alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Lunch, early dinner and overnight served at the Barafu camp and prepare for the midnight summiting.
Duration: Approx. 3 – 5 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Alpine desert
Based on the steep ascent at high altitude, this part is mostly considered the mainly challenging ascent of the climb. Leaving Barafu Camp early in the morning (midnight) for the beginning of your last hike to the top of Kibo Crater may sometimes be found a bit cold and wind accordingly to the season of the year. In case of difficulties, our guides are well trained and recognized by the American International Outdoor Institutions as the WFR Certificate holders.After ascending Kibo’s wall, continue with the last push to Crater Camp the highest camp in Kilimanjaro. The camp is located inside Kilimanjaro’s Kibo crater and offers stunning views of the surrounding glaciers. Dinner and overnight at the Crater Floor campsite.
Duration: Approx. 6 – 8 hours to the rim, 1 hour to Uhuru & 3-4 to Barafu Camp Vegetation Type: Glaciers
In the early morning around 0600hrs begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak – the highest point in Africa with slightly descending at first from the crater floor camp then ascend to the highest campsite in Africa. The hike to the summit is slow, takes up around one hour or less of gaining 180 meters from the Crater camp. Reach Uhuru around 0700hrs or a bit earlier then enjoy some time at the summit depending on the weather and take photos at the roof of Africa while you are ready for the descent.Descend to Barafu Camp where you’ll have brunch (late breakfast + early lunch) for at least one hour then continue with the descent all the way to Mweka Camp, your final camp on Mount Kilimanjaro Climb adventure. Dinner and overnight at the Mweka camp.
Duration: Approx. 1 hour to summit, 3 – 4 hours to Barafu, then 4 hours to Mweka camp Vegetation Type: Forest
Soon after your last breakfast in the park you will have a chance for enjoying the Kilimanjaro singings with all your crew team followed by the group picture together. As it is the last hiking day to complete the trek with a descent to Mweka exit gate.
As you reaches the Exit gate you will find our vehicles with drivers waiting at the lower station of Mweka Gate ready to take your accommodation places in Arusha. On the way you will get a chance to stop and buy souvenirs and/or experience local meals/drinks.
Duration: Approx. 3 – 4 hours of hiking. Vegetation Type: Forest
The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Arusha town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.
Price includes:
- All transfers to the mountain and back to your Arusha hotel
- Airport Transfer x2 (On Arrival & on Departure)
- Accommodation before and after Mountain Climbing
- Professional, experienced, mountain guides, potters & cooks
- Guides, Porters, Cook salaries and park fees
- All meals while on the Mountain ( Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
- Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
- Clean, purified drinking bottled water
- Conservation fees
- Camping fees (part of park fees)
- Rescue fees (part of park fees)
- VAT (18% charged by the Government)
- Climbing Certificate after reaching the summit
Price include
- Tanzania Visa
- Tips and gratuities (Guides, Potter & Cooks)
- Travel insurance
- Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Liquors, beers and bottled beverages
- Safari after Climbing
Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Frequently Asked Questions
Kilimanjaro is climbable all year round. The best months to clim, however, are July to October and December to February, as these are the warmest and driest months respectively.
July, August and September tend to be the busiest months on the mountain.
This is an outdoor adventure trip in the African wild. There are no showers on the mountain. Warm water will be supplied in a bowl and you will be able to wash your face and hands. For the rest you can bring wet wipes.
At each campsite, we set up a private toilet tent which contains a plastic toilet. There are also simple, hole-in-the-ground public toilets (usually very dirty and not recommended).
If you need to use the bathroom on the trail, you’ll find a spot behind a tree or rock. But you’ll need to have a little baggie for putting used toilet paper in that you then carry to camp and dispose of in a bin.
Due to the great elevation gain on a Kilimanjaro climb, you will experience all kinds of weather, from 30° C (86° F) on the plains surrounding Kilimanjaro all the way down to -7 to -29° C (20° to -20° F) at the summit. So ensure you are prepared and bring the right clothing! You can learn more in Mount Kilimanjaro climate.
On the day before the Climb (arrival day) and the day after the climb (departure day), we stay in a comfortable lodge in Arusha or Moshi. It has lovely views as well as lovely rooms and facilities to match.
For the climbers who prefer Huts accommodation than camping then the Marangu route is perfect choice,the Marangu Route has three cabin lodging: Mandara Huts, Kibo Huts, and Horombo Hut. These cottage housings give cots. There are 60 bunks beds each at Mandara, Kibo.Also 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut.
During the climb on other routes , you sleep in three-person, four-season dome-style mountain tents, two people per tent or a tent of your own, you’ll need to pay a single-person supplement.
Our tents are modern and have an outer flysheet and large vestibules where you can store your equipment during the night.
Don’t underestimate how tough Kilimanjaro is. Too many people do, and don’t make it to the top!
Depending on your current fitness, we suggest that you start your physical training at least two or three months prior to the climb. Please ask our expert to give you a guide on how should you train for Kilimanjaro? to learn more.
Remember, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable the whole experience will be for you.
We can measure each day in walking hours rather than kilometers. Most days, other than the summit day, will begin with breakfast around 6:30 AM and departure at 7 AM. You will walk four to five hours with a break for lunch followed by another hour or two of hiking in the afternoon. These days are not long or difficult and you will be advised to walk slowly.
We always have a first aid kit with us and guides are well trained on first aid. Serious injuries are very rare and Kilimanjaro National Park has a rescue team in case of emergency.
