The Lemosho route is one of the newer routes on the mountain, and a superb choice for your climb. It is our preferred route due to its ideal balance of low traffic, beautiful scenery and a high summit success rate. Most of our clients use this route and love it. The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Londorossi Gate. From there, the first two days are spent trekking through the rainforest to Shira Ridge.
Unlike the popular Machame route, which simply intersects the Shira Plateau, the Lemosho route crosses the entirety of the plain from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. An added bonus is that climbers will encounter low traffic until the route joins the Machame route. Afterwards, Lemosho follows the same route through Lava Tower, Barranco and Barafu, known as the southern circuit. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
The six day Lemosho route variation is not recommended because it is difficult to cover the distance and elevation in the allotted time. Specifically, on day 2, the journey from Forest Camp to Shira 2, is rather long and has an elevation gain of 3,000 feet. It would not be unusual for climbers to have symptoms of altitude sickness while only on the second day of the climb due to the quick pace.
Secondly, day four combined with day five makes for a very tough schedule. Day four is a full day of trekking from Barranco to Barafu. Then after dinner and a partial night’s sleep, the very long and strenuous summit day begins around midnight. The 6 day Lemosho route requires 19-24 hours of demanding walking, at extremely high elevation, with only 4-6 hours of sleep.
Unlike the popular Machame route, which simply intersects the Shira Plateau, the Lemosho route crosses the entirety of the plain from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. An added bonus is that climbers will encounter low traffic until the route joins the Machame route. Afterwards, Lemosho follows the same route through Lava Tower, Barranco and Barafu, known as the southern circuit. Descent is made via the Mweka route.
The six day Lemosho route variation is not recommended because it is difficult to cover the distance and elevation in the allotted time. Specifically, on day 2, the journey from Forest Camp to Shira 2, is rather long and has an elevation gain of 3,000 feet. It would not be unusual for climbers to have symptoms of altitude sickness while only on the second day of the climb due to the quick pace.
Secondly, day four combined with day five makes for a very tough schedule. Day four is a full day of trekking from Barranco to Barafu. Then after dinner and a partial night’s sleep, the very long and strenuous summit day begins around midnight. The 6 day Lemosho route requires 19-24 hours of demanding walking, at extremely high elevation, with only 4-6 hours of sleep.
