8 Days Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Lemosho Route

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival Day in Tanzania:
1 stop
1
Mount Kilimanjaro
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where you will meet with Aardvark Expeditions representative, and transfer to the Arusha Planet Lodge. The hotel will provide all the essentials for a comfortable stay: cozy rooms, hot water, polite staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access. In the evening, there will be a briefing with our managers, who will also make sure you are ready to begin the climb on Mount Kilimanjaro 5,896 masl.
Admission ticket free
Day 2
Arusha – Lemosho Gate (2,385m) – Big Tree Camp (2,780m):
1 stop
2
Mount Kilimanjaro
In the morning you will be taken to Lemosho Gate (2,385m). Here you will be registered by the national park authorities and your trek through a dense rainforest begins. You will enjoy lunch before you set out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, thus giving you time to enjoy the lush scenery which will drastically change over the course of your trek. You might even catch a glimpse of the thumbless colobus monkeys sitting in the branches above you. Your dinner and overnight awaits you at the beautiful Big Tree Camp.
4 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Big Tree Camp (2,780m) – Shira Camp 1 (3,500m):
1 stop
3
Mount Kilimanjaro
As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with lobelia and erica plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3 to 4 hours. Looking over the Shira Plateau from your camp you will be able to see the unmistakable snow-capped summit of Kibo. A hearty evening meal and a last glimpse at the starry sky will bring the day to a close.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Shira Camp 1 (3,500m) – Shira Camp 2 (3,900m):
1 stop
4
Mount Kilimanjaro
Today you will cross Shira Ridge with its rocky ground, low grasses and shrubs. As the terrain is much flatter than the day before, your hike will seem more leisurely and you will enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive giant lobelias still dot the moor landscape. Walking on ground where lava used to flow you will reach Shira Camp 2, where you will have your evening meal and overnight stay.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Shira Camp 2 (3,900m) – Lava Tower (4,640m) – Barranco Camp (3,960m):
1 stop
5
Mount Kilimanjaro
After breakfast you will start your ascent to Lava Tower through a boulder-strewn terrain. In the distance you will see Kibo encouraging you to continue uphill. Reaching Lava Tower, you will rest and allow your body to get used to the higher altitude, after which you continue downwards to Barranco Camp. This method of climbing high but sleeping low allows your body to acclimatize to the differing altitudes and gives you a good idea on how your body react to changes in altitude. Along the way the scenery changes once more and soon you are surrounded by giant senecios and smaller lobelias. After 6 to 7 hours you will reach the beautiful and green Barranco Camp, which offers great views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. After dinner you will settle in for the night.
7 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Barranco Camp (3,960m) – Karanga Camp (4,035m):
1 stop
6
Mount Kilimanjaro
The famous Barranco wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last water spot as you finally reach Karanga Camp. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Karanga Camp (4,035m) – Barafu Camp (4,640m):
1 stop
7
Mount Kilimanjaro
Today you will make your way to Barafu Camp. The landscape is very dry and the ground cracks like glass under your boots. As you make your way through the afro-alpine desert to the rocky Barafu Camp, a sense of excitement sweeps over you as your final stretch is only a few hours away. The Barafu Camp with its rocky scenery allows for a stunning view of Mawenzi Peak and the summit path ahead. After an early dinner and last-minute preparation for tomorrow, you will go to bed.
12 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Barafu Camp (4,640m) – Uhuru Peak (5,895m) – Mweka Camp (3,080m):
1 stop
8
Mount Kilimanjaro
At around midnight you will be awoken with some hot tea and biscuits in order to get you ready for today’s ascents. You will ascend in a north-westerly direction through heavy scree toward Stella Point, arriving there in about 5 to 7 hours. At Stella Point (5,730m) you may rest if necessary before taking on another 1 to 2 hours stretch along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak – the highlight of your trip. A breath-taking view awaits you as you stand on the highest mountain in Africa. After taking as much pictures as your camera will allow, you will leave behind the glistening glaciers and snowy peak and make your way back down to Barafu Camp. Here you will have time to catch your breath before heading further down to Mweka Camp, an approximate 3 hour walk. A scrumptious dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep await you.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 9
Mweka Camp (3,080m) – Mweka Gate (1,630m) – Drive to Arusha:
1 stop
9
Mount Kilimanjaro
A scrumptious breakfast is followed by a traditional farewell ceremony from your mountain crew, before you start your final stretch down the mountain. You will once more trek through the rainforest, giving you another opportunity to spot the cheeky colobus monkeys, finally reaching the Mweka Gate. You will be met at the gate and taken back to the Arusha Planet Lodge for a long shower and relaxed day by the pool.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 10
Departure Transfer:
1 stop
10
If your time in Africa ends today our transfer team will drive you back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your departure. If you have booked with us a safari or a few days to dissolve into the pristine sandy beaches and tropical waters of Zanzibar, we will be there to help you comfortably transition from your climb into your next Tanzanian adventure. Please Kindly Take a Note: Hotel check-out is at 11:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out because of an evening flight, there is the option to extend your hotel stay for an extra cost.
8 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

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