Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Lemosho Route is the quiet western way up Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa (5,895 m). It starts in the rainforest on the far west side of the mountain, crosses the whole Shira Plateau, a collapsed volcano, and then traverses below the glaciers of Kibo's southern face to Barafu Camp, from where climbers make the night push to Uhuru Peak. The descent is by the Mweka route. The long, slow approach gives good acclimatisation. You sleep in tents at the official Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA) camps, and you must climb with a licensed guide and crew.

The route

Climbers register at Londorossi Gate and drive on a forest track to Lemosho Gate (about 2,360 m). Day 1 is a short forest walk to Mti Mkubwa, the "Big Tree" camp. Day 2 leaves the forest for giant heather and climbs onto the rim of the Shira Plateau at Shira 1 Camp (3,500 m). Day 3 crosses the open plateau to Shira 2 Camp (3,850 m), where the Machame route joins; some operators sleep at Moir Hut (about 4,200 m) instead. Day 4 is the key acclimatisation day: you climb to the Lava Tower (about 4,630 m) and drop to Barranco Camp (3,960 m) among giant groundsels. Day 5 starts with the Barranco Wall, a 250 m scramble on hands and feet, and continues to Karanga Camp. Day 6 is a short climb to Barafu Camp (4,673 m), the high camp. You leave Barafu around midnight, reach Stella Point on the crater rim at dawn and walk the last hour along the rim to Uhuru Peak. The same day you go back down to Barafu and on to Mweka Camp (3,100 m) or Millennium Camp, and on the last morning you walk through the forest to Mweka Gate (about 1,640 m).

This guide follows the line mapped on OpenStreetMap from Lemosho Gate to Uhuru Peak (42 km) and splits it into 7 stages, about 6.0 km each: the classic 8-day itinerary. The descent via Mweka (about 21-23 km, 1.5 days) is described in the text and stage notes. Operators quote about 70 km for the whole climb.

Highlights

• The western rainforest on day 1: tall trees, moss and colobus monkeys, with far fewer people than on Machame or Marangu
• The Shira Plateau: two days on a high, open plateau with views of Kibo ahead and Mount Meru above the clouds behind you
• Lava Tower and the Barranco Valley: a volcanic plug at 4,600 m and a valley of giant groundsels below the Breach Wall
• The Barranco Wall: the most famous scramble on the mountain, easier than it looks
• Sunrise from Stella Point and the glaciers of the southern ice fields on the way to Uhuru Peak

When to climb

KINAPA describes two dry seasons: late June to September and December to early March. July, August and the New Year period are the busiest. The main rains fall from March to May and the short rains in October and November; the forest is muddy, the forest track to Lemosho Gate can be hard for vehicles, and the summit can be deep in snow. Summit night is often -10 to -20 °C with wind chill at any time of year. The dry heath on the Shira side can burn: in late September 2026 a wildfire closed the Lemosho and Londorosi routes for about ten days.

How many days do you need?

Book 8 days. The 7-day version skips either Shira 1 (a long day from Mti Mkubwa to Shira 2) or Karanga (Barranco to Barafu in one day), and both cut acclimatisation; operators report clearly higher summit rates on 8 days. Plan a night in Moshi or Arusha before the climb for the briefing and gear check, and one after.

Permits, fees and booking

You cannot climb Kilimanjaro on your own. KINAPA issues permits only through licensed tour operators, who provide a guide, assistant guides, a cook, porters, tents and food. Choose an operator that pays and treats its porters fairly; partner operators of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) are a good sign. The operator price includes park fees. In the latest published TANAPA tariff (valid from January 2025; no newer tariff had been published by October 2026), a foreign adult pays USD 70 a day in conservation fees, USD 50 a night for camping, a USD 20 rescue fee and a USD 10 forest fee, plus 18% VAT: about USD 1,110 for 8 days. Porters may carry no more than 25 kg, and children under 10 are not allowed above 3,700 m. Tipping the crew at the end is expected; ask your operator for its tipping guide before you go.

Getting there and away

Fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), between Moshi and Arusha. Londorossi Gate is on the far west side of the mountain, about 2.5 to 4 hours by road from Moshi or Arusha, so day 1 starts early; the registration and the 12 km forest track to Lemosho Gate take another hour or two. You need a passport valid for 6 months, a tourist visa (e-visa before travel, or on arrival at the main airports) and a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. Regulations published in September 2026 also require a USD 44 Tanzanian inbound travel insurance policy for most foreign visitors; check whether it is enforced when you travel. Plastic carrier bags are banned. At the end, your operator collects you at Mweka Gate, 30-45 minutes from Moshi.

Money and phone signal

Climbs and tips are usually paid in US dollars; bring clean, recent notes. ATMs in Moshi and Arusha give Tanzanian shillings and sometimes run out. Mobile signal is patchy: often some at the higher camps and on the summit, little in the forest and valleys. There is no power, so bring a power bank.

What to pack

Pack for every climate: light clothes for the forest, a fleece and a down jacket, waterproofs, thermal layers, a warm hat, thick mittens, a sleeping bag rated to -10 °C or lower, a head torch, trekking poles, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen. Carry 3 litres of water and purification tablets. Porters carry your duffel; keep water, snacks, rain gear and warm layers in your daypack.

Difficulty and safety

The Lemosho route is not technical, but it is hard. The danger is altitude: most climbers get headaches and poor sleep, and some get acute mountain sickness, which can turn into life-threatening HAPE or HACE. Walk slowly, drink well, tell your guide about every symptom, and go down if they get worse. Summit night is 6-8 hours of slow climbing in the cold and dark, followed by a descent of about 2,800 m to Mweka Camp. The Barranco Wall needs your hands on a few short steps. The western start is remote, far from Moshi. In an emergency, your guide and the KINAPA rangers at each camp organise rescue by stretcher or helicopter; the national emergency number is 112, and the nearest major hospital is KCMC in Moshi. Your insurance must cover trekking to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation.