10-Day Lemosho Route Trek-Staying at Crater

Welcome to Tanzania. On arrival, our Kiwia Africa Tours representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Moshi. This is a relaxed day to settle in, have dinner and get some rest before the mountain adventure begins. Your guide will also meet you for a short briefing, check your trekking equipment and explain what to expect during the climb.

Environment: Warm and comfortable at the lower elevation, with a pleasant tropical climate.

After breakfast, we drive towards Londorossi Gate where we complete the park registration and entry formalities. From there, we continue to the Lemosho trailhead and begin our walk through the beautiful rainforest. The first day is not too demanding, giving you a chance to settle into the rhythm of walking on the mountain. The forest is thick and green, and you may hear birds and, if you're lucky, spot some monkeys along the trail. We arrive at Mti Mkubwa Camp in the afternoon and have plenty of time to relax before dinner.

Altitude: 2,360 m → 2,895 m

Distance: Approximately 6 km

Trekking Duration: 3–4 hours

Environment: Montane rainforest

After breakfast, we leave the rainforest behind and gradually enter the heath and moorland zone. The vegetation becomes shorter and the views begin to open up as we climb higher. You will notice the air becoming cooler and thinner, so we walk slowly and take regular breaks. By the afternoon, we reach Shira 1 Camp on the Shira Plateau, where you can rest and enjoy the impressive views across the surrounding landscape.

Altitude: 2,895 m → 3,505 m

Distance: Approximately 8 km

Trekking Duration: 5–6 hours

Environment: Heath and moorland

Today we continue across the Shira Plateau before gradually gaining more altitude towards Moir Hut. The landscape becomes more open and rugged, with fewer plants as we move into the high-altitude environment. We take this day slowly because acclimatization is very important. The views become wider and more dramatic, and on a clear day you can see the slopes and volcanic features of Kilimanjaro stretching around you. After reaching camp, we have dinner and rest.

Altitude: 3,505 m → 4,206 m

Distance: Approximately 11 km

Trekking Duration: 5–7 hours

Environment: Moorland to high-altitude desert

This is an important acclimatization day. We climb towards Lava Tower at around 4,630 metres, where the air is noticeably thinner and the landscape becomes rocky and almost desert-like. We spend some time at the higher elevation before descending towards Barranco Camp. This “climb high, sleep lower” approach gives your body more time to adjust to the altitude. As we descend, the famous Barranco Wall comes into view. We arrive at camp in the afternoon and settle in for the night.

Altitude: 4,206 m → 4,630 m → 3,976 m

Distance: Approximately 10 km

Trekking Duration: 6–8 hours

Environment: High-altitude desert and alpine landscape

After breakfast, we start with the famous Barranco Wall. It may look intimidating from the camp, but the trail is manageable when taken slowly, and our guides will help you through the more challenging sections. Once above the wall, we continue through a rocky alpine landscape towards Karanga Camp. This is a shorter trekking day, so there is time to rest, enjoy the mountain views and prepare for the higher camps ahead.

Altitude: 3,976 m → 3,995 m

Distance: Approximately 5 km

Trekking Duration: 4–5 hours

Environment: Alpine desert

Today we make our way towards Barafu Camp, the main base for the summit attempt. The trail is rocky and the vegetation becomes very sparse as we climb higher. Although the distance is short, the altitude makes the walk feel harder. We reach Barafu Camp around midday or early afternoon and have lunch before resting. Your guide will give you a briefing about the summit day, and the team will prepare everything you need for the early climb.

Altitude: 3,995 m → 4,673 m

Distance: Approximately 4 km

Trekking Duration: 4–5 hours

Environment: Alpine desert

This is the most challenging and most memorable day of the trek. We leave Barafu early and climb slowly towards Stella Point on the crater rim. The air is extremely cold and thin, so we take our time and keep a steady pace. From Stella Point, we continue along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 metres.

After celebrating at the summit and taking photographs, we descend a short distance into the crater to our campsite. Spending the night inside Kilimanjaro's crater is a very special experience, surrounded by the dramatic volcanic landscape and high-altitude glaciers. Because Crater Camp is at an extreme altitude, your guide will closely monitor how you are feeling.

Altitude: 4,673 m → 5,756 m → 5,895 m → approximately 5,750 m

Distance: Approximately 6 km to Uhuru Peak + 1 km to Crater Camp

Trekking Duration: Approximately 7–9 hours

Environment: Arctic and volcanic landscape

After breakfast, we begin the long descent from the crater. The difference in altitude is noticeable, and breathing gradually becomes easier as we lose elevation. The trail is rocky in the beginning and can be hard on the knees, so trekking poles are very useful. As we descend, the scenery changes dramatically from the cold volcanic landscape to heath and eventually the upper forest. We arrive at Mweka Camp in the afternoon, where a warm meal and a comfortable night's rest await you.

Altitude: Approximately 5,750 m → 3,068 m

Distance: Approximately 12 km

Trekking Duration: 4–6 hours

Environment: Arctic → alpine desert → heath → upper forest

Our final morning on Kilimanjaro begins with breakfast before we continue descending through the green rainforest towards Mweka Gate. After several days in the high mountains, the warmer and more humid forest feels completely different. At the gate, we complete the park formalities and collect your Kilimanjaro summit certificate. We then say goodbye to the mountain crew and meet our driver for the transfer back to or Moshi.

Altitude: 3,068 m → approximately 1,640 m

Distance: Approximately 10 km

Trekking Duration: 3–4 hours

Environment: Montane rainforest