9-Day Lemosho Barafu Route

Route Itinerary

Please remember that both our Standard and All-Inclusive Packages include:

•  2 Nights at a Premium Hotel prior to the climb
• 1 Night at a Premium Hotel post climb.
  In total, this trip with us takes 12 days (not including flights).

DAY 1: FOREST CAMP – RAINFOREST ZONE

Pick up and check out of hotel in the morning. Start driving to the Kilimanjaro National Park Lemosho Entrance Gate (3hrs).

We enter the western gate of the park (approximately 7,700ft or 2,100m) and climb to & overnight at Forest Camp (9,255ft or 2,821 m) in the Rainforest Zone.

This trek takes approximately 2-3 hrs. This part of the trip will consist of a trek through lush rainforest. You may see some black and white Colobus Monkeys as well as some Blue Monkeys.

DAY 2: SHIRA 1 CAMP – HEATHER / MOORLAND ZONE

We climb from Forest Camp (9,255ft or 2,821 m) to Shira 1 Camp (11,300ft or 3,444 m) in the Heather Zone.

We will be having a lunch break half way throughout the day. We will be camping at Shira 1 Camp tonight. This trek takes approximately 5-7 hrs including lunch break.

Trekkers will be travelling through the Heather and Moorland Zones, consisting of more lush vegetation.

DAY 3: MOIR CAMP – HEATHER / MOORLAND ZONE

We climb from Shira 1 Camp (11,300ft or 3,444 m) to Moir Camp (13,779ft or 4,200 m) through the Heather and Moorland Zone. We will be camping overnight at Moir Camp.

This trek takes approximately 5-7 hrs including lunch break. The landscape will begin to change to smaller plants and trekkers will start to travel through a more desert-like landscape.

DAY 4: BARRANCO CAMP – ALPINE DESERT ZONE

We climb from Moir Camp (13,779ft or 4,200 m) to Lava Tower Camp (15,091ft or 4,600 m) in the Alpine Desert Zone. This trek takes approximately 3 hrs.

We will spend some time having lunch at Lava Tower Camp. After lunch, we proceed to make our descent towards Barranco Camp (13,066ft or 3,983 m). We have spectacular view of the Barranco Wall. We camp overnight at Barranco Camp.

DAY 5: KARANGA CAMP – ALPINE DESERT ZONE

We climb from Barranco Camp (13,066ft or 3,983 m) to Karanga Camp (13,255ft or 4,040 m).

To get to Karanga Camp, we must cross over the Barranco Wall. This climb is not technical and you will have the guides to assist you. This trek takes approximately 4-5 hours to complete.

Afterwards we will rest for the remainder of the day. We camp overnight at Karanga Camp.

DAY 6: BARAFU CAMP – ALPINE DESERT ZONE

We climb from Karanga Camp (13,255ft or 4,040 m) to Barafu Camp (15,239ft or 4,644 m). This trek takes approximately 4-5 hours to complete.

Afterwards we will rest for the remainder of the day. We camp overnight at Barafu Camp.

DAY 7: UHURU PEAK – SUMMIT DAY – ARCTIC ZONE

Starting at Barafu Camp (15,239ft or 4,644 m) we will begin our summit trek to Uhuru Peak (19,341ft or 5,895m). This trek takes approximately 7 hours to complete. From here onwards, the climbing group has 2 options which will be decided in cooperation by the head guides, and all the climbers on the trek.

Option #1: We wake up at 6:00 AM and avoid trekking in the darkness. We will have a short break for lunch when we are nearby the summit. The trek to the summit takes approximately 7 hours.

Congratulations on reaching Uhuru Peak (19,341ft or 5,895 m). Spend a few minutes taking pictures and savouring the accomplishment of climbing to the Roof of Africa. After we have spent time at the summit, we will make our descent to Crater Camp (18,800ft or 5,730 m).

You will be able to see the Furtwangler Glacier next to Crater Camp. Overnight at Crater Camp. This descent portion takes approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete.

The benefit of Option #1 is that we get to reach the summit during the mid-day, when there are the least crowds at the summit. You also get to sleep at Crater Camp next to the Furtwangler Glacier, which is situated next to Kibo’s Ash Pit (the heart of the volcano).

Option #2: We wake up at 11:00 PM the night before to prepare for our summit day. We eat breakfast and begin our trek around 12:00 AM (midnight). It takes approximately 7 hours to reach the summit Uhuru Peak (19,341ft or 5,895m). You will be reaching the peak around sunrise.

After you have reached the summit and had a snack, you will begin to make your descent back to Barafu Camp. This descent portion takes approximately 3-4 hours.

DAY 8: DESCENT TO MWEKA CAMP – HEATHER / MOORLAND ZONE

Option #1 Continued: Wake up at Crater Camp (18,800ft or 5,730 m) in the Arctic Zone and begin making our descent to Mweka Camp (10,204ft or 3,110 m). This descent portion takes approximately 6-8 hrs.

Option #2 Continued: Wake up at Barafu Camp (15,239ft or 3,983m) and continue making our descent to our next camp – Mweka Camp (10,204ft or 3,110 m). This descent portion takes approximately 4-5 hrs. Overnight at Mweka Camp in the Moorland/Heather Zone.

DAY 9: MWEKA GATE & OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE

After breakfast, we continue to climb down to Mweka Gate (5,423ft or 1,653m) where we sign the Official Kilimanjaro National Park Register, have a cold drink, and get presented our official Kilimanjaro Certificate by our Head Guide. This last descent to the gate should take approximately 3-4 hrs.

We then head to our bus and head back to the Premium Hotel in Arusha. This drive takes approximately 3 hrs. You should be arriving back at the hotel in the mid-afternoon around 3 PM (depending what time you leave your camp in the morning).