Kilimanjaro Trekking Routes
Lemosho Route
11 days
ITINERARY
7 days
TREKKING
5,895m
ALTITUDE
Dates
2024 & 2025
Classic way Up Kilimanjaro
Climb Kilimanjaro on our 11 day Lemosho Route itinerary by joining one of many Group trips. The Lemosho Route is the most popular, heads in from the west and traverses all the way to the east on Kilimanjaro’s southern side – providing a fantastic varied trek with changing views. From day 3 it’s identical to the Machame Route (including Lava Tower acclimatisation) – but has an extra day prior to arrival at high camp, which adds time for acclimatisation, and for many makes the final push to the summit feel less pressurised.
The Challenge
Reach the Roof of Africa in 7 days...
The Lemosho Route approaches Kilimanjaro from the West, and starts in pristine forest before crossing the vast Shira plateau, and merging into the Machame Route after Shira Camp (on Day 3 of trekking). The route traverses around Kilimanjaro’s’ southern side, providing a fantastic varied trek with changing scenery & views. Kilimanjaro’s Lemosho Route itinerary includes the famous Barranco Wall followed by an extra acclimatisation day at Karanga Camp, which gives a shorter day trekking prior to summit day – which starts at around midnight – and therefore you get more rest with more time to prepare for the final push to the top! It’s popular, and that’s not surprising – as it has everything!
- 11 day trip - 7 day trekking
- All inclusive - hotels & park fees
- Flights included or land only
- Approaches from the West
- Varied Kilimanjaro scenery
- Good acclimatisation features
- Private Kilimanjaro camp areas
- Take on the Barranco Wall!
- Summit via Stella Point
- Exit via Mweka Gate in the south
- Safari & Zanzibar extensions
The Experience
Life On The Kilimanjaro trek
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on a Kilimanjaro adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough on summit day, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships that will stay with you for many years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local Kilimanjaro logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ Kilimanjaro trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in a fantastic landscape, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable Kilimanjaro challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge Kilimanjaro trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics, with an expedition med kit, is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge and reaching Kilimanjaro’s ice caped summit.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.
SPRING DEAL
FREE 50KM ULTRA CHALLENGE PLACE
Join us on one of our UK Ultra Challenges,
get active and kickstart your training with
a free 50km entry worth £139.
*Conditions apply & ends 30 April '24
Itinerary & Route
Summary itinerary below – and click on ‘full itinerary’ for all the details. Note – some details of the itinerary may change, and you’ll be provided with a detailed itinerary once you are signed up to the challenge.
Departing London, we fly overnight before landing into Tanzania. Upon a morning arrival, we transfer to our hotel, check in, before a welcome briefing & kit check. We have an evening meal together before an early night.
Setting out from the Londrossi gate, to the west of the mountain, we set out from the foothills through lush vegetation. Our 1st night is spent camping at ‘Big Tree Camp’ (2,780m). The next day we begin trekking slowly towards Shira Camp where the landscape turns more into ‘Moorland’ with unique shrubs & flora. We camp at the Shira Plateau which is above the cloud line, at 3,850m. From here we head towards Barranco Camp, past Lava Tower & under the ice field of Kibo – tonight’s camp is at 3,972m, just below the infamous Barranco wall.
Heading out from Barranco camp, we scramble up to the top of the Barranco wall, before heading along to Karanga Camp for a night’s rest at 3,995m. The next morning we set out from Karanga to Barafu Camp at 4,670m which takes us about 6 hours. It is here that we prepare ourselves for our summit attempt, getting in a few hours of sleep before waking up approx. 11pm.
And so to the Kilimanjaro summit day! We awake just before midnight – and after a hot drink & snacks we begin our climb. For the next 6 hours we trek the steepest and most demanding part of the route by torch light. This is a long and gruelling trek to reach Stella point (5,730m) at Kilimanjaro’s crater rim. After a short rest we make our final traverse to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the African continent at 5,895m. The rising morning sunlight gives us spectacular views across the plains below and of Mount Meru in the distance – and we feel on top of the world! After some photos we have a tough decent back to Barafu Camp where we stop for a rest and brunch, before continuing down to Millennium Camp at 3,950m. After a long and exhilarating day we can finally rest our tired legs and get a good night’s sleep!
We descend to the gate from Millennium Camp which takes us between 4-5 hours, before boarding a bus to head back to the hotel. After a rest & a hot shower we have the afternoon to relax by the pool before a celebratory dinner. The next day we have a free morning, before heading to the airport for an overnight flight back to the UK.
OUR UNIQUE DEPARTURES...
Our Unique Trips are special departures with slightly different itineraries, along some of the classic routes we offer – to celebrate certain events (like New Year’s Eve!), bring people together as part of a bigger team, or to lengthen some of our trips with some special add ons – to find out more click on the below, all are listed on our Dates & Prices page.
Women Only TRIP
Lemosho Route
Join our all-female teams on this once in a lifetime challenge to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Women from all walks of life, with different experiences and of different ages will come together as a team to conquer Africa's highest mountain - pushing themselves further whilst creating strong friendships.
NEW YEAR'S DAY SUMMIT
Machame Route
What better way to see in a New Year then from seeing the sun rising over the plains of Africa, celebrating with a team of fellow climbers an awesome achievement! It's a unique challenge, setting out from the UK on boxing day - along the 6 day Machame route to the summit on New Year's morning.
CLIMB KILI + SAFARI
LEMOSHO ROUTE
After popular demand we've launched our standard Lemosho 7 day climb now with an add on of a 2.5 day safari after your climb. Rest & relax in the company of the world's most beautiful and majestic creatures - explore Lake Manyara National Park & Ngoro Crater with your fellow climbers.
PRICES & Fundraising OPTIONS
Self Funding
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & balance payment due 12 weeks before, with no fundraising target.
Fundraise for Charity
Sign up with a £295 online deposit & fundraise for a charity of your choice, with different target options.
