11 Day Lemosho Crater Route Adventure

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at the
Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met
by a Pristine Trails representative and transferred
to your hotel in Moshi town. Depending on your
arrival time, you will have a pre-trek briefing with
your Kilimanjaro guide either this
afternoon/evening or the following morning.

The day begins with a three-hour drive from
Moshi to Londrosi Park Gate for registration.
Once formalities are completed, you will get back
into the car, pass through village communities
and arrive at the trailhead at Lemosho Glades to
start hiking. You will spend this day in some of the
most beautiful forest found on the mountain, with
wildlife sightings possible. After a short 2–3 hours
you will arrive at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree)
campsite. Here, like all days, you'll have an
afternoon snack and delicious hot dinner.
Trekking Time: 2–3 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
Altitude Change: +396 m / +1,299 ft

Leaving the forest early in the day, the trail gets
steeper as it enters the grasses and wildflowers of
the heath and moorland zone towards the valley.
A gentle grade walk takes you across the high-
altitude Shira Caldera past Shira Cave (views of
Arrow glacier) and then gently downwards to
Shira Hut 1 located near a stream on the Shira
Plateau.
Trekking Time: 3 hours
Distance: 7 km / 4.3 mi
Altitude Change: +719 m / +2,359 ft

A gentle hike across the plateau within the
moorland meadow takes you to Shira Hut 2 for
the afternoon and overnight. Many short hikes are
available on the Plateau, making this a great day
for acclimatization.
Trekking Time: 3 hours
Distance: 7 km / 4.3 mi
Altitude Change: +391 m / +1,283 ft

Walking now on high moorland, the landscape
changes the entire character of the trek. Traverse
the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing
underneath the Lava Tower and the final section
of the Western Breach to reach Barranco camp.
The day has been spent at altitude, but you will
have followed the mountaineering code of
'walk high, sleep low' to avoid altitude sickness by
aiding your bodies in acclimatization.
Trekking Time: 6–7 hours
Distance: 10 km / 6.2 mi
Altitude Change: +732 m / +2,401 ft; -641 m / -2,103 ft

Start the day by descending into the start of the
Great Barranco, a huge ravine. Then exit steeply,
up what has been termed the Breakfast Wall,
which divides you from the southeastern slopes of
Kibo. It is a climb over rocks, although not
technical. Passing underneath the Heim and
Kersten glaciers, head towards the Karanga
Valley for overnight.
Trekking Time: 4–5 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 mi
Altitude Change: +48 m / +158 ft

The day is characterized by a short hike on
terrain formed by scree. Walk through arid, lunar
land towards Barafu Camp where you have the
entire afternoon to rest before your assault on the
summit begins at midnight.
Trekking Time: 2–4 hours
Distance: 3.5 km / 2.2 mi
Altitude Change: +628 m / +2,060 ft

After breakfast, this hike has you walking steeply
upwards to the summit glaciers. You will be
climbing scree for 5 to 6 hours but you gain
incredible height over a short distance. The views
are spectacular. Once reaching the crater rim, you
will descend into Crater Camp, the highest camp
on Kilimanjaro, located inside the Kibo Crater.
You will have stunning views here of the
surrounding Furtwangler Glacier.
Trekking Time: 6–7 hours
Distance: 6 km / 3.7 mi
Altitude Change: +1088 m / +3,570 ft

Depart in the morning from the barren crater
floor for the switchbacks that will take you up the
crater's southern rim. Once reaching the rim, a
short walk takes you to your goal, Uhuru Peak, the
Roof of Africa. You made it!
Trekking Time: 0.5–1 hours
Distance: 1 km / 0.6 mi
Altitude Change: +145 m / +476 ft
After a quick celebration and photos at the top,
you will begin the descent by returning to Stella
Point and then descending on scree slope back to
Barafu Camp for breakfast and a short rest
before finally heading down to Mweka Hut for a
well-earned rest. On the descent, you will have
fabulous views of the plains and Mawenzi peak.
Trekking Time: 6–8 hours
Distance: 11.5 km / 7.1 mi
Altitude Change: -2789 m / -9,151 ft

A gentle trek takes you down through the
rainforest to the Mweka Gate, where park
formalities will be completed and you will be met
by our vehicles to return you to the Pristine Trails
office. Here you will receive your certificate of
ascent courtesy of the Kilimanjaro National Park
Authority, have the tipping ceremony for your
mountain crew and collect any luggage you
stored. Thereafter, you will be driven back to your
hotel where you can treat yourself to a well-
earned shower and a good night's sleep.
Trekking Time: 2–4 hours
Distance: 9 km / 5.6 mi
Altitude Change: -1473 m / -4,832 ft

After breakfast, you will begin the next leg of
your journey either onto your wildlife safari or you
will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro
International Airport for your departure flight.
Transfer Time: 1 hour to airport