8 Days Kilimanjaro Trek “Magnificent Traverse Route” – Lemosho Route Via the Northern Circuit Wilderness

On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, will meet you and assist with your baggage then transfer to River Trees Inn for an overnight rest on bed and breakfast.

After breakfast your guide from will a brief you regarding your day by day Kili trekking, followed by breakfast and a 2-hour drive from Arusha to Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral water in the village. From here a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades (2100m, 11km, 45 minutes). You will have a lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping area in the late afternoon. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa campsite, (2750m).

Today wake up early in the morning at Mti Mkubwa camp and, after breakfast you trek for an hour or so to the top of the forest and then the trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone. Several streams are crossed. A gentle walk across the plateau leads to Shira 2-camp on moorland meadows next to a stream (3840m). By now you will be able to see, in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. The night at this bare camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing. Enjoy dinner and overnight. (B-L-D) at the height of (3840m) - Shira 2 camp, trekking time is approximately 6.5 hours and the habitat is Moorland.

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). Today is a definitely, the toughest day. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear.

After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first), you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out easier than what you anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit, so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so, you reach Barafu Hut.

You will rise around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours.

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the Park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. Height (1980m) - Mweka Gate, trekking time is approximately 3 hours and the distance is about 15 km's while Habitats are Forest.

Today after breakfast we provide a private transfer to River trees Inn late Lunch, shower, dinner and cold Kilimanjaro Beer. Dinner and overnight at River Trees. ADD ON- ADVENTURE SAFARI AND ZANZIBAR ISLAND This trekking is recommended for extension safari to Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara and Beach holidays to the Spice Island of Zanzibar. We highly recommend after your Mount Kilimanjaro trekking, an adventure not to be missed to explore the Tanzanian wilderness safari (Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Ngoronoro) and Zanzibar beach holiday to the spice Island.