OUR JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF AFRICA
There are six dominant routes that will lead you to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. The decision of which route to select is just as important as which guide service you go with. It is crucial to do your own research when making the decision on the route you choose. The more informed you are the more likely you are to successfully reach the summit.
After our research, we chose the Lemosho route for the following reasons:
- The elevation gain is more gradual than the other routes.
- The route follows a path that allows for hikers to climb high and sleep low. This methodology greatly aides in the acclimatization process.
- The Lemosho route has the highest rate of successful summit attempts.
Day 2
Mti Mkubwa Camp (2,820 m / 9,252 ft ) to Shira 1 Camp (3,504 m / 11,496 ft)
Hiking Time: 5 hours
Hiking Distance: 8.1 km / 5 miles
Habitat: Moorland
Day 3
Shira 1 Camp (3,504 m / 11,496 ft) to Cathedral Point (3,872 m / 12,703 ft) to
Cathedral Point to Shira 2 Camp (3,875 m / 12,714 ft)
Hiking Time: 5 hours
Hiking Distance: 7.5 km / 4.7 miles
Habitat: Moorland
Day 4
Shira 2 Camp (3,875 m / 12,714 ft) to Lava Tower (4,642 m / 15,230 ft)
Lava Tower to Barranco Camp (3,984 m / 13,071 ft)
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Hiking Distance: 10.7 km / 6.6 miles
Habitat: Semi-desert
Day 5
Barranco Camp (3,984 m / 13,071 ft) to Karanga Camp (4,040 m / 13,255 ft)
Hiking Time: 6 hours
Hiking Distance: 6 km / 3.7 miles
Habitat: Moorland / Semi-desert
Day 6
Karanga Camp (4,040 m / 13,255 ft) to Barafu Camp (4,681 m / 15,358 ft)
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Hiking Distance: 3.4 km / 2.2 miles
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Day 7 – Summit Attempt!
Barafu Camp (4,681 m / 15,358 ft) to Stella Point (5,752 m / 18,871 ft)
Stella Point to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m / 19,341 ft)
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Hiking Distance: 4.5 km / 2.8 miles
Descend to Mweka Camp (3,090 m / 10,138 ft)
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Hiking Distance: 10.8 km / 6.7 miles
Habitat: Stone Scree and Ice-Capped Summit
Day 8
Mweka Camp (3,090 m / 10,138 ft) to Mweka Gate (1,641 m / 5,384 ft)
Hiking Time: 6 hours
Hiking Distance: 8.5 km / 5.3 miles
Habitat: Forest
To get a better idea of the distance covered on the Lemosho route watch the short video below.
The route flyover provides an overview of the hike.
If you are interested in planning a trip of your own and looking for more information to get you started take a look at our Kilimanjaro – Planning Basics post.
If you have any questions or need any advice please feel free to reach out we are happy to help however we can.
Stop thinking and dreaming about climbing Kilimanjaro and just do it!
