Lemosho Route

The Lemosho Route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west. Climbers register at Londorossi Gate, drive on to the Lemosho trailhead, and walk through quiet montane forest before crossing the full width of the Shira Plateau. From Shira 2 Camp it follows the same southern traverse as Machame, via Lava Tower, Barranco and Karanga, to Barafu Camp and the summit at Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), then descends to Mweka Gate.

It suits first-timers who can give the mountain eight days and want the best mix of scenery and acclimatisation without going all the way to the Northern Circuit.

The trade-offs: it costs more because of the extra day and the long drive to the start, the first-day drive eats a morning, and from day three onwards you are on the busy Machame trail anyway.

What is the Lemosho Route like day by day?

The standard eight-day Lemosho has two quiet forest-and-plateau days, then joins the southern circuit. Altitudes are approximate and vary slightly between sources.

1. Londorossi Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp (approx. 2,780 m). Park registration, a drive to the trailhead, then two to four hours through tall, mossy forest. The name means "big tree" in Swahili.
2. Mti Mkubwa to Shira 1 Camp (approx. 3,505 m). Out of the forest, through giant heather and onto the western rim of the Shira Plateau.
3. Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp (approx. 3,850 m). An easy day across the open plateau, with Kibo ahead and, on clear evenings, Mount Meru behind.
4. Shira 2 to Barranco Camp (approx. 3,960 m) via Lava Tower (approx. 4,630 m). The acclimatisation day, shared with Machame from here on.
5. Barranco to Karanga Camp (approx. 3,995 m). Barranco Wall scramble, then a short afternoon.
6. Karanga to Barafu Camp (approx. 4,670 m). Short, steep and dry. Rest, eat, sleep early.
7. Summit night, then down to Mweka Camp (approx. 3,100 m). Via Stella Point to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m).
8. Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate. Down through the forest.

Why do people say Lemosho has the best acclimatisation?

Lemosho's reputation comes from its first three nights. Instead of jumping straight to around 3,850 m on night two, as Machame does, it sleeps at about 2,780 m, then 3,505 m, then 3,850 m. Add the Lava Tower day and the Karanga stage and you reach Barafu on night six with more time at altitude than on a seven-day Machame.

It is not perfect. An example eight-day Lemosho itinerary published in The BMJ in 2026 was classed as high risk under Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) criteria, because two days (Shira 1 and Barafu) add more than 500 m of sleeping altitude and there is no extra night after 1,000 m of gain. That says more about Kilimanjaro than about Lemosho: nearly every standard itinerary breaks the textbook rules. It is still one of the better profiles on the mountain.

In a 2019–2020 study of 1,237 Kilimanjaro hikers (Croughs et al., 2022), Lemosho climbers had a median of eight days and a lower rate of severe altitude symptoms (5.5%) than the cohort overall (8.6%). The authors found route was not an independent predictor once other factors were accounted for, so treat that as a hint, not proof. See our altitude sickness guide.

How busy is the Lemosho Route?

Lemosho is quiet for the first two or three days and busy after that. The western forest and Shira 1 see relatively few groups because the start is a long drive round the mountain. In the Croughs et al. cohort, 14.6% of hikers were on Lemosho, against 57.9% on Machame.

From Shira 2 or Lava Tower you merge with the Machame route, and from then on the camps, the Barranco Wall and summit night are shared with everyone else coming up the south side. If total solitude matters, look at the Northern Circuit instead, which leaves the crowds at Lava Tower and swings north.

How hard is the Lemosho Route?

Lemosho is a challenging but non-technical trek. The early days are the gentlest of any southern route, with moderate gradients through the forest and the long, flat-ish Shira Plateau. The difficulty arrives later: the Barranco Wall scramble, the steep climb to Barafu, and a summit day that can run to 12–15 hours.

A PLOS ONE study of climbers on a seven-day Lemosho (Limmer and Platen, 2018) recorded daily hiking of about three hours on day one and up to 14 hours on summit day. That spread is typical: most days are comfortable, one is very hard.

The eight-day length helps here too. Tired legs recover better with a short day before Barafu, and you arrive at base camp better rested. That matters, because summit night starts around midnight after only a few hours of broken sleep, in temperatures that are usually well below freezing near the crater rim.

The one early inconvenience is the start. The drive round to the western side of the mountain is long, and the first day's walk is short partly because so much of the morning is spent getting there and registering.

Is Lemosho worth the extra day and cost over Machame?

For most first-timers, yes, if the budget allows. You get a gentler altitude profile, quieter early days and the full Shira Plateau crossing, which is one of the most open and memorable landscapes on the mountain. TANAPA describes the Shira plateau as having outstanding scenic beauty and as habitat for buffalo, elephant and eland, though sightings on foot are uncommon.

The costs are real: one more day of park fees, crew wages and food, a longer transfer to the start, and the same crowds as Machame from day four. If you only have seven days, a seven-day Lemosho exists, but it usually cuts Shira 2 or Karanga and loses much of the advantage. In that case a seven-day Machame is a fair alternative. See our climbing cost guide for what drives the price.

Who should choose another route?

Lemosho is a strong choice for most people, but consider alternatives if:

• You have only six days. Machame or Rongai fit better.
• You want real solitude. The Northern Circuit stays quiet for most of the climb.
• You want a bed, not a tent. Only Marangu has huts.
• Scrambling worries you. Lemosho includes the Barranco Wall; Rongai does not.

Compare them on the route comparison page or try the route finder. If you want help choosing dates, ask Kili Aventura.

Sources

• Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) — Kilimanjaro National Park brochure (PDF)
• The BMJ (PMC) — Prevention of altitude illness in adults: preparing people for travel to high altitude (2026)
• Journal of Travel Medicine (Croughs et al., 2022) — Incidence and predictors of severe altitude illness symptoms in Mt. Kilimanjaro hikers: a prospective cohort study
• PLOS ONE (Limmer & Platen, 2018, PMC) — The influence of hypoxia and prolonged exercise on attentional performance at high and extreme altitudes (7-day Lemosho ascent)
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Kilimanjaro National Park

Checked 2026-09-25.

For acclimatisation and scenery, usually yes: Lemosho starts lower and climbs more gradually over its first three nights, and it crosses the whole Shira Plateau. It costs more and takes longer. From Shira 2 onwards the two routes are the same trail.

Lemosho is usually climbed in eight days, sometimes seven. The eight-day version includes Shira 2 and Karanga camps and is the one most worth choosing, because the seven-day version compresses the altitude gain.

Climbers register at Londorossi Gate on the western side of Kilimanjaro National Park, then drive to the Lemosho trailhead to start walking. The route ends at Mweka Gate on the southern side.

You will probably see or hear monkeys in the western forest, and birds such as white-necked ravens higher up. TANAPA lists buffalo, elephant and eland among the mammals of the Shira plateau, but sightings from the trail are rare and never guaranteed.

Yes. After joining the southern circuit, Lemosho climbers cross the Barranco Wall on the morning after Barranco Camp. It is a non-technical scramble of an hour or two where you use your hands on some steps.