LEMOSHO ROUTE

• Difficulty: High
• Scenery: Excellent
• Traffic: Medium

Until the Northern Circuit opened recently, the Lemosho Route was widely considered to be the overall best route to climb Kilimanjaro. The route features all the benefit, offering, and success ratio of Machame route by starting a little further round to the West. It leads you over the spectacular Shira Plateau and avoids the clumsiness on the early part of the Machame route at the same time. You’re guaranteed of a fantastic journey and a better success rate over the 8-days time period.

The climb commences at Londorossi Gate which is situated at an altitudinal level of 2360 meters and approaches far to the west of the mountain before circling around Kilimanjaro to the south. It passes through majestic dense rainforest and offer sightings of most unique wildlife of the region. The route then leads all the way up to the third summit of the mountain at Shira Ridge. Then you’ll cross the famed Shira plateau and see the beautiful Shira Cathedral before reaching the Shira Camp on day three. Thus the initial few days offer a quiet climbing experience overlooking the amazing terrain before embarking on a more challenging and heavily travelled route to the summit. Descend is done by the Mweka trail instead of retracing along the ascent route.

An improving version of Shira route is Lemosho that has recently been introduced by teh KINAPA (Kilimanjaro National Park). Originally, the Shira route started much higher at around 3600 meters and hence offered little acclimatization opportunities. Even if it poses the treat of altitude sickness, the route was popular among trekkers primarily because of incredible scenery all along the way. On the first day itself or in the second day, the newer Lemosho route joins in with the Shira route providing the same fantastic climb but with a much better safety profile.

The Lemosho route is an ideal eight-day long ascent option for those who haven’t had trekked at higher altitudes before. This is so as the seven days of the Lemosho route is split into two easier days and offer a better success rate. Experienced and already acclimatized mountaineers may opt for the more difficult 7-day ascent along the Lemosho route.