Recently Viewed
Lemosho Route: Best for Acclimatization and Wildlife
4.7
40 Ratings
Machame
Embark on a thrilling Mt. Kilimanjaro climbing tour via the challenging Lemosho Route. Conquer the summit while supporting an orphanage. Book now and make a difference!
Embark on a thrilling Mt. Kilimanjaro climbing tour via the challenging Lemosho Route. Conquer the summit while supporting an orphanage. Book now and make a difference!
Duration:
8 days
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 1: Hotel to Mti Mkubwa Camp
After breakfast and a briefing, drive to Lemosho Park Gate. From there, a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite.
Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 2650m/8700ft
Distance: 6km/4mi
Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
Habitat: Montane…
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 1: Hotel to Mti Mkubwa Camp
After breakfast and a briefing, drive to Lemosho Park Gate. From there, a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite.
Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 2650m/8700ft
Distance: 6km/4mi
Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 2: Mti Mkubwa Camp to Shira 1 Camp
After breakfast, we continue as the trail gradually steepens and enters the giant heather moorland zone. After several streams are crossed we continue over the Shira Ridge then gently downwards to Shira 1 camp located by a stream on the Shira Plateau.
Elevation: 2650m/8700ft to 3500m/11,500ft
Distance: 8km/5mi
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 3: Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp
After breakfast, a gentle hike across the plateau leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. A variety of hikes are available on the Plateau, making this an excellent acclimatization day.
Elevation: 3500m/11,500ft to 3850m/12,600ft
Distance: 8km/5mi
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 4: Shira 2 Camp to Barranco Camp
From the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth” (elev 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
Distance: 8km/5mi
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.
Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.
Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2mi
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 7: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.
-
Mount Kilimanjaro - Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Hotel
After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
Monkey Adventures vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).
Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast
What's Included
- All meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the mountain
- Comprehensive team: guides, porters, waiter, and cook
- All necessary fees covered: entry and national park fees
- Salaries for all mountain crew: guides, porters, cook, waiter
- Boiled water provided on the mountain
-
Camping essentials: tents, sleeping mattresses, and dining setup
-…
- All meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the mountain
- Comprehensive team: guides, porters, waiter, and cook
- All necessary fees covered: entry and national park fees
- Salaries for all mountain crew: guides, porters, cook, waiter
- Boiled water provided on the mountain
- Camping essentials: tents, sleeping mattresses, and dining setup
- Dining setup includes: mess tent, mini camping chairs, tables, and candles
- Safety first: rescue fees, pulse oximeters, and first aid
What's Not Included
- Guides, Porters, Cook & Waiters tips Meals and drinks not specified Gear for your climb
- Items of personal nature, Visas and Emergency oxygen
- Two nights accomodation, before and after the trekking 50$ (full body) Kili Base Hotel.
- Guides, Porters, Cook & Waiters tips Meals and drinks not specified Gear for your climb
- Items of personal nature, Visas and Emergency oxygen
- Two nights accomodation, before and after the trekking 50$ (full body) Kili Base Hotel.
Additional Information
Lemosho route is one of the best routes for acclimatization. The route is less used and a beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau.
The route is one of the few where groups may be accompanied on the first day by an armed ranger, as the forests around the Lemosho Glades are inhabited by buffalo, elephant and other wildlife.
8 days Lemosho has one of the…
Lemosho route is one of the best routes for acclimatization. The route is less used and a beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau.
The route is one of the few where groups may be accompanied on the first day by an armed ranger, as the forests around the Lemosho Glades are inhabited by buffalo, elephant and other wildlife.
8 days Lemosho has one of the highest sucess rates. The additional days give your body more time to acclimatize, reducing the effects of altitude sickness and give you more time to rest before attempting the summit.
Location
Machame
We will start our Trekking
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(40 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Magenetta
Jun 24, 2025
Great Hiking Experience - Perfectly organized by our host Edward, the Director of Kilimanjaro Wonders Expedition Safari. The actual trek is challenging, but fortunately, we had an excellent team of guides (Musa and Kileo) assisting us, along with 6 porters and Felix the cook.
We had brought most of the gear we needed for the trek and rented additional items in Moshi. The trek was divided into manageable daily segments, and we would take breaks and set up camp (the porters did this for us) at designated campsites, where we would spend our evenings and nights in tents.
The crew went above and beyond to enhance our living conditions on the mountain, providing items such as a portable toilet, a mess tent, hot water to freshen up, and delicious meals prepared by Felix.
The crew was incredibly supportive and ensured our safety. We could not have reached the summit without them.
A huge vote of thanks goes to the entire team for being wonderful and so supportive.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephaniehi4214vf
Jun 21, 2025
Amazing experience on Lemosho - We completed a 7 day Lemosho Route with Kwesa at the start of June and we cannot say enough good things about the incredible team which helped us do it!! Originally we planned an 8 day Lemosho but we changed our route on Day 2 to move up to the next campsite. Doing that gave us the flexibility of having two summit attempts if needed at the end so I would recommend that to others if that is an option.
Our group of 6 made it to the summit! We owe it to Haji who was our lead guide and Thulisa and Lucas, our assistant guides. These three were not just guides but they continuously motivated us, and then quite literally physically supported us up to the peak. Haji’s calm leadership and sense of humour, Thulisa’s warm encouragement and education of the trail and Lucas’s positivity and singing carried us every step of the way.
Summit day was honestly the most physically demanding challenge any of us have done. The altitude on that last night was crazy but the team knew exactly how to support us through it. We were all surprised by how well we handled the altitude until that final day but that was where the professionalism and experience of our guides really shone.
A special shoutout to the 18 porters, 3 chefs and 2 waiters. We did not realise the village of helpers we would need to make our dream a reality and to get us to the top of that mountain!
To all future trekkers do yourselves a favour and get the private toilet lol. Trust us it’s worth the extra $$. I was a bit suss about it initially and felt we could skip it but trust me after long days of hiking, especially on summit night (and after you see the public toilets) you will be so glad you opted for it.
To Kwesa Tours thank you for making our journey a success. It was more than ticking off our a bucket list it became an unforgettable life experience for us.
Also, massive congratulations to Haji on his 500th summit! I'm glad we got to experience it with you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J7193pvluisg
Jun 11, 2025
Wonderful Trekking - Kilimanjaro - The experience up Kilimanjaro with KWESA beats all my other past treks hands down. We had an incredible crew of 2 guides, six porters, a cook and waiter with us on the journey to the summit.
We enjoyed the beautiful sights of the mountain and the lands beyond. I appreciate the extra efforts that Edward and his team put in to make the conditions better, like the walk in tents, a big mess tent, a camp shower and the portable toilet.
Our crew was led by guide Mushi assisted by Kileo, they are both highly experiences mountaineers and were very friendly, kind and patient. The tempo was comfortable making the trek enjoyable. I appreciate that our crew did would assist us in the tough sections and made sure that we were safe all the way.
I highly recommend KWESA as the ideal Kilimanjaro trekking company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jill_misso
May 5, 2025
The Best Kilimanjaro Trekking Operator - We had an absolutely incredible experience throughout the entire period we have been talking to Edward of KWESA. From the moment we sent out the first email he was timely in his response and took the time to answer our questions in detail. We did not know much about the routes but he gave us all the information that we required to make an informed decision on the route and level of comfort that we desired. Everything was straightforward and transparent which helped to inspire confidence.
The actual trek was awesome. The crew led by guide Johnson was experienced and well prepared. They had the right gear and equipment to ensure our comfort and safety along the way. It rained on most nights and we had weather proof tents that kept us dry, the sleeping bags and mats were comfortable and I was delighted that our crew would set up our tent on level ground without bumps.
We had three hot meals and the food was delicious. Juma the chef made sure to prepare balanced meals like rice, mashed potatoes that had fish/chicken/beef accompanied by fruit and veggies. We also had lots of water, tea, chocolate and coffee to hydrate.
The crew was amazing and their support is the reason we made it to Uhuru Peak. Thank you Edward and team for the wonderful work you do. I will be recommending you to all my friends and family.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert
Feb 11, 2025
Amazing, affordable and flexibile - I booked the tour well in advance attracted by the price and the climb duration. Initially I did not know what to expect but I was impressed by Edward and this team. I changed the date a few dats before and KWESA sent me by myself with a team. I also have special dietary requirements and these were carefully listened and accomodated at the hotel and on the mountain. Robert Mbuya the guide made the climb possible advising me at each step when to speed up or conserve my energy. Based on this amazing experience having a few days to spare I decided to take a 4 day Safari which turned out to be equally amazing. I had some free days and KWESA took care about my accomodation and all the transfers, so I didn't have to stress about painful logistics. I 100% recommend them to be contacted and arrange a dream trip in Tanzania working with a local company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ltft
Jan 6, 2025
10 year old taking in Kilimanjaro - Took a private tour with my 10 year old son. Kwesa tours provided the best guides in Tuliza and Geofrey who cared for us all along. They were both knowledgeable and very flexible and sought to find the best solution given my son’s low age. The food and services provided was top notch and we were very well cared for with hot tea, snacks, warm water for washing etc. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the summit due to my son not coping with the altitude the fifth day and had to be evacuated from the mountain. Tuliza and Geofrey knew what to do and acted quickly and forcefully by hastily carrying him down until he recovered.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shduggan
Dec 20, 2024
Top Rated For Excellence - Its really difficult to put to words how wonderfully Teacher and his team at KWESA hosted during our recent visit to Tanzania. We successfully trekked to the summit with guides Fabian and Moses. From the moment we landed in KIA it was really great. We felt like we had known these people forever from the way they treated us like we were part of their family.
The course was tough and I dread to think of how we could have fared on the other tougher routes like Machame, because we still struggled even with the extra days for acclimatization.
The crew took care of all the aspects of the trek, from the food, the tents, luggage and all the other chores making our lives easier. I have to commend Brian our Chef for the outstanding work he did with our food.
We really had an awesome experience and I happily recommend KWESA for Kilimanjaro trekking.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elizabethdn2535lf
Nov 8, 2024
Absolutely Wonderful - My husband and I had a memorable Kilimanjaro trek to celebrate our anniversary. We are overjoyed with our choice because of the great crew and support service. The experience with this crew was way better than we ever thought because they were really exceptional. Bramwell and Seroney were outstanding guides. They took us like part of their family, ensuring our safety and comfort throughout the trek. We followed their advice and lead which was tough but manageable.
These guys were genuinely concerned about our health, taking regular health checks, ensuring that we ate and hydrated well, slept in comfortable places. The porters worked hard to set up camp, keep it clean and ferry the supplies from one campsite to the next.
We are truly grateful to Kilimanjaro Wonders Expedition Safari and highly recommend them to any person seeking to attempt for Kilimanjaro's summit. They are absolutely wonderful
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wander55037943376
Apr 23, 2025
Of course Lazaro Edward Mawangonera and his team - no one travels with this company, they are basically a bunch of scamm - Of course Lazaro Edward Mawangonera and his team - no one travels with this company, they are basically a bunch of scammers. We booked an 8 day Kilimanjaro (Lemosho Route) mountain climb with them. But they took $4600 in advance from us. There were four of us and my friend, and 5 days after receiving the money from us, Lazaro Edward Mawangonera forbade us from going on their trip and he stole the entire money. We wanted to report this company to the police and had to file a fraud complaint with the police in Austria. They wanted to refund our money. But it has been almost two months, this team still has not sent us the money. If they do not send the money within seven days, we will be forced to file a case against Kilimanjaro Wonders Expedition Safari Company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brysonb813
Apr 22, 2025
Disappointing Experience – Would Not Recommend This Climb Operator - I had high hopes for the 8-day Lemosho Route trek, but unfortunately, the experience fell far short of expectations. From the very beginning, communication was inconsistent and unclear. Our guide seemed disorganized and uninterested, often rushing through briefings and providing little to no information about the day’s route, altitude adjustments, or what to expect.
The quality of the equipment was also subpar—tents leaked when it rained, and the sleeping pads were worn out and thin. For the price we paid, I expected at least reliable gear. Meals were repetitive and lacked nutrition, which definitely affected our energy levels as we ascended.
What bothered me the most was the lack of support during the more difficult sections of the climb. Some members of our group were clearly struggling with altitude sickness, and the guides didn’t seem properly trained to handle it or recognize the signs early. Safety did not feel like a priority.
The Lemosho Route itself is beautiful, but it was hard to appreciate the scenery when everything else felt so chaotic and unprofessional. I would recommend the route, but not with this company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
