Londorossi / Lemosho gate, rainforest, then the Shira plateau before you ever see Barranco.
Eight days, which is the version we recommend if you are not a regular hill walker.
Summit from Barafu the same as Machame, then Mweka descent.
Overview
Lemosho costs more than Machame because of the extra park day and the longer crew. It is worth it if your only Kilimanjaro will be this one and you can spare the date. The first two days are quiet compared with Machame Gate crowds. After Shira the route joins the same southern circuit.
Read the Machame page for summit-night honesty; it is the same dark, same cold, same turnaround rules. After the climb, the Usambaras are a gentler hill than another mountain. The beach is still Paje if you want wind and sleep.
Tour facts
Difficulty
Challenging
Group sizes
Private, Small group
Great for
16+
Languages
English, Swahili
Start point
Moshi
Guest rating
4.9 / 5
Best months to travel
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day-by-day itinerary
Day1Lemosho Gate to Mti MkubwaMount Kilimanjaro
Long transfer to Londorossi, rainforest to Big Tree Camp.
Day2Shira 1Mount Kilimanjaro
Out of the forest onto the plateau.
Day3Shira 2Mount Kilimanjaro
Short, high, easy on paper, still altitude.
Day4Lava Tower to BarrancoMount Kilimanjaro
The same climb-high-sleep-low shape as Machame day three.
Day5KarangaMount Kilimanjaro
Barranco Wall, then Karanga.
Day6BarafuMount Kilimanjaro
Rest, pack, try to sleep.
Day7Summit and MwekaMount Kilimanjaro
Uhuru if you are fit to continue past Stella, then the long drop to Mweka Camp.
Day8Gate and hotelMount Kilimanjaro
Descend, certificate, Moshi or Arusha hotel.
Photos from the trip
What’s included
KINAPA park fees, camping fees and rescue fee for the route and nights sold
Chief guide, assistant guides, cook and porters within TANAPA crew ratios
Tents, mattresses, mess tent, and three meals a day on the mountain
Private transfers Moshi or Arusha hotel to gate and back
Purified drinking water, and a private toilet tent on Machame and Lemosho
Two nights hotel in Moshi or Arusha, bed and breakfast, one before and one after the climb
Not included
International flights, visa, and hotels beyond the two included nights
Sleeping bag, down jacket and other personal kit (hire list sent with the invoice)
Tips for the mountain crew, which we brief in writing before you fly
Oxygen as a routine extra; we carry a cylinder for emergencies, not as a summit aid
Travel insurance that covers trekking to 6,000 m
Prices by season
Per person in USD, 2026 rates, based on 2 travellers sharing.
Dry / warm
Best value
1 Jan – 15 Mar
$2,890
Main dry season
1 Jun – 31 Oct
$2,990
Travelling in a group? You save
Per-person price for the Dry / warm rate.
1 traveller
$4,393
--52%
2 travellers
$2,890
-0%
3 travellers
$2,803
-3%
4 travellers
$2,746
-5%
5 travellers
$2,688
-7%
6 travellers
$2,630
-9%
7 travellers
$2,601
-10%
8 travellers
$2,572
-11%
Frequently asked questions
Machame or Lemosho?
Machame if you have seven days and decent fitness. Lemosho if you have eight and you want a quieter start. Success is about nights at altitude, not the brand name of the gate.
Do porters carry my daypack?
No. You carry water, layers and camera. They carry the camp. That split is how the mountain is supposed to work.
