8 Days Machame Route

Description

The Kilimanjaro climb 8 days lemosho is the best for acclimatization. The remote is less used and beautiful way up to the Shira Plateau. The minimum duration for the Lemosho route is 6 days, however we strongly recommend hiking the route in 8 days. Overnights are spent camping in tents which are carried and pitched by the accompanying porters. Highlights of this route are the Shira Plateau, Barranco wall and the Karanga Valley reaching the summit via Stella Point.

Itinerary Details

• Day
  1

  Londorossi Gate To Mti Mkubwa Camp

  Elevation (ft): 9,500ft to 11,500ft

  Distance: 8 km

  Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

  Habitat: Moorland

  After breakfast and briefing, drive to londorossi park gate (3-hour drive). From here 4wd vehicle leads will pick you to lemosho glades. Walk along forest trails to mti mkubwa (big tree) campsite.

• Day
  2

  Mti Mkubwa Camp To Shira One Camp

  Elevation (ft): 9,500ft to 11,500ft

  Distance: 8 km

  Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

  Habitat: Moorland

  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.

• Day
  3

  Shira One Camp To Shira Two Camp

  Elevation (ft): 11,500ft to 15,190ft to 13,580ft

  Distance: 14 km

  Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

  Habitat: Moorland

  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.

• Day
  4

  Shira Two Camp To Barranco Camp

  Elevation (ft): 11,500ft to 13,000ft

  Distance: 8 km

  Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

  Habitat: Semi-Desert

  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 tooth. 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.

• Day
  5

  Barrancao Camp To Karanga Camp

  Elevation: 13,000 ft to 13,250 ft

  Distance: 5 km

  Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

  Habitat: Alpine Desert

  After breakfast, we will leave barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the barranco wall to the karanga valley and to the junction, which connects the mweka trail.

• Day
  6

  Karanga Camp To Barafu Camp

  Elevation: 13,250 ft to 15,350 ft

  Distance: 4 km

  Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

  Habitat: Alpine Desert

  We continue up to the barafu camp. South circuit will be completed, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

• Day
  7

  Barafu Camp To Uhuru Peak To Mweka Camp

  Elevation: 15,350 ft to 19,340ft to 10,150ft

  Distance: 5km up / 13km down

  Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down

  Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

  Very early in the morning, we will 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 challenging portion of the trek. At stella point you will have a short rest and rewarded most magnificent sunrise ever seen. From stella point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit (uhuru peak) highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro. From the summit we begin to descent by continuing straight down to the mweka camp, stopping at barafu for lunch. We arrive at mweka camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

• Day
  8

  Mweka Camp To Mweka Gate - Departure

  Elevation: 10,150ft to 5,500 ft

  Distance: 10 km

  Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

  Habitat: Forest

  After breakfast we continue to descent down to the mweka park gate to receive your summit certificates. A vehicle will pick you at mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in arusha/moshi (about 30 minutes).

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