RONGAI ROUTEl MACHAMEl
UMBWEl LEMOSHOl
MARANGUl SHIRAl
ALL TRAILS 6 DAYS
6 Days/5 Nights LEMOSHO ROUTE
From Londorosi
through ARROW GLACIER. To the
Summit.
Duration : 6 Days
The Lemosho
Route is an unspoilt, remote, little used and beautiful way up to
the Shira Plateau. It can either be used to gain the Western Breach
route or followed by the Kibo South Circuit to ascend by the easier
Barafu Route. 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 rich in buffalo, elephant and other
big game animals.
Day 1: Londorosi Gate (2100m) – Mti Mkubwa camp
(2750)
Hiking time: 3 Hours
Distance: about 10km’s
Habitat: Montane
Forest.
Your day
starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 2-hour
drive from Moshi (910m) to Londorosi Park Gate (2100m). The guides
and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the
village. You will receive a lunch pack and you can also buy mineral
water in the village. From here a forest track requiring a 4WD
vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades (2100m, 11km, 45 minutes). You will
have a lunch stop about half way and will reach the Machame camping
area in the late afternoon. Walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa
(big tree) campsite, (2750m, 3 hours). Your porters (arriving at the
camp site long before you) will have your tent set up on your
arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing
water and the cook will prepare dinner, before you retire to your
tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing
point at this campsite.
Day 2: Mti
Mkubwa camp ( 2750m) –Shira 2 camp ( 3840m)
Hiking time: 6.5
Hours
Distance: About
15 kms
Habitat: Moorland
You rise early
at Mti Mkubwa camp and, after breakfast, you climb an hour or so to
the top of the forest and then the trail gradually steepens and
enters the giant heather moorland zone. Several streams are crossed.
A gentle walk across the plateau leads to Shira 2-camp on moorland
meadows next to a stream (3840m). By now you will be able to see, in
an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning
glaciers. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before
serving dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder
than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below
freezing. Enjoy dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
Shira 2 camp ( 3840m) – Lava Tower ( 4630m) – Barranco Camp( 3950m).
Hiking time: 7
Hours
Distance: About
15km’s
The route now
turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava
Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4630m after about a 5 hours
walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the
rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4630m). Definitely the toughest day
so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time,
some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness,
irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost
680m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high
altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation benefit of
this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2
hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful
photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is
situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which
should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your
dinner.
Day 4:
Barranco Camp (3950m) – Barafu camp ( 4550m)
Hiking time: 7
hours
Distance: About
13 km’s
Habitat: Alpine
Desert.
After spending
a night at the Great Barranco Wall (a very imposing sight at first),
you make your way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end
normally turns out to be easier than anticipated. Topping out just
below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful
Kilimanjaro really is. The route then heads down through the Karanga
Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with
the Mweka route. This is the preferred route down from the summit,
so remember it. Turn left up the ridge and after another hour or so,
you reach Barafu Hut. The last water stop on the route is the
Karanga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp. Barafu is the
Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping
area to spend the night. Totally exposed to the ever-present gales
the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. Make
sure that you familiarise yourself with the terrain before dark to
avoid any accidents. The summit is now a further 1345m up and you
will make the final ascent the same night. Prepare your equipment,
ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should
include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and
make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent
freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. Go
to bed at round about 19h00 and try to get some precious rest and
sleep
Day 5:
SUMMIT DAY: Barafu camp (4550m) – Uhuru Peak ( 5895m)- Mweka Gate
(3100m).
Hiking time: 8
hours to reach Uhuru Peak: 7/8 hours to descend to Mweka.
Distance: about
7km’s ascent – 23km’s descend.
Habitat: Stone
scree and ice-capped Summit.
You will rise
around 23h30, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into
the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend
through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This
6-hour walk to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and
physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point
(5685m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the
most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather
permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all
the way on your 2-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend
on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop
here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again
due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to
remember for the rest of your live. The walk back to Barafu from the
summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well earned but
short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to
Mweka hut (3100m). The route is
not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into
the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in
the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late
afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared as well as
drinking water.
Day 6:
Mweka Camp ( 3100m) – Mweka Gate ( 1980m)
Descending time:
3 hours
Distance: about
15km’s
Habitat: Forest.
After an early
and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike
back to the Park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details
in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their
summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5685m)
are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak
(5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will
continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour)
hike. In the Mweka village you will be served a delicious hot
lunch!! You now drive back to Arusha for a long overdue hot shower,
dinner and celebrations!! Overnight in Impala Hotel
or any hotel in Arusha.
