Tour Overview
Scale Kilimanjaro on the Lemosho Route, considered the most beautiful of the seven established trails up Tanzania’s mightiest mountain. It’s no easy task, but this trip has been designed to maximise your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak at the very top – we have one of the best summit success rates of any operator here. Our eight days on the slopes is longer than most (allowing more time to acclimatise), while larger-than-normal tents, full porterage throughout and chef-prepped meals make the journey as comfortable as possible.
Why trek with us?
One of the highest summit success rates of any operator on Kilimanjaro
One guide to every two trekkers on summit day – essential for maximising your chances of reaching Uhuru Peak
Acclimitisation day built into trip to improve success rates
Larger-than-normal tents make the trek that little more comfortable
Exodus is a member of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project, which aims to improve the working conditions of porters
We'll donate £25 to the Mountain Lioness Project for each person who books this trip ...more ...less
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Arusha
Location: Arusha
Accommodation Name: Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: Dinner
The adventure begins at our much-loved hotel in Arusha, which is our home today and upon our return from Kilimanjaro. Depending on your arrival time, you may have time for a dip in the pool or to relax in the lovely gardens.
This afternoon/evening, we have a welcome briefing with the Kilimanjaro Chief Guide, which covers all aspects of the trip and includes the distribution of any hired equipment you have booked. Please also bring your passport, insurance details and air ticket details.
Accommodation: Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge (or similar) ...more ...less
Day 2 : To Lemosho Gate; begin ascent to Lemosho Forest
Location: Kilimanjaro
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We transfer (67mi/108km) to Lemosho entrance gate (6,890ft/2,100m) in the morning, passing between Kilimanjaro and the horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater of Mount Meru. In the short distance before reaching the Lemosho trail head gate, we drive through farmland and plantations. The last 3mi (5km) of the road to the park gate are poor quality, particularly after rain, and the drive there should be considered part of the adventure.
After completing the necessary registration formalities, we often have lunch in the designated tourist shelter before starting our walk. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through lush forest and an area with a variety of wildlife, including buffalos. We camp at Lemosho Forest camp (8,695ft/2,650m).
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 3 : Explore Shira Plateau; camp at Shira One
Location: Shira Plateau
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning begins, as all do on the trail, with hot tea brought to your tent – a very welcome wake-up. Today’s hike starts in lush montane forest before ascending into a moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily with views across the plains, opening out as we reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness here, especially if the afternoon mists cloak the landscape. We camp in the centre of the plateau at Shira One (11,645ft/3,550m).
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 4 : Walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral to camp at Shira Hut
Location: Shira Plateau, Kilimanjaro
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a day to help acclimatisation and explore the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles. The views from our camp near Shira Hut (12,600ft/3,840m) of Mount Meru floating on the clouds are unforgettable. The afternoon is free to relax, enjoying those views and getting to know each other even better.
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 5 : Descend to camp at Great Barranco valley
Location: Great Barranco Valley, Kilimanjaro
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We have a morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, walking on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch near the Lava Tower junction (14,930ft/4,550m), we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley (12,795ft/3,900m), sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below, including the Barranco Wall, which we tackle tomorrow.
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 6 : Over the Barranco Wall to Karanga
Location: Kilimanjaro
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A short, steep scramble up the famed Barranco Wall provides us with a different challenge and leads us to an undulating trail on the southeastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the southern icefields. The terrain changes to volcanic scree, with pockets of lush vegetation in sheltered hollows, and a powerful sense of mountain wilderness.
Our next camp is at Karanga (13,125ft/4,000m), a short distance away. The valley floor has the last water point on the approach to Barafu and we camp on the higher sides of the valley with views towards the glaciers of the southern icefields.
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 7 : Steep ascent to Barafu campsite
Location: Barafu Camp, Kilimanjaro
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The trail follows a path on compacted scree with wide views ahead including the Barafu Ridge, where our camp lies. The trail climbs to reach the Barafu campsite (15,090ft/4,600m) for lunch, after which there is a short acclimatisation walk to the plateau at the bottom of the southeast valley (15,750ft/4,800m). The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent and includes a very early night.
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 8 : Reach Stella Point for sunrise; to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa; descend to Millennium Camp
Location: Uhuru Peak
Accommodation Name: Full-service camping
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We start our ascent around midnight so we can reach the crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zigzags and a slow but steady pace takes us to Stella Point (18,815ft/5,735m) in about five or six hours. We rest there for a short time to enjoy sunrise over Mawenzi.
Those who are still feeling strong can make the two-hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (19,340ft/5,895m) – congratulations, you’ve made it! Standing at the highest point in Africa, taking your photo at the Uhuru Peak sign and knowing you have climbed one of the Seven Summits is a moment that will stay with you forever!
The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast; after some refreshments, we continue to descend to reach our final campsite (12,470ft/3,800m) at Millennium Camp.
Accommodation: Full-service camping
Day 9 : To Mweka Gate; transfer to Arusha
Location: Arusha
Accommodation Name: Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is a sustained descent on a well-constructed path through lovely tropical forest alive with birdsong and lush undergrowth with considerable botanical interest. Our route winds down to the national park gate at Mweka (5,415ft/1,650m) where we meet our vehicle and drive through coffee and banana farms to Mweka village. The shower, beer and swimming pool are tantalisingly close! We return by bus (62mi/100km) to Arusha.
Accommodation: Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge (or similar)
Day 10 : End Arusha
Location: Arusha
Meals Included: Breakfast
The morning can be spent resting in the hotel garden by the pool or exploring Arusha for souvenirs if you have time before your flight. However, if you’d like a little time to recuperate after climbing Kilimanjaro, speak to your sales representative to join our trip extensions, either a relaxing break on idyllic Zanzibar or an unforgettable safari adventure encompassing three different national parks.
What's Included
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All breakfasts, eight lunches and nine dinners
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All accommodation (see below)
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All transport and listed activities
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Tour leader throughout
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Kilimanjaro Park fee
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Single supplement
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Equipment hire
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Visas or vaccinations
Food
All meals during the climb are included. Please allow about US$30-US$50 for the two lunches (days 1 and 10) not included.
On trek, the emphasis is on a varied and well-balanced diet with a greater amount of fresh fruit and soup to maximise the daily intake of fluids.
Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. The availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent in Tanzania and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.
The menu has a high liquid and carbohydrate content, the two important elements for successful climbing. At higher altitudes, stimulants (such as coffee) and less digestible foods (such as meat) are not recommended. Our evening meal at the highest camp on Kilimanjaro is a meatless stew as our experience shows this to be the ideal preparation for the summit day. At mealtimes, a selection of hot drinks is available. Soup is served twice daily.
Daily meals
Bed tea: Tea or coffee served in your tent.
Breakfast: Seasonal fresh fruit (mango/banana/watermelon), porridge, cooked eggs, sausage, bacon and toast.
Energy snacks, such as biscuits, bananas and chocolate bars, are provided for the daily walk
Lunch: Either a packed lunch on longer days or, more usually, a hot lunch served in camp by a small team who have raced ahead of the clients. A hot lunch typically consists of soup, bread or pancakes, cheese, tuna, jam, peanut butter, pasta salad and cake.
Afternoon tea: Served in late afternoon. It is an opportunity to drink lots of hot drinks and snack on peanuts or popcorn.
Dinner: The main meal of the day and always consists of three courses: soup and bread, followed by the main dish, which could be rice, potatoes or pasta with fish, meat or vegetables, and is followed by a dessert often of fruit.
Summit snacks: While we provide enough food for the climb, we recommend you bring some of your favourite snacks and keep them for the summit day. The summit day is a long, tough climb and having your favourite snacks can provide a very welcome boost.
Water
While the water we provide on Kilimanjaro is suitable for drinking you may wish to be extra safe and treat it with your own water-purification tablets.
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Accommodation
On this adventure, we spend seven nights camping in three-person tents and two nights in a hotel.
Arusha: Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge (nights 1 and 9)
Before and after our time on Kilimanjaro, we stay at the Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge. In a peaceful setting just outside Arusha, this property has 40 spacious thatched cottages dotted throughout a beautiful garden overlooked by Mount Meru. There's also an excellent restaurant serving African and international dishes, a bar and a swimming pool. It is also possible to book a massage for when you return from the trek.
Kilimanjaro: Full-service camping (nights 2-8)
Although conditions are basic on the mountain, the camping we experience is one of the best available on the Lemosho Route. We sleep in Vango Halo Pro 300 tents regardless of whether you have made a twin-share or single supplement booking. These are spacious three-person tents that are ideal for the conditions on Kilimanjaro. Our camp life is about as comfortable as it gets on Kili, with a communal mess tent, where we gather as a group and eat breakfast and dinner, and a private toilet tent. We also ensure there is a bowl of hot washing water for you in the morning and again after the walk at an agreed time in the afternoon. The only exception is the highest camp where there is no water source.
Worth knowing
The campsites on Kilimanjaro are designated by the national park and are mainly stone/dirt. They are not all level and can be crowded in peak season.
Handwashing water, treated with Dettol, is available along with soap before all meals, and everyone is strongly advised to make use of it.
The toilet tent has toilet paper within it, but we recommend that you bring your own toilet paper and wet wipes.
All camping equipment is provided except for sleeping bags, sleeping mats and pillows.
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Check out our Q&As
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What is the maximum group size?
16
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
You will spend 2 nights in comfortable hotels with en suite facilities. you will have 7 nights of full-service camping
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Are flights included in this tour?
No
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Minimum age 16 and above passenger can go to this tour.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
Enquire for Extra Savings
Rated 5* on Trust Pilot & ABTA Protected.
Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route
10 Days Starting and ending in Arusha
Visiting: Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Shira Plateau, Shira Plateau, Kilimanjaro, Great Barranco Valley, Kilimanjaro, Barafu Camp, Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak ...more ...less
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TYR
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Active, Adventure Tours, Camping, Small Group, Walking Hiking and Trekking
