8 Days Rongai Route
Description
7 Days Lemosho Route Climbing 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 7 days. The additional 7th day will give your body more time to acclimatize, reducing the effects of altitude sickness and give you more time to rest before attempting the summit.
The Lemosho route is lesser known.It begins on the western side of Kilimanjaro. Walking through the rainforest for the first two days the vegetation changes to heath and moorland with many ferns and ericas along the way. The narrow trail sometimes has some very steep sections and is scenically diverse. On the third day, the trail joins the Machame route. Hikers overnight in tents.
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Location Map
Tour Timeline
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1Day 1: Arriving in Tanzania
Your guide will meet at the airport and transfer you to your lodge in Arusha or Moshi. In the evening your mountain guide will meet you at the lodge for briefing and provide you with essential information for your trek to the roof of Africa.
Elevation (ft): 7,800ft to 9,500ft
Distance: 6 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Rain Forest
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2Day 2 : Arusha- Rongai Gate (1950m)- Simba Camp (2600m)
Pick up from your hotel, and drive for 4-5 hours to Rongai Gate for formalities and registration. There you will meet the rest of your crew before you begin your hike from the Rongai Gate. After registration and all the procedures at the get you will start hiking by passing through the rainforest. The trail is not at all steep, but is rather a gentle hike through a beautiful country. The forest begins to thin out and the first camp is at the edge of the moorland zone with extensive views over the Kenyan’s plains. The first night’s camp is at Simba camp at about 2600 meters.
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Montana Forest
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3Day 3: Simba Camp (2600m) - Second Cave (3450m)
After breakfast, you will have a steady ascent up to the Second Cave (3450m) with spectacular views of Kibo and the Western ice field on the crater rim. After lunch, you will have a free time to rest at the camp or in the afternoon, you can explore the surrounding area for acclimatization walk to Third Cave.
Hiking Time: 2-3 Hours
Habitat: Moorland
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4Day 4: Second Cave (3450m) - Kikelelwa Cave (3679m)
After breakfast, then we continue up towards Kibo, gradually we will rise through beautiful Moorland towards jagged pinnacles of Mawenzi to Kikelewa Camp (3679m). The views start to open up and you begin to feel you are on a really big Mountain. we get at Kikelelwa camp in late afternoon for dinner and overnight at the camp. In the camp water is in the obvious stream below the cave, though you might have to wander far downhill to find some.
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Moorland
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5Day 5: Kikelelwa Camp (3600m) - Mawenzi Tarn (4330m)
A short but steep ascent through grassy slopes offers superb views of this wilderness area. The vegetation zone ends shortly before you reach your next camp at Mawenzi Tarn, the camp that spectacularly situated beneath towering spires of Mawenzi. Spend the afternoon acclimatizing and exploring the area.
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Moorland
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6Day 6: Mawenzi Tarn (4330m) - Kibo Hut (4700m)
Today, we cross the lunar desert of the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo Hut (4700m), at the bottom of Kibo Crater wall by afternoon. There is no running water at Kibo Hut. The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the big night (summit attempt), which begins around midnight.
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7Day 7: Kibo Hut (4700m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Horombo (3720m)
You will wake up around 11:30pm, and after some tea and snacks, you will shuffle off into the night. This is exactly where the going really gets tough. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer Cave (5150m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s Point (5681m), which is located in the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone scree, requiring an enormous physical and mental effort. Probably the most demanding section of the entire route. From Gillman’s Point you will normally encounter snow all the way up to Uhuru Peak(5895m), the highest point in Africa. After getting at the summit, the weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you can spend celebrating, and taking photographs, before the 3 hours descent back to Kibo Hut for a short rest, then proceed ascending to Horombo Hut where you will overnight. The ascent to Horombo Hut will seem surprisingly fast compared to the ascent. The total time spent walking on this day is around almost 14 hours. After reaching the camp, later in the afternoon, you will enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and well- earned sleep.
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8Day 8: Horombo (3720 m) - Marangu Gate (1980 m)
After a well-deserved breakfast, your staff will prepare for you a big celebration of dancing and singing. It is here on the mountain that you will present your tips to the guides, cook, and porters. After the celebration, you will descent for about 6 hours back to Marangu gate (1980m). The trek down from Horombo to Marangu Gate takes about 6-8 hours. At the gate you will be required to sign your names to receive your victorious certificates. The car will be there waiting to take you back to Arusha for long overdue shower and more celebration.