Kilimanjaro Lemosho Western Breach with Night at Crater – 8 Days

Today’s Status Hiking Time:4-5 hours Total Distance:7 km Starting Altitude: 1981m (6890ft) Final Altitude:2780m (9222ft) After breakfast we travel by 4wd to Londrossi gate where you will meet your guides and mountain crew. We take care of all national park formalities, registering all climbers and weighing all duffle bags to ensure the load carried by each porter does not exceed the mandatory 20kgs limit. Depending on your program and weather conditions we may take lunch at the gate. After completing the registration process at Londrossi Gate we drive for 11kms along narrow dirt roads through pine plantations, gradually climbing to the Lemosho Glades where we begin our trek. We hike uphill for 3 hours through the thick and undisturbed montane forest where you may hear the calls of many exotic birds and if we are lucky we may see blue monkeys and hear the grunting calls of the magnificent black colobus monkeys with their long “cape” of white hair and a flowing white tail. Our camp tonight is in the forest zone, where podocarpus (African yellow-wood), hagenia and hypericum (St John’s wort) dominate. In the evening you may hear the unmistakable shrieking call of the tree hyrax.

Today’s Status Hiking Time:7 hours Total Distance:12 km Starting Altitude:2780m (9222ft) Final Altitude:3511m (11520ft) Environment: Montane Forest – Moorland Today is a long day over narrow tracks that weave in and out of the ridges as we ascend. Along the way we will admire trees such as the giant heather and erica and as we gain altitude we will encounter the unique giant levelia and giant groundsel (senecio kilimanjari). There is no hurry to reach Shira Camp and our mantra “pole pole” (Swakili: “slowly slowly”) resonates in our ears ensuring our bodies adjust to the altitude gain and to take in the magnificent views of Kilimanjaro. The Shira Plateau is one of the highest in the world with an average height of 3810m and extends for about 13 kms to the west of Kilimanjaro. The Shira Plateau is a caldera, a collapsed volcanic crater. We might even spot a herd of eland in the distance, or startle a grey duiker near camp.

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 5-6 hours

Total Distance: 8 km

Starting Altitude: 3511m (11520ft)

Final Altitude: 3840 m

Environment: Moorland

Today we continue through increasingly sparse trees and bushes into moorlands. Picturesque hanging mosses often cover trees offering an ethereal quality to the landscape. The day finishes with Shira Camp, which is on a small plateau in the high moorlands, and features views of Kibo in the northwest and Mount Meru towards the east. White necked ravens can be seen throughout the day and around our campsite.

Today you will have ample time for acclimatization, you will have an opportunity to hike Shira cathedral, Grid and Jonson peaks, Overnight at Shira 2 camps,

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 6-7 hours

Total Distance: 9km

Starting Altitude: 3840m

Final Altitude: 4600 m

Environment: Moorland

The first long uphill trek joins with the Machame trail where we are joined by other groups on their way to Lava Tower or Baranco Camp. Here we will encounter our last long uphill hike along a rocky scree path to Sheffield Camp just west of Lava Tower. At this altitude, plant life is reduced to mosses, lichens and a few everlasting flowers. White-necked ravens soar close by, and friendly alpine chats hop around our tents. We could see the unusual lammergeyer or bearded vulture soaring high above us.

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 2-3 hours

Total Distance: 3km

Starting Altitude: 4600m(15,200ft)

Final Altitude: 4871m

Environment: Alpine Zone

A short trek to Lava Tower where we stop briefly then cross a small frozen stream then its an hour trek up a long steep climb on loose scree up the ridgeline.

From here it is another steep climb up to the Arrow Glacier campsite where we are right under the Western Breach, and surrounded on three sides by steep rocky slopes and cliffs. To the south, the terrain drops down into the Great Barranco Valley 3,000 feet below.

The views from Arrow Glacier camp are spectacular. To supplement our acclimatization, we take an afternoon hike up a spectacular ridge further up the Western Breach before relaxing in camp. This camp is famous for the absolutely magnificent sunsets, which illuminate the African sky. Early dinner and then off to bed as the temperature drops to freezing.

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 6-7 hours

Total Distance: 2.5 km

Starting Altitude: 4800m (15978ft)

Final Altitude: 5726m (18500ft)

Environment: Alpine Desert

Around 5 am we rise to a light breakfast, tea or chocolate and begin our ascent of the Western Breach. We are usually an hour into the ascent when the sun rises behind Kili and we look forward to the sun cresting the breach and warming our bodies.

Early on the climb is straightforward and as we ascend higher some hand over hand scrambling is required in four sections and we may encounter snow. As we stop and rest the views of the Great Baranco Valley as the sun rises are stunning as we look back over Lava Tower and the Shira Plateau we crossed just a few days earlier.

As we crest the crater rim we are greeted by the Northern Icefield and Furtwangler Glacier. The wide crater floor is a magnificent Arctic moonscape and our camp is set in soft sand adjacent the indigo streaked Furtwangler Glacier.

For those trekkers who are up to it, dramatic and fascinating excursions to the Reusch Ash Pit and Northern and Eastern Ice Fields can be launched from Crater Camp.

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 7-8 hours

Total Distance: 9 km

Starting Altitude: 5726m (18500ft)

Summit Altitude: 5895m (19341ft)

Final Altitude: 3819m (12530ft)

Environment: Stone Scree, ice capped summit, Alpine desert

After breakfast at 6 am we leave the barren moonscape features of the crater floor and begin our zigzag pattern through shallow snow if we are lucky for the final 300m push up the crater’s southern rim. After 90 mins we will find ourselves on the Roof of Africa.

Arriving at the summit you feel a huge sense of elation and accomplishment you have done it, you have made it to the highest point in Africa. We spend as much time as you need to appreciate your accomplishment, as this is a day to remember for the rest of your life!

The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions and temperature.

We begin our descent passing alongside the iridescent blue Rebmann and Tarzel glaciers before reaching Stella Point and continue a 2-3 hour steep, dusty and demanding descent to Barafu Camp where we stop for a well deserved rest for lunch and remove some of our many layers of clothing as the day begins to heat up.

Leaving Barafu we descend due south for 4 km, losing a lot of altitude over the next 2 hours. After about an hour we come to a crossroads. To the left is a little used trail to the Horombo Huts on the Marangu Route and to the right is the Southern Circuit leading to the Karanga Valley.

At this point the Millennium Camp comes into view and our spirits are lifted as we eventually arrive at the Millennium Camp in the early afternoon where a hot shower and meal awaits.

Today is the longest, and the most mentally and physically challenging of the trek, but a life changing day that will stay with you forever, as you have conquered the heights of Kilimanjaro.

Today’s Stats

Hiking Time: 5-6 hrs trekking, 1.5 hrs vehicle transfer to hotel

Total Distance: 9 km

Starting Altitude: 3819m (2530ft)

Final Altitude: 1652m (5420ft)

Environment: Montane Forest

Today your legs will be further tested as the path descends steeply through the lush Mweka Rain Forest. The trail is steep in places and the going slippery if wet.

The route follows the crest of a broad ridge separating two river valleys until it meets with a road that leads us for the last 40 mins to the Mweka Park gates where we stop for a well deserved picnic lunch and collect our certificates from the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority.

Post celebrations and tipping ceremony, we are taken by either private bus or 4wd to our hotel in Arusha. Overnight at Planet Lodge,

Depart Tanzania or continue your dream with amazing safari extensions. For trekkers not continuing with a safari we provide transfers to Kilimanjaro International Airport or bus station for your onward journey.