Lemosho Crater Camp Route via Arrow Glacier

This is the start of our adventure. After breakfast, we will pack our belongings into a bus and head for a 4-hour journey to the Londorossi Gate at 2250 m. After completing all formalities at the park gates, we ought to take a short drive to the trailhead and begin our trek. The first day leads through a wild and undisturbed rainforest.

On the second day of trekking, we plan on continuing through the rainforest until we reach the savanna of tall grasses, heather, and volcanic rocks. After climbing a few hills and crossing a few streams, we are finally going to arrive at the Shira Ridge, from which only a gentle descent takes us to Shira I Camp at 3610 m. Here, for the first time, we will be able to catch a glimpse of the Kibo crater.

The third day of the trek is relatively light and enjoyable, and it involves making the way to Shira II Camp at 3850 m. During the trek, you will be able to admire spectacular views and the unique flora of Kilimanjaro. If the weather is clear, you might even spot Mount Meru at 4566 m—the fifth-highest peak in Africa. After having lunch at the camp and resting, we will take a short 2–3-hour-long acclimatization hike towards the Lava Tower at 4600 m, then return to the camp.

Early in the morning, we plan to leave the camp after breakfast and head towards Lava Tower at 4600 m. The route we will take on goes around the left side of this rock formation and continues to Barranco Camp at 3900 m. This day will involve quite a few ascents and descents, with the high altitude possibly causing some discomfort. The camp itself is located beneath the famous and impressive 300-meter-high Barranco Wall. Other routes you could’ve picked when booking include climbing up this wall, but we will only get to admire its steepness and size, since the next day we plan to return to Lava Tower and climb up this rock formation.

After breakfast, we ought to leave the camp and start trekking towards the key point of the day - Lava Tower at 4600 m. The path of the day mainly leads uphill and leads through an extraordinary and picturesque forest, eventually reaching the harsh high-altitude landscape with very little vegetation. We are going to stop in the meanwhile for lunch and a short rest at Lava Tower, then continue to trek to the Arrow Glacier Camp at 4903 m, where we will spend the night. Most agencies follow the traditional route through Barafu Camp at 4673 m, but Arrow Glacier Camp is considered the best option for the last night before reaching Crater Camp, thanks to its high altitude and lesser traffic compared to other routes.

This is going to be a challenging day, as we climb to a significant height to the Crater Camp at 5730 m, leaving only 165 meters of elevation to reach Uhuru Peak. We will start the trek early in the morning. The initial path is relatively easy, but as we are going to go higher, it will become increasingly difficult. You might encounter several rocky sections on the way, where hands are needed to assist in climbing. The distance to cover is just 2 km, but the high altitude and rugged terrain mean it usuallt takes about 6 hours to reach Crater Camp at 5730 m.

The day of the summit attempt is going to be by far the most challenging one. We will leave in the late-night hours to be able to reach the summit by sunrise. At the Uhuru Peak we will have time to take pictures and enjoy the view. The trail back is mostly rocky, so trekking poles will be useful. We are going to head down to Mweka Camp at 3100 m, located in the upper part of the rainforest. On the way, we will stop for breakfast and a short rest at Barafu Camp at 4673 m. After reaching the final camp, we'll have our last dinner together on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Our last day on Kilimanjaro. After breakfast, we thank and say goodbye to our porters and guides. This is also the time for tipping and a bit of dancing and singing. :) The day will involve trekking through the rainforest to Mweka Gate at 1640 m. After completing the final formalities, we return to our hotel in Moshi for a much-needed rest and a shower! The evening ends with a farewell dinner and the awarding of certificates for reaching the summit.