Climbing MOUNT KILIMANJARO!

ranhyn
Sep 19
5 min read

A 'few' years ago, we set out on an unforgettable journey to climb Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895m). I must say that it was probably our most notable trek. One often sees photos of people at the summit, but photos taken along the route, which explain the trek in more detail, are not as common. We chose the longer 8-day Lemosho Route—one of the most scenic and less crowded options. It is about 70 km long in total. The climb can be made over a shorter time, but we wanted to allow time for acclimatisation to improve our chances of success. The journey took us across rainforest, moorland, alpine desert, and finally up to the summit with some of the most memorable vistas we have seen. Here are some reflections from each stage of the climb based on the camps we stayed in, along with photos of each camp and various stages of the trek.

We flew into Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. From the airport, we were transferred to a lodge near the mountain for one last night of rest and a shower before starting our adventure!

First View of Mt Kilimanjaro from our Lodge on the second day

Day 1–3: Lemosho Gate to Mti Mkubwa Camp ('Big Tree'), Shira Camps 1 and 2 1(5.5 km, 7.2 km, 7.4 km)

After a one-and-a-half-hour drive from our lodge, we arrived at Londorossi Gate, which is a sort of muster area. Here, all the gear and supplies were weighed so that no porter would be carrying too much. Despite it being just the two of us (we opted for a private trip so we could go at our own pace), we had two guides, a cook, a waiter and five porters, so there was a lot of stuff to carry! Over the next six days, they carried all the tents, gear, food, our duffel bags, and their own personal gear up from Lemosho gate, the actual starting point of the trek (situated about half an hour from Londorossi by car), to the last camp before the summit, Barafu.

We began our journey in the lush rainforest, reaching the first camp, Mti Mkubwa, after a 5 to 6 km trek over about 3 hours. The next two days were the treks to Shira 1 and Shira 2 camps, traversing a more open landscape known as the Heather and Moorland Zone on the Shira Plateau. These were acclimatisation days which offered sweeping views of the mountain. The key is to go 'pole pole' (slowly slowly), and the guides made sure we followed this rule! Overall, apart from summit day, there were no very long walks. The Shira Camps were our first taste of the wide-open alpine landscape, and the mountain finally felt closer. The Shira plateau is actually the remnants of the extinct Shira volcano, as is the main part of the mountain which is called the Kibo volcano. The third volcano of the group is called Mawenzi. Mawenzi and Shira are extinct while Kibo is dormant.

Day 4: Shira Camp Two to Barranco Camp via the Lava Tower (10.4 km)

Crossing the plateau and climbing higher, we began our walk to Barranco Camp, nestled under the looming Barranco Wall. The total elevation increase from Shira Camp Two to Barranco was only 147 meters, but there were some major ups and downs, so the walk gave us more time to acclimatise. The sight of the wall as we approached Barranco was both intimidating and beautiful—a very steep wall of rock we’d climb the next morning.

Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (4.5 km)

The climb up the Barranco Wall was one of the most memorable parts of the trek—both for the climb and the views at the top. Again, the increase in elevation was not much between camps, and the distance was relatively short, but there were a couple of fairly steep climbs, including the wall itself and a deep ravine. Finally, we reached Karanga, perched on top of a ridge. As usual, by the time we arrived, our team had set up our tents, including a dining tent, a cook's tent and tents for our guides. In case you're interested, some companies supply portable toilets that are carried to the campgrounds by the porters. The other option is long drop toilets, essentially deep holes in the ground with a wooden structure on top for privacy. And some of them are really long drops (see the photo....)

Day 6: Karanga to Barafu Camp (3.3 km)

The short hike to Barafu Camp, our base for the summit, was harder in the thin air. Although only about 3 km long, we gained 700 m in elevation. The campsite was rocky and stark, perched among rocks with little vegetation, the footprint going up the ridge for some distance to accommodate the tents of all the climbers.

Day 7: The Summit – Uhuru Peak (5,895m) (5.5 km with an elevation change of 1225 meters from Barafu camp) and Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp (12 km)

The big day - or should I say night, as we left from Barafu Camp at around midnight so as to arrive at the summit before sunrise, headlamps tracing a line of light up the mountain slope. It was a magical scene. Google Maps gives a time of 2hours to get to the peak, but I don't think the elevation is taken into consideration. It was more around 6.5 hours. The pace was slow, and it was cold, but luckily, there was no wind. The first objective we reached is called Stella Point, just at the rim of the crater. Watching the sun rise, walking above the clouds and seeing the glaciers catch the first light of morning was really unforgettable. A final push brought us to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. Standing there, one cannot but feel a great sense of achievement. The photo with the Twistee packet was a bet we made with my sister.

Then it was back down to Barufa Camp, 1200 metres in 2 1/2 hours. As you can imagine not easy on the knees and very dusty! Our team met us at the bottom just before the camp to congratulate us. After a morning taking it easy, we set off again, descending to Mweka camp, about 6.5 km from Barafu, making for a pretty long day!

Day 8: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (10 km)

From Mweka Camp, it was a four-hour hike to the gate through the cloud forest. There, we were presented with our achievement certificates, and after saying goodbye to our companions for the past 8 days, were transferred back to the Lodge in Moshi.

Although we completed this trek some time ago, it remains one of our proudest achievements. Kilimanjaro is not an easy climb, but neither is it very difficult — and the rewards, from the shifting landscapes to the exhilaration of reaching the summit, are unforgettable. It’s an experience that stays with you, long after the climb is over.

Below is a Google map image of most of the Lemosho Route