Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Glades Route
| Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is one of the most highly sought after trekking peaks in the world and is the highest peak on the African continent, making it one of the coveted seven summits (the highest peak on each continent). Although Kilimanjaro is not a technical peak, its success rate can be very low due to people underestimating its high altitude and trying to climb it in less than six days. That is why we choose to offer the Lemosho Glades Route. The Lemosho Glades Route is a beautiful rising traverse on the most attractive route on the mountain and it has been designed with maximum acclimatization and summit success in mind. |
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A little bit more about the trekThe Lemosho Glades Route is a ten day trip, with eight days spent on the mountain. After flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport and spending our first night in the town of Moshi, we will begin the trek from the Londorossi Park Gate, located on the western side of Kilimanjaro.From the park gate, we begin walking through beautiful rainforest trails, rich in flora and fauna, which leads up to the the Shira Plateau. The Plateau offers spectacular views before we head up the southwestern side of Kilimanjaro, reaching as high as 4,500m (14,764ft), giving us views of the Lava Tower. From there we descend to the Baranco Camp where we are then faced with the Baranco Wall, a steep 300 m (948ft)winding trail up to the mountain’s southern face. The route continues underneath the Decken and Rebman Glaciers to the Karanga Camp and then on to the Barafu Camp, our last stop before the summit. We will leave around 11 pm in the evening for the steady but very strenuous ascent to Uhuru Peak. Our final day of trekking will see us heading towards the Mweka Gate and back to Moshi. |
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Climbing on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is generally on the to do list of every climber, trekker, walker and athlete in the world, and with good reason. The journey to the top is a beautiful and unique experience unlike any other, and with the right preparation and commitment, your dreams can turn to reality on the highest free-standing mountain in the world! |
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What people said“In October of last year, I joined a team of 10 people led by experienced mountaineer Ian Taylor. To prepare to climb Kilimanjaro in January 2010. We trained in the Wicklow mountains at weekends, during which time, Ian instilled a great confidence and team spirit within the group. Prior to our departure we were well prepared both physically & mentally, thanks to Ian's knowledge and attention to detail. On arrival in Africa it was fascinating to see the whole dynamics & organisation required for the Kili Climb. On the mountain itself, the weather was very pleasant and each day brought a new experience and landscape. After an incredible seven days climb, the whole team summited on January 30th at 07.00am. Thanks to Ian for his generosity with his time and knowledge. It was truly a trip of a lifetime.”-Martin Gleeson, Kilimanjaro 2010 “Ian Taylor is Inspirational. His dedication towards my training was first class. Not only was his training brilliant but his words of encouragement was key to my successful achievement of conquering my goal of climbing Kilimanjaro.” -Geraldine Sharkey, Kilimanjaro 2011 “I wanted to take on a challenge in 2009 and a friend of mine referred me to Ian Taylor. From the very first contact Ian was very interested in me and what I wanted to achieve, the service was fantastic and all my fears erased. I took on the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro and had the experience of a lifetime, I didn't achieve the summit, but enjoyed the journey. Looking forward to reaching Everest Base Camp with Ian Taylor Trekking next year.” -David Ormstom, Kilimanjaro 2010 |
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Itinerary |
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Day 1 Your day starts with breakfast and a 3-hour drive from Moshi (910m/2,986ft) to Londorossi Park Gate (2,100m/6,890ft) where the guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village. Lunch will be provided here and you will also have the ability to purchase mineral water in the village. From here a forest track requiring a 4WD vehicle leads to Lemosho Glades (2,100m/, 11km, 45 minutes)where we will start our trek. We will walk along forest trails to Mti Mkubwa (big tree) campsite, (2,750m/9,022ft, 3 hours). Your porters (arriving at the camp site long before you) will have your tent set up on your arrival. In the evening the porters will boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this campsite.Day 2 You rise early at Mti Mkubwa camp and, after breakfast, you climb an hour or so to the top of the forest and then the trail gradually steepens up along a ridge heading towards the Shira Plateau. We will stop for many breaks along the way, making sure we stay hydrated and take our time slowly walking toward the crest of the ridge. We will continue by traversing across the Plateau where we will be rewarded with spectacular views back into the rainforest we have just come from. We will then head don hill towards Shira Camp One in the Moorlands of Kilimanjaro for our second nights sleep.Day 3 After an early start we have a gentle walk across the plateau which leads to Shira Camp Two on moorland meadows next to a beautiful stream (3,840m/12,598ft). By now you will be able to see, in an easterly direction, the Western Breach Route up Kilimanjaro with its stunning glaciers. The porters will boil drinking and washing water, before serving dinner. As this camp is quite exposed, it can be substantially colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.Day 4 The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding the Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4,630m (15,190ft) after approximately five hours of walking. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to the Lava Tower. This is definitely the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches due to the high altitude. After lunch you descend again by almost 680m (2,231ft) to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of at the Lava Tower, the true acclimatisation benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about 2 hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for your dinner.Day 5 After spending a night at the Great Barranco Wall, we make our way up this awesome looking obstacle, which in the end normally turns out to be easier than anticipated. Topping out just below the Heim Glacier, you now appreciate just how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is with the spectacular views. The route then heads down through the Karanga Valley over intervening ridges and valleys, and then joins up with the Mweka route. There can be amazing panoramic sunset views from the Karanga Camp while we enjoy our evening at 3,900m (12,795ft).Day 6 The first part of the day after breakfast is a slow walk to the crest of the ridge, then we will cross a plain and after another hour or so, we reach the Barafu Hut. The last water stop on the route is the Karranga Valley, as there is no water at Barafu camp, so we will have to be prepared with our next day's water supply. Barafu is the Swahili word for "ice" and it is a bleak and inhospitable camping area to spend the night as it is located at 4,650m (15,256ft). Totally exposed to the ever-present gales, the tents are pitched on a narrow, stony, and dangerous ridge. From here, the summit is now a further 1,245m (4,085ft) up and we will make our final ascent the same night. As we arrive to the Barafu Camp early in the day, we will spend some time preparing equipment, trekking poles and thermal clothing for our summit attempt. We will go to bed at round about 3 pm and try to get some precious rest and sleep before our 12 am departure for the summit.Day 7 We will rise around 11 pm, and after some tea and snacks, we will shuffle off into the night. We head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. For many climbers the approximately 7-hour walk to Stella point is mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5,685m/18,652ft) we will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point we will normally encounter snow all the way on our 1-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. Once we reach the Uhuru Peak at 5,895m (19,340ft) we will enjoy our accomplishment and take pictures before we begin the decent back to Barafu Camp. After the three hour journey back to the camp, we will have a short, well-deserved rest, collect our remaining gear, and head down to the Mweka Hut at 3,100m (10,171ft). The route to the Mweka Hut is not difficult and will take us down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared as well as drinking water.Day 8 After an early, and well-deserved, breakfast, it is a short and scenic trek back to the Park Gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register and successful climbers will receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate we will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 1 hour hike, where we will be served a delicious hot lunch before we drive back to Moshi for a long overdue hot shower, dinner and celebrations!! |
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Ready to go?Does this information excite you to take the next step towards achieving your goals in the mountains? If so, get in touch today. We prde ourselves on making sure that our clients have every opportunity to succeed on the mountains, including professional training advice, gear lists and video links on how to pack your bag, and much more. We are always available to answer any questions you may have by email, phone or skype, so contact us today! |
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