Kilimanjaro Full Moon Climb: Lemosho Route

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport where you’ll be met by our team and transferred to your lodge near the airport. This relaxed first day allows you to recover from travel and mentally prepare for the adventure ahead.

After breakfast, you’ll drive to the western side of the mountain to Lemosho Gate. After registering with Kilimanjaro National Park authorities, you’ll begin trekking through lush rainforest toward Mti Mkubwa Camp (also known as Big Tree Camp). This is a shorter day designed to ease you into the climb, and it’s one of the quietest sections of the route, with possible wildlife sightings like monkeys and forest birds. Dinner is served at camp and you’ll settle in for your first night under canvas on your Kilimanjaro full moon climb.

After breakfast, the trail continues upward as the rainforest begins to thin and the scenery shifts into heather and moorland. The climb is steady and scenic as you cross the Shira Ridge before dropping slightly into Shira Camp 1, located on the Shira Plateau near a small stream. This plateau is the collapsed remains of Kilimanjaro’s first volcanic cone, and it’s one of the most striking landscapes you’ll see early in your Kilimanjaro climb. The day ends with dinner at camp and big views if the clouds behave.

Today is a long but relatively gentle trek across the wide open Shira Plateau. You’ll walk through moorland meadows and dramatic volcanic terrain as views open up toward Kibo and the Western Breach. You’ll reach Shira Camp 2, set near a stream cutting through the plateau, where you’ll also begin to meet trekkers coming from the Machame Route. The plateau is exposed, so temperatures can drop below freezing at night, making this a true “welcome to altitude” moment on your full moon climb.

A key acclimatization day and a big one for summit success. You’ll trek east from Shira Plateau, passing the “Garden of the Senecios” and giant lobelias as the landscape becomes more alpine and desert like. After reaching Lava Tower (4,600 m) for lunch, you’ll descend to Barranco Camp (3,900 m), returning to a similar sleeping altitude as the night before. This “climb high, sleep low” pattern helps your body adapt and is one of the reasons the Lemosho Route is so effective for this climb. Barranco Camp sits in a spectacular valley beneath the Barranco Wall, and the scenery here is next level.

You’ll start with the famous Barranco Wall, a steep but enjoyable scramble that often becomes a highlight of the whole trek. From the top, you’ll traverse ridges and valleys to Karanga Camp (3,960 m) for a break before continuing through stark alpine desert terrain toward Barafu Camp (4,680 m). Barafu is the final base camp before your summit attempt, so once you arrive it’s all about early dinner, hydration, gear prep, and rest. Tonight you’ll sleep early, because your Kilimanjaro full moon climb summit push begins around midnight.

Summit day begins just after midnight with hot tea and biscuits before heading out into the cold. The trail climbs slowly in steep switchbacks over scree toward Stella Point, and with a bright night sky the Kilimanjaro full moon climb offers exceptional visibility and an unforgettable atmosphere. After reaching Stella Point (5,739 m), you’ll continue for 1 to 2 hours along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), the highest point in Africa. Your time at the summit is brief, then you’ll descend back to Barafu for a rest before continuing down to Mweka Camp (3,100 m). This is the longest and toughest day of the entire Kilimanjaro full moon climb, but also the one you’ll talk about forever.

After breakfast, you’ll begin your final descent through lush rainforest toward Mweka Gate (1,640 m). The trail can be muddy and your legs may feel the previous day’s long descent, so a steady pace is key. At the gate, you’ll sign out with the park authorities and receive your certificate for Stella Point or Uhuru Peak. Completing your Kilimanjaro full moon climb deserves a proper celebration, and you’ll return to your lodge to rest and enjoy that “I actually did that” feeling.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your departure. If you’re continuing your Tanzania trip, this is the perfect moment to roll straight from your Kilimanjaro climb into a safari or Zanzibar beach escape. Either way, you’ll leave with incredible memories, a summit certificate, and legs that will definitely complain about stairs for a few days.