Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route: My Full Moon Climb Review

Okay, so you’re dreaming of Mount Kilimanjaro, huh? Yeah, that’s totally understandable. Let me tell you about my crazy awesome attempt up the Lemosho Route during a full moon. I mean, the goal was a big one: getting to the top. Turns out, the path there gave me stories I won’t ever forget. The Lemosho Route, from what I could gather, is talked about as super great for seeing stuff and slowly getting used to the highness of the climb. And adding a full moon? Supposedly takes the experience to a whole different universe, I guess.

Choosing the Lemosho Route

Figuring out which way to hike up Kili? That could be super tough. After, you know, reading tons of stuff and talking a bunch with others, I ended up really liking the Lemosho Route. See, it’s almost advertised as more quiet and beautiful at the same time. It approaches from the west, which they say is way less busy when you compare it with some of the super-popular other ways to go. The landscapes? People kept going on about how cool the forests, moorlands, and, yeah, the high alpine deserts looked. Plus, it’s long, so, too, it’s better for getting your body ready for going super high. Crucially, they suggested doing it over seven days, and I was all about that for sure. Gives you extra time to just get used to the height and keeps you from rushing like crazy.

The Full Moon Factor

So, what’s with the whole full moon thing? I mean, climbing during a full moon is like adding extra amazing sauce. The idea seemed sort of simple, I guess: hike at night using only moonlight, seeing this incredible, silent, snow-covered mountain kind of glow around you. Climbers go after full moon trips because everything is clearer. The path is easier to make out. Getting clear views and crazy views makes the hard parts almost seem alright. But here is what I picked up: It means needing better preps too. Being colder, hiking at different times and getting sleep schedules messed with makes it way tougher. You’ve gotta make sure your gear’s the really good type.

Day-by-Day Account

Day 1: Londorossi Gate to Forest Camp

Okay, day one, and so, too it was way more relaxed than I thought it’d be. The drive to Londorossi Gate from Moshi? Kinda bumpy. Once we got to the gate? I signed my name a million times. But soon enough we were in it! The trail that day? This really cool walk through super thick, lush rainforest. Everything was humid. Plants? Giant. So many colorful birds, so cool, you know? The hiking itself wasn’t even crazy hard. Pretty gradual. More or less, it let us settle into just walking and getting a groove on. Forest Camp at the end was super peaceful too. It gave a super calm start to this crazy climb that was coming.

Day 2: Forest Camp to Shira Camp 1

The hike changed big time. Saying bye to the rainforest and then? hello to these massive open moorlands was really so cool. The walking did get noticeably tougher because that the trail got steeper, I want to say. So we took our sweet time, drank so much water and snacked a lot too, alright. The views? Like unreal. Wide-open spaces where that the Shira Plateau sat huge and flat, stretching like forever. Arriving at Shira Camp 1 felt good because, frankly, it was noticeably chillier. Plus, there are views that let us actually glimpse Kili in the distance.

Day 3: Shira Camp 1 to Shira Camp 2

This day had to be just about getting used to the altitude really, actually. We only went a short way but did a bit of climbing to go high, you know, then drop back down. This, I found out, is often what they call “walk high, sleep low”. Shira Camp 2? Practically looked the same but the air just felt that much thinner there to me. Now, it might have not felt like a summit push but prepping my head? It did, you know, help. Great view for that sun setting, anyway.

Day 4: Shira Camp 2 to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower

Okay, Lava Tower day, and oh boy, did things get real. The climb up to Lava Tower at 4,600 meters, that is one huge jump. You are able to seriously feel how that the air is now thinner up here. The altitude got to pretty much everyone in a way, with folks slowing. Headaches happened for sure. Spending just that little bit of time at Lava Tower? Enough to just have me really gasping for air, alright. Then we headed down to Barranco Camp. The thing to keep in mind? It lets the body catch a break again, it seemed like, but with Barranco Wall awaiting us, you could feel this nervous sort of energy around.

Day 5: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Barranco Wall, for real? It looks hard and seems scary, I suppose, yet somehow climbing it felt alright. You would have to use your hands for parts of it so that could make some feel not ready, right. It’s barely a vertical rock face though it looked more intimidating. Getting to Karanga Camp didn’t take crazy long, though, so it became an okay spot to simply relax before facing the actual climb.

Day 6: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Just when I thought getting here was going to be so crazy but Karanga to Barafu ended up more or less, a slow walk over ground, I suppose. I’m not trying to be a letdown, just speaking how I felt. Being here just sort of, I do want to say, screamed “summit is real close!” That’s what that’s was so much about. Folks trying to drink then doze as, like, lots. Making sure headlamps all worked. Layering clothing ready for being super icy soon, right. This camp? Simply where everything suddenly turned serious and the excitement made a super charged nervous environment.

Day 7: Summit Attempt (Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp)

Okay, this? By far the hardest hiking I will probably ever go on. Kicking things off near midnight meant doing it during super cold black. Watching headlamp beams crawl slowly uphill right as this crazy steady pace really became crucial. The air felt pretty nonexistent honestly; every step made me tired actually. It just took hours, step and more step actually. Then, slowly the sun started showing a tiny bit. The snow took some pale blue shades and seeing the tip near finally came. Making it to Uhuru Peak when the sun rose and showed how enormous and gorgeous everything appeared felt amazing. Tears. Grins. All that, right there! Going down ended up almost just as taxing as going up even but arriving at Mweka Camp felt extremely great.

Gear Recommendations for a Full Moon Climb

Gear-wise, for a full moon climb I am really saying be meticulous about everything you are toting. Layering? Actually important and so get base layers that that keep you really toasty without creating way much sweating too, I find. Coats need warmth also good waterproofing since weather changes happen really super-fast there, right? When selecting headlamps I do tend to tell folks to look for lights that come with crazy long-lasting power along with various brightnesses to have when, arguably, there is less moon visible due to, I am sure you get, cloud cover.

Choosing a Climbing Operator

The guide people actually chose really makes or kills stuff regarding your entire hiking tryout. The things you see right on their webpage will not show their full care abilities when things happen or that the climb just takes you there and beyond. Invest time seeing where you will sleep plus make inquiries on guide pay schedules along with precisely that which you supply their porters in terms of provisions or outdoor hiking coats, I mean for reals. Make inquiries even. It might change more or less the whole economic structure connected with how their locale benefits when outsiders trek within lands there.

Training and Preparation

Training? So vital! Being seriously in hiking figure honestly changes virtually every try on any tall tops more or less for anyone regardless of height. Commence cardio schedules. Also do hill hiking holding loads weeks well earlier before departing. Strengthening limbs actually helps a ton especially climbing when carrying supplies upward so actually prepare limbs with repetitions frequently alright! Acclimation hikes right there well prior can let one view if height impacts individual plus may give important clues toward managing this carefully once there during the hike properly even. That sounds alright.

Altitude Sickness: Prevention and Management

Now altitude problem, huh, makes almost every person become extremely alert when arranging high journeys truthfully actually actually! Drink excessive amounts alright continuously ahead during all hours. Avoid ale prior! In fact permit the group know immediately with slightest headache otherwise feelings regarding unusual. Groups need equipment such as heart checking devices ready constantly combined various emergency supplies available alright whenever problems need rapid act that way. Respect climbing height protocols is vitally smart especially when feeling bad alright when your well-being should become completely highest on one’s concern-taking choices truthfully too truthfully too alright!

Final Thoughts

So, going after Kili up by the Lemosho Route, particularly when the moon shines super bright, I want to say changed me. It really challenged my limits also just showed what seeing big natural incredibleness can give a person. Knowing about things. Picking the climb people actually hire smartly? Preparing just completely and appreciating the altitude means greatly I feel, because these things made that climbing really a memory worth tons alright.

Key Takeaways:

• Lemosho Route is often rated better given landscape scenes mixed being lower trafficked.
• During times for which a bright-round moonlight brights areas around Kili could take any already very spectacular adventure over there upwards to some entire additional spectacular viewpoint!
• Hire properly rated hiking teams plus organize properly; it gives more regarding an improved experience including for making safe treks alright throughout all your mountain days here
• Altitude adaptation here? Genuinely vital: hear what physical gives one constantly with creating your safeguards topmost by everything always!!

#Kilimanjaro #LemoshoRoute #FullMoonClimb #Trekking #AdventureTravel