The Lemosho Route approaches Kilimanjaro from the west, starting at Londorossi Gate and crossing the Shira Plateau before joining the southern circuit at Lava Tower and Barranco. It is normally climbed in seven or eight days over about 56 km, and the long, gradual ascent to the summit is why it is generally considered to give the best acclimatisation of the main routes. The first days pass through montane forest with a chance of seeing colobus monkeys and elephant tracks, then open onto the heath and moorland of the Shira Plateau, the remnant of Kilimanjaro's oldest cone at about 4,005 m. From Barranco the route climbs the Barranco Wall, crosses the Karanga valley to Barafu Camp and summits Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) by night, descending the Mweka trail. Because the western side is remote and less used, the early camps are quieter than on the Machame approach. Camping is in tents throughout; hut accommodation exists only on the Marangu Route.
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