Lemosho Route / Day 3

MOUNT KILIMANJARO, Tanzania — Day 3 climbing Mount Kilimanjaro’s Lemosho Route, from Shira 1 Camp to Moir Hut Camp. High resolution photos.

Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Footprints in the Dirt
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We gained another 2,000 or so feet today, but it was very different terrain to yesterday. It was much flatter, and without the effects of altitude would have been a pretty leisurely hike. We really only started climbing about halfway, as we got to Fischer Camp (named in memory of mountaineer Scott Fischer of the 1996 Everest disaster notoriety (see Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer).

The landscape is still very much heath zone, with rocky ground and low grasses and shrubs. There are still lots of Everlastings and some of the equally distinctive and quite beautiful Giant Lobelias with their concentric rings of leaves.

Moir Hut Camp is a bit more protected than Shira 1 Camp, but it’s still pretty exposed. To the east, we have a drop-off where we look down over the tops of the clouds. And to the west, we have a much better view of Kibo Summit, by now towering above us.

And it’s starting to get cold now. A light drizzle at dusk turns to freezing rain by dark. By morning, our tents are covered in frost.

Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Shira 1 Camp Tents
Shira 1 Camp. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Stone Cairn and Porters
Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Porters Walking
Porters on the trail in the heath zone between Shira 1 Camp and Moir Hut Camp. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Everlastings in Bloom
Everlastings (Helichrysum). These are a distinctive and common plant in this elevation of the mountain. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Trail Rocks
Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Navigating the Rocks
Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Rose Crown Flowers
Tiny red Rose Crown flowers amongst the small pebbles of the igneous stone from the former volcano Mt Kilimanjaro. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Giant Lobelia
The head of a Giant Lobelia, a common east African mountain plant. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Grasses
Clumps of low grasses in the heath zone. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Old Man's Beard
Old Man’s Beard (Usnea Barbata) hanging from branches. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Everlastings Flowers
Everlastings (Helichrysum). Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Scott Fisher Memorial
The Scott Fischer memorial plaque. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Moir Hut Camp
Moir Hut Camp. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro Peak with Clouds and Snow
Kibo Summit. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will Travel

Climbing Kilimanjaro

This is part of a climb diary I put together with photos from each day on the Lemosho Route. You can find the other posts below. I’ve also included some gear tips for climbing Kilimanjaro and some ideas on what to expect from your climb.

W8JG+JMW, Gilman’s Point, Tanzania

Uhuru Peak, Tanzania

Tanzania

W8HP+29V, Gilman’s Point, Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

Unnamed Road, Tanzania

T K Lemosho Trail, Tanzania

X4XM+HPJ, Matadi, Tanzania

Shira Evacuation Rd, Tanzania

2538+F93, Matadi, Tanzania

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David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my gear reviews and tips here. More »