All ten of our party summited after a long and sometimes difficult tiring trek. This was down to... Colin Donovan, 2019 See more reviews
Review of my Exodus trip to Kilimanjaro in The Herald: https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style... Mark Latham, 2019 See more reviews
Wonderful feeling on reaching the summit after a midnight start ! William Pearce, 2019 See more reviews
I will echo previous reviews which have noted how fantastic this trip is - to me, time spent on... Valerie Boissel, 2018 See more reviews
A fantastic trip which was an experience rather than bagging a summit. The camaraderie and bond... Rupert Livingstone, 2018 See more reviews
The title is Swahili for "Cool as a crazy banana in the fridge". ... Alex Beament, 2018 See more reviews
Just back from a great trip. From the moment you land your African adventure starts. The Moivaro... Richard Atkinson, 2018 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Arusha to Arusha Day 1 Start Arusha. There will be a trip briefing this afternoon/evening. Please bring with you your passport and insurance details, and your air ticket details. The briefing will cover all aspects of your trip and will include the distribution of any hired equipment you have booked.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Dinner Day 2 To Londorossi; begin ascent to Lemosho Forest (2650m). In the morning we transfer to Londorossi (2250 m), passing between the slopes of Kilimanjaro and the horseshoe-shaped volcanic crater of Mt. Meru (a distance of about 120 km). After completing the necessary registration formalities, we drive on for a short distance through farmland and plantations to reach the Lemosho roadhead. The last 5 km of the road to the park gate is of poor quality, particularly after rain, and the drive there should be considered part of the adventure. We often have our lunch in the glades before starting to walk. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through beautiful and lush forest, this area has a variety of game including buffalo. We camp at Lemosho Forest camp (2650 m). Approx 3-4 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 Explore Shira Plateau; camp at Shira One (3550m). The trail starts out in the lush rich montane forest before ascending into the moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily with views across the plains opening out as we reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness especially if the afternoon mists come in. We camp in the centre of the plateau at Shira One (3550 m). Approx 6-7 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral to camp at Shira Hut (3840m). A day to help acclimatisation and to explore the grassy moorland and the volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles. The views from our camp near Shira Hut (3840m) of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable. The afternoon is free to relax. Approx 4-5 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Descend to camp at Great Barranco Valley (3900m). A morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, walking on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch near the Lava Tower junction (4550m), we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley (3900m), sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below. Approx 5-7 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 Over the Barranco Wall to Karanga (4000m). A short steep climb up the famed Barranco Wall leads us to an undulating trail on the south-eastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the southern icefields. The terrain changes to volcanic scree, with pockets of lush vegetation in sheltered hollows, and a powerful sense of mountain wilderness. Our next camp is at Karanga (4000m) a short distance away. The valley floor has the last water point on the approach to Barafu and we camp on the higher sides of the valley with views towards the glaciers of the southern icefields. Approx 4-5 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Steep ascent to Barafu campsite (4600m), with optional afternoon ascent to bottom of S.E. Valley (4800m). The trail follows a path on compacted scree with wide views ahead including the Barafu Ridge where our camp lies. The trail climbs unrelentingly to reach the Barafu campsite (4600m) for lunch, after which there is a short acclimatisation walk to the plateau at the bottom of the southeast valley (4800m). The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent and includes a very early night. Approx 3-5 hours walking.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 An early start to reach Stella Point in time for sunrise; on to Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest point in Africa; descend to Millennium Camp (3800m). We will start our ascent by torchlight around midnight so that we can be up on the crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zigzags and a slow but steady pace will take us to Stella Point (5735m), in about five or six hours. We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can make the two hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast, and after some refreshments we continue to descend to reach our final campsite (3800m) at Millenium camp. Most of us will be too tired to notice the beauty of the forest surrounding the crowded campsite. This is an extremely long and hard day with between 11 and 15 hours of walking at high altitude.Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 To Mweka Gate; transfer to Arusha. This day is a sustained descent on a well-constructed path through lovely tropical forest alive with birdsong and boasting lush undergrowth with considerable botanical interest. Our route winds down to the national park gate at Mweka (1650m); and on through coffee and banana farms to Mweka village. The shower, the beer, and the swimming pool are tantalisingly close! We return by bus to Arusha (a distance of about 100 km). Approx 4-6 hours walking.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 10 End Arusha. The morning can be spent resting in the hotel garden by the pool or exploring Arusha for souvenirs for those on group flights. Those not flying back to UK with the group will leave us in Arusha. Meals included: Breakfast
Zanzibar If you are keen to end your holiday on a very relaxed note Zanzibar is a place to relax on the beach, to explore the colourful reef offshore, or to simply relax and soak up the sun! You can choose to add on as many extra nights to your trip as you wish; your time on the island will be at leisure for you to do as you wish. We transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport and fly to Zanzibar, on arrival we transfer to the south west coast of the island. The accommodation used, Fumba Beach Lodge is far from other developments, the feeling of peace is all encompassing and there is a long strip of private beach, pool, spa, diving centre and spacious rooms. Please note that on Zanzibar you will be met and transferred between the airport and hotel but you are not escorted or guided. If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity then we can arrange flights for you to Zanzibar as well as booking the hotel on half board and included all the transfers needed. We can also book other hotels for you on the island including Kichanga Lodge and Tembo Hotel. Please call for details.
Safari extension- after Lemosho Route Code: XYR This extension is a perfect introduction to Africa’s wildlife, over three days you will discover three unique National Parks. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is as breath-taking for its landscapes as it is attractive for its animals. The walls of the crater provide a home for an abundance of animals acting like a giant enclosure. As a result only a few of the vast numbers of animals actually migrate out of the crater. Tarangire National Park has the largest number of elephants in the northern part of Tanzania and is dotted with Baobab trees. Finally Lake Manyara National Park is small but supports a high density of mammals including its famous population of tree climbing lions. The detailed itinerary can be found here. Please ask your sales consultant for more details.
Tanzania Please note that although Tanzania does not officially require proof of Yellow Fever vaccination, at most airports and other points of entry you may be required to show a certificate of vaccination or an exemption certificate. This includes coming from Europe via, or transiting through an endemic country including the airports of Nairobi (Kenya) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). If visiting Zanzibar from mainland Tanzania border officials have been known to demand proof of Yellow Fever vaccination or an exemption certificate. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels & Camping You will spend 2 nights in comfortable hotels with en suite facilities. During the climb you will have 7 nights of full-service camping, with a private toilet tent. Limited single accommodation is available and includes a single tent as well as the hotel nights. We can arrange extra accommodation before or after the trip. CampsitesThe campsites on Kilimanjaro are designated by the national park and are mainly are stone/dirt. They are not all level and can be crowded in peak season. We provide quality mountain tents that are rated as 3 person tents. Hence there is plenty of personal space and ample luggage storage area in the two porches. The tents are Vango Hurricane 300’s (www.vango.co.uk/tents/hurricane-300.html). A limited number of these tents are available as single tents at a supplementary charge and should be reserved in advance. Clients should bring their own sleeping bag and mat. Breakfast and dinner are served in our communal mess tent with chairs, tables and a bright LED light. This tent is also available for communal use in the afternoon and evening. There are additional tents with our groups that are used by our mountain crew for sleeping and cooking in. We provide groundsheets for all of these tents. HygieneWe always ensure that there is a bowl of hot washing water for you in the morning and again after the walk at an agreed time in the afternoon. The only exception is the highest camp where there is no water source and hence all water must be carried from a lower level by porters.Handwashing water treated with Dettol is available along with soap before all meals, and everyone is strongly advised to make use of it.We supply a private toilet tent on all camping routes as we have found that the long drop toilets maintained by the national park are of sub-standard quality. The toilet tent has toilet paper within it, but we recommend clients bring their own toilet paper and wet wipes as well.
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Reviewed September 2019 Amanda Crocker Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Lemosho Kilimanjaro Very well organised and supervised trip Guides were amazing All staff very helpful Amazing trip What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Getting to the top after 8 cold windy dark hours What did you think of your group leader? Excellent Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take mittens not gloves for summit night as much warmer Hire warm down coat and mittens from the company especially if you feel the cold Is there anything else you would like to add? Haven’t camped since I was 13 ( much older now!) and thoroughly enjoyed it , support and service was excellent cannot recommend the trip highly enough .
Reviewed September 2019 Colin Donovan Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Trip of a lifetime. All ten of our party summited after a long and sometimes difficult tiring trek. This was down to Johns fantastic leadership skills and constant encouragement and help. He has a first class team of assistant guides and brilliant porters who all had a real positive attitude and couldn’t do more for you. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Reaching Uhuru Peak after an 8 hour trek with my fellow walkers and guides. It felt like one big happy and emotional family who had achieved their combined goal together. What did you think of your group leader? John was inspirational. From collecting us at the airport to dropping us off 9 days later. John knows the mountain like the back of his hand and his knowledge and information he passes on every day is truly superb. I don’t think I would have got to the top without John or his excellent assistant guides. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you train hard. Lots of long walks and try to keep the weight off. Listen to the advice given by the guides always. Walk very slowly, drink lots and lots of water and try to be positive at all times. This is a difficult trek especially on summit night but if you listen to the guides you’ll complete it.
Reviewed August 2019 Mark Latham Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route On the roof of Africa Review of my Exodus trip to Kilimanjaro in The Herald: https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/16237809.travel-trek-to-the-summit-of-mount-kilimanjaro/ What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? See the above link. What did you think of your group leader? See the above link. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? See the above link. Is there anything else you would like to add? See the above link.
Reviewed August 2019 William Pearce Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Summit fever!wonderful Wonderful feeling on reaching the summit after a midnight start ! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Reaching the summit! Watching and joining in with the African team final celebrations. What did you think of your group leader? JT(Justin) was great.more cheer leader than group leader. An inspirational guy. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Better to hire a jacket , sleeping bag and ground sheet.our trip was very dry and dusty and gaiters were very useful. Is there anything else you would like to add? The Tanzanians have a structured tipping scheme! So if you are going to contribute make sure you have the funds available
Reviewed October 2018 Mohan Paul Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Awesome...! Absolutely loved every moment of the trip What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? It was getting to the top of clouds... it was breath taking, and I just never got tired of the views. Waking up and seeing some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets, was so worth it. What did you think of your group leader? JT was probably one of the nicest, most humble people I’ve ever met. He has an amazing talent to be able to encourage, and inspire people when they feel like giving up. He has a great sense of humour and clearly loves interacting with people - both the travellers and also the porters and support staff. He is well respected from what I saw and I can see why. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Definitely take diamox with you. Altitude sickness really does make a fair few people suffer... I had some of the worst headaches/migraines I’ve ever had in my life during the trip. The medication was a blessing... and take plenty of paracetamol too. Is there anything else you would like to add? When can I go again? 😄
Reviewed October 2018 Valerie Boissel Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route To the unsung sheroes and heroes of Kilimanjaro I will echo previous reviews which have noted how fantastic this trip is - to me, time spent on Kilimanjaro was just magical... The mountain was as majestic as I expected it to be; the Lemosho route providing a great opportunity to discover the various landscapes it holds at different altitudes. Reaching Uhuru after days living above the clouds was the culmination of a special journey which would not have been possible without the incredible support, kindness, professionalism and all around awesomeness (TO THE MAX! ;)) provided by our dream team, aka JT and his crew - a total of 63 badass Tanzanian men and women, the real heroes and sheroes of this adventure! Their smiles and songs literally propelled me to the top of Kilimanjaro! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? To name a few besides reaching the summit: watching the full moon overlooking the mountain turned pink-ish by the sun setting; watching Mount Meru 'float' among clouds from Cathedral Point Shira Peak; having a blast climbing Barranco Wall; being the witness and recipient of kindness and solidarity; dancing and singing with my crew in Swahili; being inspired by women and men porters alike for their strength and spirit; enjoying the journey and being present to the moment. What did you think of your group leader? JT is not only an outstanding group leader but simply said a pretty awesome human being who surrounds himself with an amazing crew from African Walking Company - I knew from the get go that I was in very safe hands and that I 'only had to' enjoy the ride, which I did, TO THE MAX! :) Special thanks and praise also go to our assistant guides Simon, Angela, Lucia, Happiness, Saïdi, Yohanna, Ionas, and Abdul, who were a joy to walk by and share jokes, stories and songs with. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Regardless of its height, Kilimanjaro, as any other mountain, should not be underestimated - It is important to prepare physically for the challenge, ie build enough endurance to sustain a week of walking (up to 8h or longer for summit day) at high altitude (with a bagpack!), which will in turn help you enjoy the ride and adopt the Tanzanian attitude - one step at a time, hakuna matata! I personally had no issue to report with altitude during the whole trip except around 5400-5500 m when I believe I suffered a mild hypothermia I could not shake (which built up over 7h of climbing in snowy conditions despite wearing 6 top layers and 3 bottom ones) - thanks to JT's quick thinking and my fellow hikers' kindness (big up to Matt and Kieron!!), I was lended 2 additional top layers (hello Michelin woman!) which meant my body was finally able to warm up ( I tend to have high metabolism and I am naturally thin so I am not too surprised this happened) and I could complete the climb to 5895 m. All this to say, think carefully about your layering, your packing, ... and how your own body may specifically react :) (ie do not just take into account general reviews about what to pack for Kilimanjaro.) Is there anything else you would like to add? Two weeks on, and my heart and brain are still on that mountain... Where do I sign up again? :)
Reviewed September 2018 Rupert Livingstone Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route The trip (and JT) was awesome and to the max A fantastic trip which was an experience rather than bagging a summit. The camaraderie and bond that developed between us and the crew made the trip special. Can I do it again? What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing my wife get to the summit when I had to turn back. Well done my love. What did you think of your group leader? JT was superb. He was joyous and enthusiastic about Kili, Tanzania, his crew and us. He and his crew welcomed us into their family and we all left, I think, leaving a little part of us with him. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared to be smelly - you cannot really wash until getting back to the hotel - but when you do it is fantastic! Get yourself fit, physically and mentally, it is a hard trip and you will most likely have to go past your comfort zone and what you are used to. Close you eyes at some campsites - they are crowded and there is quite some detritus Is there anything else you would like to add? The crew do appreciate any spare kit you have and you will most likely want to gift some to them.
Reviewed June 2018 Alex Beament Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Poah cacheezy camandeezy danya frigee The title is Swahili for "Cool as a crazy banana in the fridge". This trip was excellent! Well organised and well operated by our leader, JT. He and his team were friendly, knowledgeable, supportive, capable, polite, skilled, very VERY experienced, professional, the list goes on! I was nervous about coming on this trip as I had never done anything like it before, but everything was so well managed that one by one, my worries disappeared and turned into excitement and even relaxation. Everyone in the group was like-minded, determined and supportive of each other so we all got along very well. I went on my own so it was a relief to find that every one of my group had similar enough ambitions and were easy to get along with, despite coming from a range of backgrounds. I don't believe this was just a happy accident - everyone climbing this mountain has more than enough in common to bond over and Exodus nourishes that bond well. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Reaching the top! Being above the clouds and wending through the grand rain forests at the start and the very end were all highlights for me as well. Shira cathedral and the Baranco Wall also made good scrambling (climbing) and although I got a bit of a headache at the lava tower, that was something else I had been looking forward to and it did not disappoint. What did you think of your group leader? JT and his team were friendly, knowledgeable, supportive, capable, polite, skilled, very VERY experienced, professional. He's already won the award for best group leader and he fully deserves to win it again. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared, think about what you need. Your kit doesn't have to be perfect, just enough. Anything else is a comfort you're welcome to (but remember, either you or your porter, who WILL become your friend, will be carrying it). Consider what you will want to use when: - Travelling - On the plane - When you arrive - Leave the hotel - Wake up in the tent each morning - When it's warm at the bottom - When it's cold at the top - When it rains - When your camera loses charge - When you go to sleep in the tent - When you wake up in the morning - What information you need and how to store it (what reception is available) Just go through the situations of what the holiday will bring and consider what you need for those situations. Research altitude sickness. You don't need to be an expert and you don't need all the drugs - I personally did not take diamox and was just as well off as everyone else (some people did). Pole pole. Going slow sounds boring, but remember when sitting in your office thinking about the trip, but you're out in the wild by the tallest free standing mountain in the world. Make the most of it, look around, take pictures. You're only going to have to wait around when you get to camp. Even if you're really fit and the fastest walker in the world, you'll still fall short of breath at some point. And unless you can beat the record of under 5.5 hours to summit, I'm not interested in how fast you can do it. I'm more interested in what you get out of it, so just relax and see the sights. Is there anything else you would like to add? Top trip. If the world didn't have more to explore, I'd do it again. Maybe I still will one day. I look forward to my next Exodus trip - probably Everest base camp.
Reviewed April 2018 Paul Walters Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route Kilimanjaro - Adventure of a Lifetime Kilimnjaro - Awesome - To the MAX !!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Clambering out off my frozen tent at Shira 1 Camp, and seeing the snow-clad summit of Kilimanjaro in the distance, and knowing in only a few days, we would be at the top. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was one of the funniest, happiest, and most competent outdoor professionals it has ever been my pleasure to meet. A totally indomitable spirit, and for whom I grew to have the utmost respect. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? In the form of a list:- 1. Don't under-estimate the extremes of temperature. Days are hot and sweaty. Nights can be bitterly cold. 2, Make sure you have a very good sleeping bag... you're going to be spending a lot of time in it. 3. Don't under-estimate how cold it will be on the summit attempt. We had wind-chill down to -20deg. You'll be making the summit bid at night and we did ours in a snowstorm, even at the end of March. It was very very cold. Take lots of thermals, and layer up.... 4 or 5 layers is expected. 4. Don't use a Camelbak, Platypus or other water bladder system. Trying to suck a mouthful of water through a 1m length of tube at 4500m will disrupt your breathing and make you gasp for breath. Better to take a couple of 1litre bottles so you can pour water into your mouth and swallow. Your mouth will get very dry due to the dry air at altitude. 5. Don't take a Camelbak etc as the drinking tube WILL freeze solid on summit day. 6. Take some form of insulation for your drinking bottle. 7. Take a pee bottle for use at night. Campsites can be busy, and struggling to get out of a sleeping bag, get dressed and walk across to the toilet tent can be a real pain. Pee in a bottle and empty it in the morning. Much easier. 8. Take lots of snacks you enjoy, and comfort foods. The food on the trek is good, but nibbling something you love when you need a lift is the best feeling ever. 9. Take high energy foods, gels or "power bar" type snacks for summit day. You will need them. 10. Take factor 50 sunblock and apply it every day even if it's cloudy. I burned my arm and wrist in about 1 hour on the journey from the airport to our hotel, and it only got worse as the trek went on. Do not ignore this advice. UV effects are far more intense due to the thin air. Every one of us suffered with sun or wind burn. 11. Weigh your stuff. The porters will only carry 15kg, and you don't want to be carrying more than 6kg in your day pack. Anything heavier will affect your breathing. Leave spare clothes at the hotel to change in to when you return. 12. Enjoy every minute of it. The landscape is awesome. The experience is awesome. You will make some solid friends in the group as everyone suffers and shares the same. 13. Make sure you take enough cash in US dollars. They can be used everywhere. You will want to tip the porters and guides much more than they state in the trip notes..... these guys and girls are truly what makes the trip. 14. You will probably want to donate some of your equipment to the porters. In my group, we left behind rucksacks, sleeping bags, trekking boots, thermal gear, gloves, hats, buffs, water bottles, etc. Tanzania is a very poor country with around 30% unemployment. Working as a porter is a good job, but many of them have very little specialised equipment. They do not expect it, but are honoured to receive it. Is there anything else you would like to add? If you have any specific questions, I will be happy to receive them by email and answer as best I can.
Reviewed February 2018 Richard Atkinson Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb - Lemosho Route The Lemosho route to success on Kili Just back from a great trip. From the moment you land your African adventure starts. The Moivaro lodge provides a relaxing and comfortable start and end point, but your focus is inevitably on the challenge ahead. Our guide JT gave an excellent pre-trek briefing and throughout the trek provided support and motivation - always with a smile, a laugh or a song. If you have even the slightest concern about altitude and acclimatisation, the Lemosho route is an excellent choice: the extra time allows for a gradual approach over the Shira Plateau, with some acclimatisation walks (going higher and sleeping lower). And it’s attractive. Don’t expect to be trekking in splendid isolation on any route. Even on the supposedly quieter Lemosho route (which eventually merges with two other routes) there is the daily traffic of porters passing you every morning...and you get to recognise and chat with other groups as you pass each other on the way. I hadn’t realised when I first chose my dates, that this trip was a ‘female crew’ trip. I’m so glad it was. Apart from the value of this scheme in providing opportunities for females porters and guides, having a mixed crew really added to the friendly atmosphere of our camp. All organised groups seemed to have moments when their crew sang for the clients, but for us this went to a different level. Not only did their voices (and smiles) really lift the singing, but you never felt this was a performance; it carried on even when they were in their own tent in the afternoons. Oh, and although we were a small group, we all reached the summit! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Reaching the summit was the highlight, but scrambling on the Barranco Wall was exciting (there is a little exposure in short patches which could cause some anxiety for anyone with a fear of heights, but is otherwise quite manageable. Porters manage it with big loads!). And listening to the female crew members singing! What did you think of your group leader? JT: exceptional. Highly professional and with a great personality. Always motivating us and ensuring we were ok. And he showed similar care for his crew. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Go for it! The Lemosho route is great for acclimatisation, and is an attractive route. Don’t be put off by the female crew departures - indeed, I can’t recommend it enough.