Lava Tower which stands along the Lemosho Route is an old volcanic rock formation on Mount Kilimanjaro, created over 150,000 years ago when the mountain was an active triple volcano. Back then, hot lava burst out from a vent, cooled, and hardened, forming a tall plug that blocked the flow beneath it. On active volcanoes, plugs like this can build up pressure for bigger eruptions, but Kilimanjaro is extinct, so Lava Tower has been quiet for ages. It stretches about 90 meters from its base to its top, standing out as a striking feature on the mountain.

As you climb Kilimanjaro along the Lemosho Route, moving from thick rainforest to open heath, then through the dry alpine desert and into the cold arctic zone, Lava Tower catches your eye among the stunning sights. Long ago, climbers used to visit it to enjoy wide, 360-degree views of the peaks and surroundings, but that’s stopped now for safety reasons. At its base, there’s Lava Tower Camp, originally set up for those who came to see the tower. Even though climbing it isn’t allowed anymore, the camp is still used by people on the Shira, Lemosho, Northern Circuit, and Machame routes heading to Uhuru Peak.
The Western Breach Route is the trickiest path to reach Lava Tower, and the camp sits right at its foot, offering a place to rest. You can camp there, hike around, have a picnic, climb rocks nearby, or trek through the area. It’s a spot worth seeing any time of year, though the wet, cold months from March to June might make it less pleasant.