The Kilimanjaro Shira route provides the drive trekking from Londorosi gate to Shira gate, where you will start on foot trekking unlike other routes. The Shira route is a path that approaches Kilimanjaro from the west, and is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. In fact, Shira was the original route and Lemosho is the improved variation. While Lemosho starts at Londorossi Gate and treks through the rain forest to Shira 1 Camp, the Shira route bypasses this walk by using a vehicle to transport climbers to Shira Gate, located near the Shira Ridge.
Day 1: Arusha to Shira gate (3600m) to Simba Camp (3650m)
Climate:Montane forest
Distance: about 4 Kilometers
Time taken: approximately 2 hours
In the morning after breakfast at your hotel, you will experience a short drive of barely 2 hours from Arusha to Londorosi gate to Shira gate. For the necessary park registration formalities at the Londorossi National Park gate, we drive a short distance on a steep track through farmland and plantations to the starting of Shira Route. We start our ascent along the shrub forests the trail climbs steadily with wide views of Kibo Ice field to reach the rim of the Shira Plateau to Simba camp, where you will spend the night and dinner.
Day 2: Simba camp (3650m) to Shira camp 2 (3840m)
Climate: Moorland
Distance: about 6 Kilometers
Time taken: approximately 5 hoours
Rise up early in the morning at Simba camp, after breakfast prepared by our Chef, guide and porters will proceed to ascend across the moorland climate to Shira camp 2, where you will enjoy the lunch, dinner and overnight stay. As this camp is quite exposed, it can be substantially colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.
Day 3: Shira camp 2 (3840m) to Lava tower (3950m) to Burranco camp (3950m)
Climate: Low Alpine zone
Distance: barely 13 kilometers
Time taken: about 8 hours
Proceed ascend to Burranco camp across the lava tower early in the morning after hot breakfast. After 5-6 hours you will reach the well-known landmark the lava tower, where you will enjoy your tasty lunch there. Then after you will experience a short trekking of 2 hours to Burranco camp where you will spend the night and dinner, here you will be luck to see the ever seen sun set that drops through the valley.
Day 4: Acclimatization day at Burranco camp.
You will spend this forth day exploring and resting at Burranco camp. Making some memorable multiple pictures at the walls of burranco especially when are covered with ice. Keep your camera handly to capture most beautiful scenery of Kilimanjaro at Burranco camp.
Day 5: Burranco camp (3950m) to Karanga camp (4200m)
Climate: High Alpine zone
Distance: about 7 Kilometers
Time taken: barely 4 hours
Rise up at Burranco camp, after breakfast continues ascending to Karanga camp, through the high alpine desert zone. In the afternoon you will enjoy delicious lunch prepared by Chef. You will continue up untill you reach just below the Heim Glacier, then head down through Karanga valley where porters gather water there. You will spend the day at the camp exploring and taking the views of Mawenzi towering spires.
Day 6: Karanga camp (4200m) to Barafu camp (4450m)
Climate: High alpine desert zone
Distance: About 5 Kilometers
Time taken: barely 4 hours
Continue ascend to Barafu Camp, after early hot Breakfast at Karanga Camp, where the porters and guide will lead your way. You will walk quite slowly to the final camp before your last ascent day to the summit. The remainder of the day is spent relaxing in preparation for the final ascent before a very early night.
Day 7: Summit day, Barafu camp (4550m) to Uhuru peak (5895m) to Mweka camp (3100m)
Climate: Glacial
Distance: about 7 Kilometers ascend and 22 Kilometeres descend
Hiking Time: Barely 8 hours ascend and 10 hours descend
Wake up before midnight in the cover of darkness. We begin a steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace will take us to rim of the main crater, Stella Point, at 5,735m. We will rest there for few minutes to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling good can continue slowly to make the two hour round trip from here along the crater rim to main peak (5,895 m), which is the highest point in Africa. After a few minutes to appreciate your accomplishment we descend to Barafu is amazingly fast, and we stop at Barafu Camp for some refreshment, we continue to descend to reach Mweka Camp.
Day 8: Mweka camp (3100m) to Mweka gate (1980m)
Climate: Moorland and Montane Forest
Distance: about 10 kilometers
Time taken: About 6 hours
In the morning after hot breakfast, this last day at the mountain, you will proceed to descend back to Mweka gate. A gentle walk takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka gate successful climbers will receive their summit certificates.