Hike to Kilimanjaro: The Shira route is for people who are confident in their ability to hike in difficult terrain and camp out for extended periods. It has less traffic but it is a more expensive option. You should also be confident about the way you will react to the altitude on the first day.
Hike to Kilimanjaro Highlights
- Day 1: Shira Gate – Simba Camp
- Day 2: Simba Camp – Shira 2 Camp
- Day 3: Shira 2 Camp – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp
- Day 4: Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp
- Day 5: Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp
- Day 6: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp
- Day 7: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Shira Gate – Simba Camp
Our company representative will pick you from your hotel in Arusha / Moshi and drive you to Londorossi Gate. From here you will register and complete the formalities while climb guides prepare the necessary equipment. You will then drive up a steep path leading to the Shira Gate where together with the guides and porters, you will begin the hike and ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The trek starts through shrubs and giant heather until you reach Simba Camp where you will have dinner and overnight stay. Prepare for a cold night.
Day 2: Simba Camp – Shira 2 Camp
After breakfast, today you e begin by exploring the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations on the plateau. Then you will take a scenic path to the Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles, before settling at Shira 2 Camp. Today is a fairly easy day to help with acclimatization. Arrive Shira 2 camp in the afternoon, have your lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at Shira 2 Camp.
Day 3: Shira 2 Camp – Lava Tower – Barranco Camp
After breakfast, you will hike east up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro’s looming mass and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower. You will have a lunch break and enjoy your lunch at an allocated spot near the Lava tower, after which you will descend down to Barranco Camp. Barranco Camp is in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset and great picture opportunities in perfect weather conditions while you wait for your dinner. This is a good day for acclimatization as you walk high and rest low. Prepare for a cold night. Dinner and overnight stay at Barranco Camp.
Day 4: Barranco Camp – Karanga Camp
Early breakfast and then descend to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. You will continue the hike up the great Barranco Wall. It looks intimidating but turns out to be easier to ascend than it looks. No technical skills needed, just go slow but surely and make use of all your four limbs. From the top of the Barranco Wall, the view is stunning. Take a short break and some beautiful pictures before crossing a series of hills and valleys to descend sharply into Karanga Valley the last water point. One steeper climb up and you arrive at Karanga Camp where you will have your meals and overnight stay. It gets colder the hight you go, so agin prepare for a cold night.
Day 5: Karanga Camp – Barafu Camp
After breakfast, you will leave Karanga Camp and you hike east over intervening ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route. You will continue up to the rocky section leading to Barafu Hut completing the Southern Circuit. Enjoy the stunning views of the summit and the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo weather permitting. Upon arrival at the camp you will lunch and relax. Prepare your equipment, have an early dinner and go to be early to get enough rest as you will be attempting your final ascent to the summit later tonight. Dinner and overnight stay at Barafu Camp.
Day 6: Barafu Camp – Uhuru Peak – Mweka Camp
Wake up call at around 23:30 hrs or midnight to have a cup of hot tea and some biscuits and then you begin your final push to the summit. The wind and coldness at this elevation and time of day can be extreme making it a physically challenging trek at this point. You ascend while taking frequent short breaks for some deep breaths till you make it to Stella Point (5,756 m) at around dawn. Quite an accomplishment deserves a short break and then continue your ascent to the very top, the Uhuru peak (5,895 m / 19,341 ft.).
Time spent at the top will greatly depend on the weather condition at that time. Take pictures, drink some water and then you are good to go down the mountain. Start your descend back to Barafu camp for a much deserved rest and a hot lunch before you continue down to Mweka Camp for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Mweka Camp – Mweka Gate
On our last day after a delicious breakfast, you continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect your summit certificates. Congratulations, you made it. It can get slippery and muddy in the rain-forest, so make use of your hiking poles. Your driver will pick you at this point and you drive to Mweka village for lunch before dropping you back at your hotel in Arusha / Moshi where you will have more celebrations, dinner and overnight stay.
