Book this 7-Day Kilimanjaro Shira Route Climb for a quieter, more scenic path up Africa’s tallest mountain.
The Shira route suits hikers confident in their ability to handle difficult terrain and camp out for extended periods. It sees less traffic than other routes, though it is a more expensive option, and you should feel confident about how your body will react to the altitude on the first day.
7-Day Hike to Kilimanjaro Highlights
- Day 1: Shira Gate to Simba Camp
- Day 2: Simba Camp to Shira 2 Camp
- Day 3: Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
- Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
- Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
- Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
- Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
Detailed 7-Day Kilimanjaro Shira Route Climb Itinerary
Day 1: Shira Gate to Simba Camp
Our company representative will pick you up from your hotel in Arusha or Moshi and drive you to Londorossi Gate for registration and formalities while climb guides prepare the equipment. Drive up a steep path to Shira Gate, where you begin the hike with your guides and porters. The trek starts through shrubs and giant heather until you reach Simba Camp. Dinner and overnight stay, with a cold night ahead.
Day 2: Simba Camp to Shira 2 Camp
After breakfast, explore the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations on the plateau. 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 aid acclimatization. Arrive in the afternoon, have lunch, and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
After breakfast, hike east up a steepening path above the highest vegetation toward Kilimanjaro’s mass, then head southeast toward the Lava Tower for a lunch break. Descend to Barranco Camp, set in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, offering a memorable sunset in good weather. This is a good acclimatization day, as you walk high and rest low. Dinner and overnight stay, with a cold night ahead.
Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
After an early breakfast, descend to the base of the Great Barranco Wall, then climb it. It looks intimidating but is easier to ascend than it appears, with no technical skills needed, just a slow and steady pace using all four limbs. From the top, enjoy stunning views and take photos before crossing hills and valleys to descend sharply into Karanga Valley, the last water point. One more steep climb brings you to Karanga Camp for meals and overnight stay.
Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
After breakfast, hike east over ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, your descent path. Continue up the rocky section to Barafu Hut, completing the Southern Circuit, with stunning views of the summit and the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo, weather permitting. On arrival, have lunch and relax, then prepare your equipment and have an early dinner ahead of your final summit attempt that night.
Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp
A wake up call around 23:30 hrs or midnight brings hot tea and biscuits before you begin your final push to the summit. The wind and cold at this elevation make it physically challenging. Ascend with frequent short breaks until you reach Stella Point (5,756m) around dawn, then continue to Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,341 ft), the very top.
Time on the summit depends on the weather. Take photos, drink water, then descend to Barafu Camp for a well deserved rest and hot lunch before continuing down to Mweka Camp for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate
After a delicious breakfast, continue the descent to Mweka Gate to collect your summit certificate. The rainforest can get slippery and muddy, so use your hiking poles. Your driver will meet you and take you to
Mweka Village for lunch before dropping you back at your hotel in Arusha or Moshi for celebrations, dinner, and overnight stay.
Book this 7-Day Kilimanjaro Shira Route Climb today for a quieter, more scenic path to Uhuru Peak.
