Mt Kilimanjaro Shira Route (6-8 Days)

The Shira Route is a little-used trail that begins near Shira Ridge. It is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. In fact, Shira was the original route and Lemosho is the improved variation. Although Shira is a varied and beautiful route, it is less favorable than its successor due to the relatively high altitude of Shira’s starting point, which is accessed quickly by vehicle. It is possible that climbers will experience some altitude related symptoms on the first days.

Itinerary

DAY 1: LONDOROSSI GATE TO RIVER CAMP

The starting point for the Shira Route is the Londorossi Gate (same as for the Lemosho Route). It is a two to three-hour drive to get there and on this first da,y you may well spend more time driving and waiting around at the gate than you will be walking. This already indicates another advantage of taking one of these lesser trafficked routes.

You do indeed have a better chance to see some wildlife on the first days. The bird life is excellent, there may be more Colobus monkeys, and some really lucky people may even see elephants or buffalos. (Don’t hold your breath, though.)

You follow the Ngarenairobi River as you leave the forest and enter the next vegetation zone: moorland and heather. Your first campsite is located between the road and the river. If you choose to walk, then the first day takes you up to six hours (with breaks) or much less, depending where exactly you start walking.

• Elevation: 2100m to 3050m

• Hiking time: 3-4 hours

• Distance: ~ 7km

• Habitat: Mountain forest & moorland

• Meal: Lunch – Dinner

DAY 2: RIVER CAMP TO SHIRA HUT VIA SHIRA CATHEDRAL

The second day begins with a steady climb up the slope towards the Morum Hill and Morum Barrier. This is where the Shira Plateau begins (and half of the climbers begin their Shira trek). The road continues after the gate, but only emergency vehicles are allowed here.

You now start heading south east on a mostly flat path across the plateau. In another two hours, you reach the junction of the Shira and the Lemosho Route, the location of the Simba Cave Campsite (3590m) on the side of the Simba River. Not long after you pass the turn off to another campsite, called Fischer Campsite (3885m), which is some way off the main trail.

For those who didn’t make the detour there are still the great views from camp: Shira Needle, Cathedral and Shira Hill, and Kibo itself and the Western Breach.

• Elevation: 3050 to 3850m

• Hiking time: 6-8hours

• Distance: ~ 12km

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 3: SHIRA HUT TO BARRANCO HUT VIA LAVA TOWER  

The day starts with a good two and a half hours of walking mostly gently uphill (and scrambling a bit for two short sections). Following the slope of the Shira Plateau, you gradually leave the heather and moorland behind and enter the mostly barren alpine desert region, enjoying breathtaking views all the way.

Soon you come across the first junction, continue on the main trail. After some bends, ups, and downs you reach the junction with the busy Machame Route. Shortly after you come to another junction. Continue straight on towards Barranco.

After a much-deserved lunch break near the Lava Tower, you descend into the beautiful Barranco Valley, the result of a massive landslide some 100,000 years ago. The valley is sheltered by towering cliffs and is much greener. There is vegetation again, most notably the giant scenarios and lobelias. You have great views across the plains way below and you also get your first glimpse of the legendary Barranco Wall.

• Elevation: 3850m to 4640m down to 3985m

• Hiking time: 6-8hours

• Distance: ~ 9km

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 4: BARRANCO HUT TO KARANGA CAMP

Today, first thing in the morning, you will tackle the Barranco Wall. It is strenuous to climb because the air is already so thin and it is very steep. And if you never set foot on any mountain in your life it may in places appear a little precarious. But in no way does it require climbing experience!

The wall is exposed and you will use your hands to steady yourself, but you can pretty much walk all the way to the top. Only at a few points do you need to scramble. Don’t forget to turn around every now and then and admire the views, including the line of climbers/ants behind you.

You’ll have a short break to enjoy the stunning views, and then it’s down again on a much gentler slope. From here it’s another couple of hours over volcanic scree and through several small, sheltered valleys until you reach the Karanga Valley Camp. The narrow and steep Karanga Valley is a green oasis, albeit a cold, windy one. The camp is on the other side of the valley (another climb…) and you can spend the afternoon resting, exploring, or chasing that perfect picture of one of the iridescent, malachite sunbirds that live here.

• Elevation: 3985m to 4040m

• Hiking time: 4-5 hours

• Distance: ~ 5.5km

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 5: KARANGA CAMP TO BARAFU HUT

The walk today is short. You leave the Karanga Valley on an easy but steep path, through an increasingly inhospitable landscape, with the Southern Glaciers looming to your left. The path keeps getting steeper until you reach the Barafu Camp for lunch.

This is the benefit of having the extra night at Karanga in your schedule. You have plenty of time to eat, rest and recover, prepare everything for the summit attempt, maybe even go on a short acclimatization walk, eat some more, and then have an early night. Tonight is the night. Barafu Camp has an otherworldly feel to it, perched on an exposed ridge in a bleak and barren landscape. To familiarize yourself with the area before the sun goes down! It is quite possible to simply step off the edge if you have to stumble around in the dark to find the toilet.

• Elevation: 4040m to 4680m

• Hiking time: 4-5hours

• Distance: ~3.5km

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 6: SUMMIT ATTEMPT TO UHURU PEAK – DOWN TO MILLENIUM CAMP

Your day pack should be ready with everything you will need tonight, make sure everything you are wearing is bone dry! This day will likely go down in your memory as the most physically challenging day in your whole life. Likely it will also be one of the earliest starts you ever made.

You will wake up sometime between 11:30 pm. There will be some hot drinks and biscuits, but mostly it’s a matter of crawling out of your sleeping bag, putting on a few more layers of clothes, your boots, and your head torch. Grab your day pack and off you go… You may feel horrible. Don’t push yourself too hard. Take all the time you need and for goodness sake don’t let anyone pressure you into moving faster than you feel comfortable to. Steady, steady, one tiny little step after the other.

Successfully you will reach the UHURU PEAK! What you just accomplished is truly impressive and no matter what you expected, the reality of it will be totally different. Some people get very emotional, some are on a big high, some are so dazed as they barely take any notice at all. There is no way to describe or imagine the experience of climbing to nearly 6000 m altitude. You now have to drag yourself back to Stella Point. From there it’s nearly 1100 m down, down, down… Until you get back to Barafu. The descent is cruel on the knees and you will appreciate the walking poles!

Lunch should be waiting for you at Barafu. You just want to collapse and sleep; you cannot imagine getting up from that chair again. But after what you have done to your body today it is not safe to remain at this altitude. You have no choice but to pack up your gear and keep going, the sooner the better. Down and down you go, for several more hours, to Millenium Camp

• Elevation: 4680m to 5985m down to 3820m

• Hiking time: 6-9 hours up to Uhuru & 5-6 hours down to Millenium

• Distance: ~ 5km ascent and 10km descent

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner

DAY 7: MILLENIUM CAMP TO MACHAME GATE – BACK TO TOWN

After breakfast, you will set off through some really pretty forest with lots of birdlife. Try to muster some interest. It may distract from the pain. Once you get to the gate you’ll have to endure some more formalities, but eventually, you will climb into the vehicle waiting for you, say goodbye to your guides (a sad and emotional moment), and be whisked away to your hotel for hot showers and decent sleep.

• Elevation: 3820m to 1640m

• Hiking time: 5-6 hours

• Distance: ~ 18km

• Meal: Breakfast – Lunch

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