7 days shira route

As soon as your plane touches down at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll begin to feel the undeniable magnetism of Africa’s tallest mountain. And make no mistake: you’ve come to climb Kilimanjaro itself—but first you’ve got to get there! After clearing customs, you’ll be met by a friendly representative from Chalema Tanzania Safaris. Together, you’ll make the short drive to Moshi, chatting about Tanzania and learning about the vibrant culture of the country where you’ll spend the next week. When you arrive in Moshi, you’ll quickly discover why the small town is known as the gateway to Kilimanjaro. First-rate mountain views can be enjoyed from just about everywhere, including your own hotel room at the exquisite Parkview Inn. Make sure to get plenty of rest tonight—tomorrow, your adventure on the Shira Route begins.

Elevation:1200m to 1830m to 3500m

Distance: 18km

Hiking Time: 3 hours

Habitat: Montane forest to moorland and heath vegetation

Our Kilimanjaro trek on the Shira Route begins today with a four-hour drive to the Londorossi Gate to the Kilimanjaro National Park. After meeting up with our trekking team and getting registered with the local authorities, we’ll actually pile back into the car and drive just a bit further to reach the park’s Shira Gate. It’s all on foot from here, and our hike actually begins at about 3,600 meters in altitude. We’ll climb through a scenic landscape of rolling heaths and far-reaching moors, where large rocky outcrops rise intermittently from the bushes. After about two hours of trekking, we’ll pitch our tents at Shira One Camp and enjoy our first night of camping on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Elevation: 3500m to 3800m.

Distance: 7km

Hiking time: 5-6 hours.

Habitat: Moorland and rock.

The Shira Route beckons us further into the wilds of Kilimanjaro on our second day of hiking. The path today is relatively gentle, but we’ll be hiking about twice as far as we managed yesterday. Our path leads through fields of swaying grass interspersed with piles of volcanic rock as we approach Shira Cathedral. Despite its name, this is an entirely natural ridgeline which affords spectacular views of the Shira Plateau. From here, it’s just a short jaunt to Shira Two Camp, where we’ll settle in for our second night on the mountain. Tonight you’ll get to enjoy one of the chief pleasures of climbing Kilimanjaro: savoring a stunning sunset over the peaks and crags of the mountain from the comfort of our own campsite.

Elevation: 3800m to 3950m

Distance: 13km

Hiking time: 7-8 hours

Habitat: Moorland

If the jaw-dropping lunar landscapes of the Shira Plateau haven’t wowed you yet, don’t worry—there are more geological wonders in store for us on the Shira Route itinerary. After breakfast this morning, we’ll ascend from Shira Two Camp and leave the vast moorlands of the plateau behind us, climbing higher into an otherworldly alpine desert where the views seem to go on forever. It’s here that we’ll find Kilimanjaro’s famous Lava Tower, a 300-foot formation of lava rock that’s situated at more than 4,500 meters in elevation. After catching our breath, we’ll press on to descend through a forest of Kilimanjaro’s distinctive cactus-like dendrosenecio plants. We’ll be applying the climber’s maxim of “climb high, sleep low” today by pitching our tents at Barranco Camp, which sits at about 3,900 meters in elevation.

Elevation: 3950m to 3900m

Distance: 6 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Moorland

Our morning hike begins with a brief descent to the foot of the Barranco Wall: a steep 900-foot cliff which represents our next obstacle on the way to Kilimanjaro’s summit. From here, our adventure along the Shira Route will actually follow the newer Lemosho Route. You’ll get a firsthand glimpse into the history of the many trails that have been blazed across Kilimanjaro over the years, including the path which now winds its way to the very top of the Barranco Wall. Once we’ve scrambled to the top and caught our breath, we’ll move on into the Karanga Valley, arriving at Karanga Camp after a total of about four or five hours on the trail.

Elevation: 3900m to 4620m.

Distance: 8 km.

Hiking time: 3-4 hours.

Habitat: Alpine Desert.

We’ll be gaining some serious altitude as we ascend through a rocky alpine desert en route to Barafu Camp, so we’ll trek at a comfortable, steady pace. If we’re hiking in fair weather, you’re going to want to stop for pictures frequently; Kilimanjaro’s picturesque summit can be seen clearly throughout the day. Kilimanjaro actually has three distinct volcanic cones, or summits. With each step on today’s section of the Shira Route, we’ll draw closer and closer to the tallest of them all: Kibo. When we arrive at Barafu Camp after approximately four hours of hiking, you’d be forgiven for refusing to take your eyes from Kibo’s grandeur. But make sure to get plenty of sleep—we’ll have a very early morning tomorrow as we begin our attempt on the summit.

Elevation: 4620m to 5895m to 3100m

Distance: 15km

Hiking time: 10 to 12 hours

Habitat: Desert and ice

Are you ready to climb Kilimanjaro at long last? We’ll wake up at midnight to begin the final stretch of our ascent to the top of Africa’s tallest mountain. This will be a long day, as we’ll need to cover more than 15 kilometers to reach the summit and come back down—but the rewards will be worth the effort. After enjoying a hot tea in the darkness of camp, we’ll begin climbing across rocks and scree-covered slopes to arrive at Stella Point, where we’ll watch a breathtaking sunrise across Tanzania’s most beautiful landscapes. From here, we’ll make the final push to Uhuru Peak, where we’ll celebrate our once-in-a-lifetime achievement with plenty of photos and camaraderie. Then we’ll trek back to Barafu Camp, collect any belongings and gear we’ve left behind, and descend into Kilimanjaro’s montane forests to reach Mweka Camp

Elevation: 3100m to 1700m

Distance: 9km

Descending time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Montane forest

Today represents a memorable benchmark: it’s the first day you’ve awoken as a trekker who has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro! And while descending from the mountain is our first order of business, we’ll also break new ground today. Our path follows the Mweka Route from here, making it the third trekking route we’ve enjoyed on this seven-day Shira Route itinerary. You can expect about three or four hours of hiking as we venture deeper into Kilimanjaro’s montane rainforests and eventually emerge at Mweka Gate, where we’ll collect our certificates of achievement. After saying goodbye to your trekking team, we’ll catch our ride back to Arusha. You’ll spend your last night in Tanzania at the lovely Pazuri Inn.

After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel this morning, Chalema Tanzania Safaris will bring you back to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your international flight. If you’re staying on in Tanzania, we’d also be happy to arrange for any additional activities you’d like to consider. Thank you for partnering with Chalema Tanzania Safaris for your Kilimanjaro climbing expedition!