Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the Shira Route

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the Shira Route 7Days

Climbing Kilimanjaro on the Shira Route means to invest some time and money.
The Shira trail is one of the two longer Kilimanjaro climb routes that start on the western side. (The other route starting here is the Lemosho Route.)
Those routes both cross the Shira Plateau before joining the Machame Route near the "Lava Tower".
Shira is not the cheapest option...
  • Starting your climb on the western side means paying for extra transport.
  • Using a longer trail means paying for an extra day on the mountain.
  • And climbing a less trafficked route means higher prices due to less competition from budget tour operators.
On the plus side a longer route means a better chance to acclimatize to the altitude and better summit chances. The fact that you are likely to climb this route with a quality Kilimanjaro tour operator also means your success chances are much better than average.
And if your operator has developed your itinerary in a way that avoids the big traffic surges on the Machame trail (some operators do) you should have a great climb all the way, on one of the most scenic routes, without the crowds that plague the popular trails.

There is one thing about the Shira Route that sets it apart from all other Kilimanjaro climb routes: the first section of it is a 4WD track. It is possible to drive up a fair way and begin your trek at a considerable altitude.
If you are someone who lives at sea level and tries to squeeze in a Kili climb, taking only one week off from the the office, then this could trip you up.
Shira certainly allows plenty of time for acclimatisation during the later stages, but some people can develop altitude sickness symptoms at those lower altitudes already. And catapulting yourself from sea level to a height above 3500 m/11500 ft the day after arriving in Tanzania may not be the smartest thing to do.
(Read more about avoiding altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro.)
But for most people it won't be an issue at all. If you had a day or two in Marangu, or have done some other trekking and acclimatization beforehand (for example climbing Mt. Meru), then you won't have any problems even with this rapid start.
Just thought I point it out, because I know people DO try to squeeze climbs into one week and to cut costs where possible (i.e. the cost for another night in Marangu or Moshi). Also, the itinerary I describe below is the slower version where you walk all the way.

Shira Route Itinerary

There are many possible slight variations to the Shira route, so don't be surprised if you see an intinerary that mentions different camps and different heights.
In fact, many agencies call the Lemosho Route Shira Route, because it also crosses the Shira Plateau.)
The itinerary below describes a six night/seven day Kilimanjaro climb on the Shira Route.
Like Machame this trek can be shortened if you skip the night in the Karanga Valley and instead walk straight from the Barranco Huts to the Barafu Huts in one day. It can be shortened more by driving instead of walking the first day and skipping the first camp.
The trek can be extended by adding an extra night at Moir Huts for acclimatisation.
For experienced mountaineers there is also a challenging and dangerous specialist version via the Western Breach.
(Note: altitudes and distances are approximations. Different sources will give you different numbers.)
Starting Point: Londorossi Gate (2100 m/6900 ft)
Duration: 6-7 days
Day 1 - Londorossi Gate/Shira trail head - River Camp (~3050 m/~10000 ft)
Walking distance: 7 km/4.4 miles
Walking time: 4 hours
Altitude gain: ~950 m/~3100 ft
Day 2 - River Camp - Shira Huts (3850 m/12630 ft) via Shira Cathedral
Walking distance: 12 km/7.5 miles
Walking time: 6-8 hours
Altitude gain: 800 m/2630 ft
Day 3 - Shira Huts - via Lava Tower (4640 m/15220 ft) - Barranco Huts (3985 m/13070 ft)
Walking distance: 9 km/5.6 miles
Walking time: 6-8 hours
Altitude gain: 135 m/440 ft (790 m/2590 ft to Lava Tower)
Day 4 - Barranco Huts - Karanga Camp (4040 m/13255 ft)
Walking distance: 5.5 km/3.5 miles
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 55 m/185 ft
Day 5 - Karanga Camp - Barafu Huts (4680 m/15360 ft)
Walking distance: 3.5 km/ 2.2 miles
Walking time: 4-5 hours
Altitude gain: 640 m/2105 ft
Day 6 - Summit attempt via Stella Point (5752 m/18871 ft) to Uhuru Peak (5895 m/19340 ft) and descent to Millenium Camp (3820 m/12530 ft) (or to Mweka Hut)
Walking distance: 5 km/3 miles ascent + 10 km/6.2 miles descent
Walking time: 5-6 hrs + 1-2 hours up, 5-6 hours down (the overall walking time may vary from 10 - 16 hours)
Altitude gain: 1072 m/ 3511 ft (Stella Point) or 1215 m/3980 ft (Uhuru Peak)
Descent: 2075 m/6810 ft
Day 7 - Millenium Camp - Shira Gate
Walking distance: 20 km/12.5 miles
Walking time: 5 hours
Descent: 1990 m/6530 ft
Kilimanjaro Climb Includes:
• Tanzania VAT on tourism activities and park fees
• Return transfers Kilimanjaro airport to Arusha and Arusha to Kilimanjaro airport
• Hotel Lodging the night before and the night after the climb, with dinner and breakfast included (double occupancy)
• with bed dinner and breakfast
• Transfer from your hotel to starting point for your climb, and return to your hotel after your climb
• Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
• All Kilimanjaro National Park gate fees, camping fees and climbing permits.
• Kilimanjaro National Park rescue fees (Kilimanjaro Rescue Team)
• Emergency oxygen (for use in emergencies only – not as summiting aid)
• Basic first aid kit (for use in emergencies only)
• Qualified mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cook
• Salaries for mountain crew as per guidelines set by Kilimanjaro National Park
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as hot drinks on the mountain
• Camping equipment (tents, camp chairs, tables & sleeping mattress
• Water for washing up daily
• Porter to carry your duffel bag (max weight 15kg / 32 lbs) from one camp to the next camp.
• Kilimanjaro National Park certificate for your successful summit attempt
• A comprehensive Climbing Kilimanjaro travel info pack
• Flying Doctor Service
Kilimanjaro Climb Excludes:
• Flights and airport taxes
• Items of a personal nature
• Compulsory tips for guides, porters and cook (average tip is anything from US $ 230 to US $ 300 per hiker – depending on number of days / how many hikers in the group and route chosen)
• South African passport holders do NOT require a visa for Tanzania, however most other Nationalities require a visa for Tanzania
• Health requirements (Yellow Fever compulsory if travelling to Tanzania recommended)
• Highly recommended travel and medical insurance.
• Personal hiking/trekking gear – we can rent some of the gear from our equipment store in Tanzania
• Optional but highly recommended Portable toilet
• Snacks, personal medicine and water purifying tablets
• Meals & drinks not specified and snacks
Safety:Kilimanjaro Climbing-Machame Route 7 Day Itinerary  Kilimanjaro Climbing-Rongai Route 7 Day Itinerary We believe that safety is the most significant aspect of the climb experience.
Success is what we want during our trip. We are prepared for any urgent situation and also have in place a complete evacuation procedure in case of altitude sickness. We carry first aid supplies, supplement summit oxygen and Pulse Oximeters).
Travel insurance:
All customers travelling with Tanzania On Foot are required to have fully comprehensive travel insurance. The policy needs to be valid from the date that the initial order is placed so as to provide cover for a cancellation prior to departure. During travel the insurance needs to provide comprehensive medical, evacuation and repatriation cover.