The first day on your amazing Kilimanjaro Shira Route journey is filled with anticipation. After arriving at the airport, you’ll be greeted warmly by our Driver who’ll transport you to the hotel in Arusha. You’ll then settle down then attend an orientation session. Our experienced team leader will guide you through all the important details of your trip and offer advice for a successful journey. Your hiking gear will then be carefully inspected and adjusted if necessary. The rest of the day is spent getting ready for your life-changing adventure. Overnight stay on bed and breakfast basis.

Distance: ~6km
Trekking time: 2hours
Zone: Moorland.

Pick-up from your Hotel heading to Londorosi gate where registration will be done and luggage weighting for the crew, then further drive to Morum (starting point) 3400m, from here we will start walking heading to Shira 1 Camp Site 3,650amsl where you will have a hot lunch at the camp, then leisure relaxing waiting for dinner & overnight at the camp.

Distance: ~10km
Trekking time: 4-5hours
Zone: Moorland zone

On day two you will rise early, pack your gear and prepare for the trekking from Shira 1 Camp to Shira 2 Camp; Leave the camp early morning after breakfast passing through cathedra peak for acclimatization and hot lunch then down to Shira 2 Camp 3800m, then leisure,dinner and overnight at the camp. Today you will be walking through moorland.

Distance: ~10km
Trekking time: 7hours
Zone: Moorland/ Alpijne desert zone

On day two you will rise early, pack your gear and prepare for the trek from Shira 2 Camp to Baranco Camp; Leave the camp early morning after breakfast passing through Lava tower 4600m for acclimatization and hot lunch then down to Barranco camp 3900m/dinner and overnight. Today you will be walking through vegetation Alpine dessert.

Distance: ~6km
Trekking time: 4hours
Zone: Alpine/ Moorland zone

Day three is a short day hike after the late breakfast you will start climbing the famous wall “Great Barranco wall” 4200m at the top the down-hill to Karanga Camp 3,995amsl via vegetation – Moorland. Thereafter leisure, dinner and overnight at the camp.

Distance: ~6km
Trekking time: 4hours
Zone: High alpine zone

Day four on the Shira Route begins after the late breakfast you will start your short day hike to the base camp Barafu (4635amsl) where by hot lunch will be served at the camp and following with early dinner before the big ascent midnight.

Distance: ~5.5km and then 8km descent
Trekking time: 6 hours to the summit and then 4-5hours to Mweka
Zone: Summit zone/ Vegetation zones

Day five is summit night (and day)! You will be awoken around 23:30 with hot tea and biscuits. Hopefully you have managed to get a few hours’ sleep; don’t worry if you haven’t as most people struggle to sleep before summit night. Do however make sure that all your kit, including warm clothes, headlamp, insulated water reserves and snacks are ready for a sharp departure at 24:00. The trek up Kibo is steep and slow. The trick is to keep your momentum moving forward, one step at a time. It takes about 6 hours to reach the top of the crater rim where you will see the sign for Stella Point (5,739amsl). This is not the summit of Kilimanjaro. You still have another 200amsl of altitude to walk around the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895amsl). We recommend resting briefly at Stella Point and potentially having some hot tea or hot chocolate. Dawn should be approaching. Take a moment to savor where you have got to and then dig deep for the energy to push for the summit. Over 60% of climbers stop at Stella Point but most can make it to the summit if they master the metal strength to push through. Obviously if you are experiencing severe AMS symptoms you should descend immediately. After reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro, a 5.5km ascent, you still have an 8km descent to Mweka Camp (3,100amsl)! The descent can be very grueling on your joints. It is recommend you use trekking poles and potentially wear gaiters to avoid fine glacial scree getting into your boots. Mweka is situated in the upper part of the rain forest zone. The richness of oxygen and moisture in the air will be a very welcome surprise.

Distance: ~6km
Trekking time: 3 hours
Zone: Vegetation Mountain Rainforest

Day six is the final day of trekking on the Shira Route. By now you will be exhausted and probably only thinking about a hot shower. The trekking is a pleasant one through the lower rain-forested slopes and down to Mweka Gate (1,800amsl). Although you cover 6km, the trekking only takes 3hours. Assuming you successfully reach Stella Point or Uhuru Peak you will be presented with official certificates – a green certificate for the former and a gold certificate for the latter. It is customary to tip your trekking crew before being transported back to your hotel in Arusha.

If you are flying back home we mostly recommend to book an evening flight so that you can spend in the afternoon doing shopping in Arusha and off-course this is the reason why we booked your last night accommodation in Arusha. This is the beating heart of the wild and the last port of civilization. The markets of Arusha burst with color, and throng with locals picking up their weekly wares. The numerous cafes sell dark and deliriously good coffee from the plantations, and close by the infamous National Park lures visitors in to explore her evocative Maasai culture and exotic flora and fauna. In the late evening, depending on your flight time we will come to pick you up and drop you at Airport.