Shira

Will depart Arusha/Moshi town heading to Londorossi Gate, which takes about 4 hours; here will complete entry formalities while guides and porters prepare equipment. Will then continue with the drive upwards a steep path to the Shira Gate where you will begin the hike. The trek starts through shrubs and giant heather until you reach Simba Camp.

Today is a fairly easy day to help with acclimatization. Will begin the hike by exploring the grassy moorland and volcanic rock formations on the plateau. Then will 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.

Will continue to the east up a ridge and then head southeast towards the Lava Tower – a 300 ft tall volcanic rock formation. Then descend down to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest to an altitude of 13,000 ft. Although you begin and end the day at the same elevation, the time spent at higher altitude is very beneficial for acclimatization.

The day begins by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. Then will climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff. From the top of the Barranco Wall you’ll cross a series of hills and valleys until we descend sharply into Karanga Valley. One more steep climb upwards leads you to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatization.

After breakfast will ascend a footpath that leads to the next camp. On a clear day there a fantastic views of The Saddle and Mawenzi peak (5149m).
Barafu Hut (4,673m) is situated on an exposed and dangerous ridge, so it is important to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. As on the other days the chef will be preparing your evening meal, giving you a perfect opportunity to prepare your equipment for the summit trek, which we will do tonight at around midnight. Ensure you change the batteries in your headlamp and camera. The higher you go the colder it gets, so we suggest you take water in a thermal flask to avoid freezing. Your guide will advise you prior to that.

Very early in the morning (around midnight), begin to push upwards to the summit attempt. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme. Then, the ascent continues into the darkness for several hours while taking frequent, but short breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see coming over Mawenzi Peak. Finally, you’ll arrive at Uhuru Peak (19,341 ft)- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the rooftop of Africa.
From the summit, we now make our descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

On this last day on the mountain, you will continue the descent down to Mweka Gate, where you’ll sign out and collect your certificate if made it to the summit. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka Gate to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi / Arusha ~ for a well-deserved shower and drinks to celebrate your achievement.

What an exciting breathtaking trip of a lifetime.!