8 Days Shira Route + 2 Days Safari

Day 1: Arrive in Tanzania

Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, our representative will welcome you and transfer to your Arusha hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Arusha Equipment Checkup

Free day in Arusha, at  Raha Leo hotel for for a pre-climb briefing and overnight on BB.

Day 3: Lemosho Big Tree Camp (2,650 m); 3-4 hours walking

The drive from Arusha to Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 3hrs. The journey passes through the village of Mt Kilimanjaro which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain. After completing the necessary registration formalities at Londorossi gate, we drive through varied farmland with open views over the plains to reach the Lemoshoroadhead. The last section of the road is difficult to drive if it rains, sometimes we start walking below the roadhead and enjoy our lunch box before starting to walk. It is an easy day of walking up a small path through beautiful and lush forest. We camp at Lemosho Big Tree Camp.

Day 4: Shira One” (3,550 m); 5-6 hours walking

We soon leave the forest behind and enter the moorland zone of giant heather. The trail climbs steadily with wide views to reach the rim of the Shira Plateau. There is a tangible sense of wilderness, especially if afternoon mists come in! We camp in the centre of the plateau at “Shira One.

Day 5: Shira Hut (3,840 m); 3-5 hours walking

We walk to the summit of Shira Cathedral before reaching the next camp at Shira Hut. This campsite has stunning views, close to the glaciated dome of Kibo and the jagged rim of Shira Plateau. The views from here of Mt. Meru floating on the clouds are simply unforgettable.

Day 6: Great Barranco valley (3,900 m); 6-8 hours walking

A morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, leaving the moorland plateau behind to walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch near the Lava Tower junction (4,550 m) we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below near our campsite at Barranco valley.

Day 7: Karanga campsite (4,000 m); 4-5 hours walking

A steep climb up the Barranco Wall leads us to an undulating trail on the south-eastern flank of Kibo, with superb vistas of the Southern Ice fields. The terrain changes to scree, with pockets of vegetation in sheltered hollows, and there is only a short distance to our camp at Karanga (4,000 m), the last water point on the way to the summit.

Day 8: Barafu campsite (4,600 m); 3-4 hours walking

We follow an easy path on compacted scree with wide views that gains altitude unrelentingly to reach the Barafu campsite (4,600 m) for lunch. There is a short acclimatisation walk to the plateau at the bottom of the South-East valley (4,800 m). The remainder of the day is spent resting in preparation for the final ascent before a very early night.

Day 9: Uhuru Peak / Mweka forest camp (3100 m); 13-15 hours walking

We will start our ascent by torchlight at about 1 a.m. so that we can be up on the Crater rim by sunrise. The steep climb over loose volcanic scree has some well-graded zig-zags and a slow but steady pace will take us to Stella Point (5,735 m), in about five or six hours. We will rest there for a short time to enjoy the sunrise over Mawenzi. Those who are still feeling strong can make the two hour round trip from here along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m), passing close to the spectacular glaciers and ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit area. The descent to Barafu is surprisingly fast, and after some refreshment, we continue to descend to reach our final Mweka forest camp.

Day 10: Mweka forest camp to Mweka Gate (1,650 m); 3-4 hours walking

After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, you continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel in Arusha.

Day 11: Monduli

After breakfast we will depart to Monduli for safari tour in Maasai land, enjoy the good view of landscape in the midlist of primitives houses and  wild animals Giraffes, Zebras, Ostriches, Impalas, Wildebeests, hyenas and many other wild animals   dinner and overnight at Tarangire park Wild palm campsite.

Day 12: Tarangire

After breakfast we will drive to Tarangire national park. The park is home to over 500 bird species and various animals which live in the acacia and mixed woodland vegetation, baobab trees and old palm, black cotton grass Baobab trees, dense bush and high grasses. On arrival we will go for a game drive where you will see animals like the wildebeest, elephants, zebras, and hartebeest, giraffes, Impala, Eland, lesser kudu, waterbuck, gazelles, , giant pythons, Thompson’s gazelle, greater and lesser kudu, , oryx and generuk, also may be /possible  to see ( lionsleopards /cheetah), birds like Kori bustard, stocking-thighed ostrich, ground hornbills, colourful yellow-collared lovebird, drabber rufous late afternoon drive back to Arusha for  your flight  back home or go to Zanzibar.

Price Includes

  • Arrival and departure transfers
  • Professional, experienced, mountain guides
  • All meals while on the Mountain
  • Guides, Porters, cook salaries and park fees
  • Quality Mess tents with table and chair
  • All park fees, and government taxes.
  • Camping equipment
  • Services of Professional English-speaking driver- guide
  • Game drives in 4×4 vehicles with pop up roof
  • Bottled water while on safari
  • Clean, purified drinking water
  • Crisis management and safety procedures
  • Fair and ethical treatment of porters
  • Flying Doctors insurance (AMREF) during the safari

Price Excludes

  • International airfare
  • Items of a personal nature such as passport, visa, travel insurance
  • Tips to driver-guide