SHIRA TRAIL
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A beautiful way to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, perfect for the more athletic trekker.
The final ascent is usually done by the western breach. It requires at least 4 days, but it is better to spend at least 5 days there. It is absolutely superb, and a little more involved than the eastern side. Any sporty trekker can do this climb and crampons are not necessary.
The access to this route is at the Boma la Ngombe junction, on the Arusha-Moshi road. After a 20km drive northwards, you take a 13km track up through the forest to Londorossi, a village built entirely of wood. The entrance to the park is here.
Day 1.
Londorossi - Shira Plateau. Following the track, we leave the plantation forest after a few kilometres. The ascent is very steady and leads after 23 km to Shira Hut or a cave above it at about 3700m. A refuge is under construction at about 3 500 m. Beware of wild animals, quite numerous on this route, until 4 400 m to 4 500 m.Day 2.
Shira Plateau - Arrow Glacier Camp. Continuing towards Kibo, it takes us 4 hours to reach the lava tower, at 4 600 m. It is best to continue to Arrow Glacier Camp at 4,900m. This camp, at the vertical of the western rift, has a very high mountain atmosphere. If the sky is clear in the evening, you can see Mount Meru, due west, the sunset is then magnificent. Beware, if the snow is very heavy, it is better to stay at the lava tower, more protected. After Shira, some expeditions decide to spend the night at Moir Hut, to attack the Credner Glacier on the north-western slope, where you can walk if you put on crampons.Day 3. Arrow Glacier Camp - Crater or Uhuru Peak and down to Mweka Hut or Horombo. From the base of the glacier, we climb straight up onto a moraine. The slope increases, and we arrive on the last rocky spur before the plateau of the Kibo crater, a steep path winds and allows the passage of the spur. Be careful not to take any false steps and to avoid rocks that do not hold well, it is a slightly exposed place for those who are not used to it. We then arrive on the western edge of the volcano. The icy wind can be intense. We cross the plateau to the south-east, to attack the 300 m of the summit, in a snowy combe, with some easy rock climbing. After a small gap overlooking the Heim Glacier to the south, we follow the summit ridge due east without any technical difficulty, to reach the Pic de la Liberté.
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