Kilimanjaro Londorossi (Shira) Route – 7 Days

Elevation: 11,800 ft to 11,800 ft

Walking Distance: 4 km/2 miles

Walking Time: 1-2 hours

Habitat: Montane forest to moorland

Drive along Moshi – Arusha road to BomaNg’ombe junction then turn right to SanyaJuu Shopping centre. Continue driving on rough road up to Londorosi Park Gate located on the Western side of mountain (188 km). Today it will be one of your beautiful and very short hike about 1-2 hours including lunch stop to cover distance of 4km, we will be in the moorland zone and clear mountain streams with its open tussock grassland, lava flows, heather shrub lands, valley bottoms on the west side of the Shira plateaus where you will be enjoying the sun and walking slowly more breaks for acclimatization. Dinner and overnight at Shira one camp (FB)

Elevation: 11,800 ft to 12,500 ft

Distance: 6 km/4 miles

Hiking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Moorland

Today we will hike across the middle of Shira plateau a world heritage site to our picnic lunch at fishers point. After lunch we begin by exploring the grassy moorland zone and volcanic rock formations on the plateau. Then we will take a scenic path to the Shira Cathedral, a huge buttress of rock surrounded by steep spires and pinnacles before arriving to our beautiful camp.

Dinner and overnight at Shira Two camp (FB)

Elevation: 12,500 ft to 15,190 ft

Distance: 7 km/4 miles

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Elevation: 15,190 ft to 13,044 ft

Distance: 3 km/2 miles

Hiking Time: 2-3 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

We will start a day by keeping walking on alpine desert and eventually start climbing over steep hills and very few rocks, then steady uphill climb to Lava tower (150m high volcanic plug that juts out the side of the mountain) and stop for lunch around noon. From this point some people might start to get mild headache due to altitude change. From lava tower we will descend about 2 hours through dust and rock trail to Baranco camp.

Dinner and overnight at Baranco camp (FB)

Elevation: 13,044 ft to 13,106 ft

Distance: 5 km/3 miles

Hiking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. In this wall some section will be steep forcing you to use hands to reach and maneuver yourself around rock boulders like rock climbing, although it is not as challenging as rock climbing. At the top of the wall you can see Baranco valley and the campsite you spent a night before. Then you will walk up and down to Karanga valley which is the last water point to the mountain and on top of the ridge it will be our campsite where we will have hot lunch and night rest.

Dinner and overnight at Karanga camp (FB)

Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft

Distance: 4 km/2 miles

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

We begin the day targeting to hit the junction in steep uphill with a lot of boulders and shattered rock crossing upper alpine desert. We will go through a steep ridge until we reach a rocky section more scrambling. Our next camp will be on large rocky with steep faces. Here we will set a camp, rest and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for the summit day.

Dinner and overnight at Barafu camp (FB)

Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft

Distance: 5 km/3 miles

Hiking Time: 7-8 hours

Habitat: Arctic

Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

Elevation: 19,341 ft to 10,065 ft

Distance: 12 km/7 miles

Hiking Time: 4-6 hours

Habitat: Rain Forest

Very early in the morning (around midnight), we begin our push to the summit. 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. We ascend in 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 coming over Mawenzi Peak you never have seen somewhere else Finally, we will arrive at Uhuru Peak- the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.From the summit, we descend 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.

Dinner and overnight at Mweka camp (FB)