SHIRA ROUTE ITINERARY
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The Shira is a wilderness route which combines spectacular views
and scenery, good acclimatisation, and much quieter than the Marangu
(tourist) route. The first two days are also quieter than the Machame
but this will change as the Machame is now restricted.
There are several other wilderness routes on Kilimanjaro - Machame,
Mweka, Umbwe, Lemosho, Chambers and Londorossi - which are variation
starts and all converge in the Shira / Baranco area but can offer
a quieter and interesting start.The Rongai route climbs the Northern
side of the mountain but joins the Marangu for the last day
Day 1
Arrive at the hotel for a meal and overnight.
Day 2
Drive to Londorossi Gate and then start the six hour walk to Simba
Camp at 9500 feet. You will be walking through the rainforest, and
the track can be very muddy, so good boots and gaiters are recommended.
Day 3
It is a 6 to 8 hour walk to Shira camp at 12,500 feet, situated
on the Shira plateau. The walk continues through the forest and
when you reach the moorland you will get views of the main summit
Kibo and you should also be able to see Mount Meru, about 50 kms
to the south, above the clouds. Once you reach the Shira plateau
it is noticeably colder and you will need to have a fleece jacket
or sweater with you. About now you will also start to feel the effects
of altitude, so drink and walk slowly.
Day 4
Another day without much height gain, but many ups and downs, to
Barranco Hut at 12,800 feet. The day's walk is effectively a west
to east traverse with a height gain at the end of the day of only
300 feet. However during the day's walk you will ascend to almost
15,000 feet and then drop back down at Barranco camp. You should
allow about 7 hours for the walk and enjoy the incredible views
of Kibo ahead of you and down the valleys to the plateau and rainforest
below. You should fill your water bottle at the stream about halfway
through the day's walk. The camping spot at Barranco is perhaps
the most spectacular on the Machame route.
Day 5
It will take about 7 hours to get to the Barafu hut at 15,100 feet.
Allow about 7 hours and make a point of leaving very early in order
to reach Barafu in good time for an early supper and sleep.
This is the first morning that an early start is recommended since
it seems wise on the previous days to sleep as much as you can in
order to build up your reserves. The first part of this day's climb
is spectacular. It's probably the last time for a long time that
you'll feel half human - so enjoy it!
You start the day with a climb of what appears to be an incredibly
steep face. However the guides and porters carrying the gear ahead
of you will show you that it is in fact a good path. At the top
of the steep section there are marvellous views of Meru to the south
lit up by the early morning sun.
From here on you continue to cross the typical valleys and ridges
that radiate from the summit downwards. You will stop for lunch
in the Karanga valley and you should eat as much as you can here
because you may not feel too hungry higher up. It is also the last
water point. The latter part of the walk is over and up moonscape
ridges to Barafu camp. There is a new toilet here, but other camping
conditions are poor. Eat as well as you can and get to sleep early
because you will be getting up at 11pm for soup or tea and the start
of the summit attempt. It cannot be stressed enough that up to this
point you should have been drinking and eating as much as possible
including a good intake of high energy snacks.
Day 6
You start in the very early hours with the 7 hour walk to Stella
Point on the rim of the crater. You must remember to go as slowly
as you can. There will be enough guides for your party to divide
into slow and very slow groups. It is crazy to rush, and speed could
cause your climb to end in disaster. Drink a lot as you walk and
take high energy snacks. You will begin to see a change in the light
at about 5.00am and from then on the top will become discernible.
At Stella Point you have climbed Kilimanjaro and you will receive
a certificate after the climb.
If you are feeling good, you can continue to the highest point,
Uhuru, but it is further than it looks. Your guide has been instructed
to forbid any climber who has been sick from continuing. Remember
that this is the point of maximum risk to your health and that you
must be prepared to take advice from your guide and colleagues and
be reasonable if they feel you should descend. The rewards on the
top are superb views of the summit glaciers and ice walls and, of
course, standing on the highest point in Africa - 19,340 feet.
The descent commences at Stella Point and leads steeply down over
snow and later broken rocks and scree. After about two hours you
reach the Barafu hut and stop for some refreshment. From here the
path is much clearer and you reach the South Circuit Path. Cross
straight over here and continue steeply down to the Mweka Hut on
the edge of the forest. The hut is two small buildings at 10,100
feet.
Day 7
The home run! The steep descent continues through the forest following
a broad ridge. This path can be slippery so trekking poles are useful
here. The path improves and after about four hours you reach Mweka
gate. Your vehicle will be waiting for you and you'll soon be in
the bath with a drink and the prospect of a good meal….
Day 8
After breakfast you are free to continue your travels.
Extra Day
We strongly recommend an extra day on this route to assist acclimatisation.
This can be either at Shira with a leisurely walk to Shira Pinnacles
or at Karanga, between Baranco and Barafu. Staying Karanga means
that you avoid a long day before the summit day and so get to Barafu
early for a good rest. The extra day is extremely valuable for acclimatisation
and it's an ideal day to rest as well as walk high and sleep low.
Accommodation on the route is in roomy two person tents. The evening
stops are referred to as huts, but most of the buildings are decrepit.
They are used as shelters for the porters and for cooking. The tents
are usually erected for you when you arrive, although if you want
a particular position it's worth taking charge. In the mornings,
it helps everyone get away early if you lend a hand with taking
the tents down.
Acclimatisation is extremely important, both to let you enjoy your
ascent but more importantly to avoid any serious complications.
The route is planned to optimise the height gain, but you may still
get a headache or feel nauseous. There are two important preventative
measures: to drink copiously, even when it is really difficult,
and to walk very slowly, avoiding as far as possible increased heart
and breathing rates.
A drug is available, Diamox, from your GP which is well proven to
help with acclimatisation. This is taken as tablets for a few days
before and then during your ascent. It is safe and has no serious
side effects. It is important to remember that one possible effect
of altitude is light-headedness and odd behaviour, which can lead
to foolish decisions. The danger here is of someone who is not well
insisting on continuing. Watch each other closely.
Food and kitchen equipment will be carried by the porters and cooked
by an experienced cook. It will be plentiful and wholesome, but
may be limited by the circumstances. Your own supply of chocolate
and high energy snacks is a good idea.
Water is available at several points and should be purified before
drinking. All water in camp will be boiled and some provided for
drinking the next day. A comforting tip is to fill your bottle in
the evening
with boiled water for the next day, and to use it as a hot water
bottle overnight. Check with your guide where the water points are.
Toilets are available at all huts. Some camps have several and
so it's worth checking for the cleanest. If you are caught short
during the walk, please find a spot as far as possible from the
trail and any water. Bury your faeces and paper. It is often easiest
to move a large rock and use the indent as a hole. Mark your spot
by balancing a couple of stones.
Mount Meru
If you enjoy mountains and would like extra acclimatisation, why
not consider an ascent of Mount Meru (14,800 feet) before going
to Kili. The mountains are adjacent and the two trips complement
each other.
Safaris
Most people add a safari to a trip to climb Kilimanjaro. This can
be either before or after the climb and any number of days. There
are many of the well known game parks within easy reach, such as
Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Masai Mara. Please ask for detailed itineraries.
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