Shira Route 6 Days 5 Nights

Day 0: Arrival Day

You will be picked up from the airport by a Mufasa Adventure Tanzania representative and conveyed to your accommodation in Arusha or moshi where you will overnight, relax, and prepare in anticipation of the adventures to come.

Note: Please note your accommodation for this night of your arrival day is not included in your package price but once you confirm your booking we will share different accommodation that suit your budget.

Day 1

• Trekking from Starting Point to Shira 1
• Shira Gate (2,250m/ 7,381ft) to Shira 1 (3,610m/ 11,843ft
• Hiking distance: 4km
• Hiking time: 1-2hrs
• Habitat: Moorland

you depart Moshi/Arusha for Londorossi Gate, which takes about 4hours, where you will complete entry formalities while guides and porters prepare equipment. After lunch at the gate, drive for about 2hrs further up to where you’re hiking trail begins (Starting Point). The trek starts through shrubs and giant heather until you reach Shira 1 Camp.

Overnight: Shira 1 Camp (All meals included)

Day 2

• Trekking from Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp Via Cathedral point
• Shira Camp 1(3,610m/ 11,843ft) to Shira 2 (3,850m/ 12,795ft) via Cathedral Point
  (3872m/12703)
• Hiking distance: 7km
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hrs
• Habitat: Moorland

You explore the Shira plateau for a day. It is a gentle walk east toward Kibo’s glaciered peak, across the plateau, which leads to Shira 2 camp on moorland meadows by a stream. Shira is one of the highest plateaus on earth. You will cross Shira Cathedral for acclimatization and if the weather permits, Mount Meru (the fifth summit of Africa) is clearl seeing from Shira 2.

Overnight: Shira 2 Camp or Moir Camp (All meals included)

Day 3

• Trekking to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower
• Shira 2 (3,850m/12,795ft) to Barranco Camp (3,900m/12,960ft) via Lava Tower
  (4,600m/15,190ft
• Hiking Distance: 12km
• Hiking Time: 6-7hrs
• Habitat: Moorland

From the Shira Plateau, you continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As you continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the “Shark’s Tooth.” Shortly after the tower, you come to the second junction that brings us up to the Arrow Glacier at an altitude of 16,000ft. You now continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of almost 13,000ft. Here you will rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although you end the day at the same elevation as you started, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.

Overnight: Barranco Camp (All meals included)

Day 4

• Trekking Baranco Wall to Barafu Camp
• Baranco Camp (3,900m/12,960ft) to Barafu Camp (4,667m/15,311ft
• Hiking Distance: 13km
• Hiking Time 7- 8hrs
• Habitat: Alpine Desert

This is a great mountain day. You descend into the start of the Great Barranco and then exit steeply up onto the southern slopes of Kibo. You pass beneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers and head up to the Karanga Valley, the last place where you can find water below the summit. You will pass Karanga campsite and the junction of the Mweka Trail before a final push across some scree to the Barafu campsite. From here you can see both the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo.

Overnight: Barafu Camp (All meals included)

Day 5

• Summit Day!
  Barafu Camp (4,667m/ 14,930ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) down to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft)
• Elevation (ft): 15,300ft to 19,345ft (and down to 10,000ft)
• Hiking Distance: 15.5km
• Hiking Time: 8hrs up and 7-8hrs down
• Habitat: Ice Cap

At 11:30 PM, you will wake up to steaming tea and biscuits. You will then take off into the night. Your 6-hour climb northwest through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim is the most challenging part of the route for most climbers. At Stella Point (5,685m/18,650ft) you stop for a short rest and a chance to see an outstanding sunrise. You cannot stop for long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to fatigue and cold. Depending on the season and recent storm activity, you may encounter snow on the remaining part of your hike along the Uhuru Peak rim.

On the summit, you can enjoy your accomplishment, knowing you are creating a day you will remember for the rest of your life. After a 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you will have a well-earned but short rest, collect your gears, and hike down a rock and scree path to the moorland below and enter the forest to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft). This camp is in the upper forest, where you can expect rain and mist in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Mweka Camp(All meals included)

Day 6

• Descend to Mweka Gate
• Mweka Camp (3,100m/ 10,170ft) to Mweka Gate (1,980m/6,500ft)
• Hiking Distance: 12km
• Hiking Time: 3hrs
• Habitat: Montane forest

After breakfast, you will take a short scenic 3-hour hike back to the park gate.

At Mweka Gate, you can sign your name and add details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive summit certificates. Climbers who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates.

From the Mweka Gate, you will continue down to Mweka Village for Hot Lunch with your Mountain Crew and a small celebration before your drive to your hotel for warm shower and leisure.