|
HIKING THE MIGHTY KILIMANJARO - SHIRA
ROUTE
Itinerary
| Biomes
| Price
| Included
| Excluded
| Discounts
| Extra
Charges | Getting
to Moshi
Itinerary
When you arrive in Moshi, you will be transfered from the
Kilimanjaro Airport to the Springlands Hotel ($10/person one-way).
If you are flying directly into the Kilimanjaro Airport, we
recommend at least one rest day before starting your trek.
If you are transferring from Nairobi, this can act as your
rest day.
A briefing will be held the evening before your trek, and
you must separate one bag for the trek from your other luggage.
Extra luggage can be stored in a locked storage room at the
Springlands Hotel at no charge.
The next morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast before last-minute
trip preparations at our office. Land Rovers will drive you
to the mountain to begin the journey. Depending on the route
you take, the drive to the trailhead can take up to one hour
and can be very bumpy.
 Once
you reach the park gate, climbers are requested to make their
final preparations for the climb. Porters will be seen arranging
their packs containing the food, water, firewood, and other
equipment. Make sure that you have all your day pack items
with you as the porters travel very quickly. The guides will
be pleased to assist with any additional information.
The average hiking day begins between 8-9am and is about
5 to 6 hours, walking very, very slowly. The distances you
will hike each day are very moderate so as to acclimate a
little at a time. Your guides will repeat over and over, "pole
pole" (po-ly, po-ly) , which means "go slowly"
in Swahili.
The terrain lower down is absolutely gorgeous and fascinating.
Higher up, the views are vast. There is little to do at the
camps themselves, so take advantage of the slow pace to absorb
the scenery and take every photo opportunity.
The hike to the summit starts around midnight depending on
your route and speed of your group. You will go as high as
you feel fit. Some people stop at the crater rim, and others
continue to the very highest point on the mountain. Your guides
will then take you down as quickly as possible to minimize
any altitude problems. You will continue past your last campsite
to the next one for overnight.
At the end of your trek, you will be picked up at the trail
head by Land Rover and taken back to the Springlands Hotel
for a hot shower and warm bed.
Biomes
You will experience many different biomes as you climb Kilimanjaro.
The land is cultivated and inhabited up to about 1900 meters
(6234 ft) in elevation.  You
will begin the hike at the edge of the forest. This starts
in a dense rainforest with an extremely high ceiling. The
forest turns into a shorter forest with moss and giant ferns
until about 2800 meters (9186 ft).
Next comes the heather biome to 3300 meters (10,827 ft) when
Moorland appears with the unusual Senecio Kilimanjari trees.
From 4000 to 4800 meters (13,123 ft to 15,748 ft), you will
go through Alpine Desert where some mosses, lichens, and starchy
flowers are all that remain. The area around the summit is
Arctic conditions. It looks a bit like moonscape with only
rock and glacier.
SHIRA ROUTE
Duration: 6 days hiking
Price: $1305 /person
$1255/person for groups of 6 or more + $120 group transportation
fee
Extra day on the mountain: $190/person
Low Season: $50/person off April 1 - June 15 and November
MOSHI
Book into the Springlands Hotel in Moshi for overnight and
briefing by your guide.
DAY 1 -- Shira Gate to Shira Camp
Elevation (m): 1830m to 3840m
Elevation (ft): 6000ft to 12,600ft
Distance: 18km
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
The drive from Moshi to the trailhead takes about 3 hours.
 We
walk through the rain forest on a winding trail up a ridge.
Lower down, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and
trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance
until we reach the Shira Camp.
DAY 2 -- Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
Elevation (m): 3840m to 4630m to 3860m
Elevation (ft): 12,600ft to 12,700ft
Distance: 15 km
Walking Time: 5-7 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
From the Shira Plateau, we continue to the east up a ridge,
passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue,
our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower,
called the "Shark's Tooth." Shortly after the tower,
we come to the second junction which brings us up to the Arrow
Glacier at an altitude of 4876 meters (15,997 ft). We now
continue down to the Barranco Hut at an altitude of 3860 meters
(12,664 ft). Here we rest, enjoy dinner, and overnight. Although
you end the day at the same elevation as when you started,
this day is very important for acclimatization and will help
your body prepare for summit day.
DAY 3 -- Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
Elevation (m): 3860m to 4200m
Elevation (ft): 12,700ft to 13,800ft
Distance: 7 km
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep
ridge passing the Barranco Wall, to the Karanga Valley campsite.
DAY 4 -- Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
Elevation (m): 3860m to 4600m
Elevation (ft): 12,700ft to 15,100ft
Distance: 13km
Hiking Time: 8 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert 
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep
ridge up the Barranco Wall, through the Karanga Valley (lunch
at 4200m / 13,770 ft), and the junction which connects with
the Mweka Trail. We continue up to the Barafu Hut. You have
completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit
from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy
dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi
and Kibo are to be seen from this position.
DAY 5 -- Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
Elevation (m): 4600m to 5895m (and down to 3100m)
Elevation (ft): 15,100ft to 19,300ft (and down to 10,200ft)
Distance: 7km ascent / 23km descent
Hiking Time:6- 8 hours ascent / 7-8 hours descent
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), we continue
our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers.
You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy
scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the
most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
At Stella Point (5685m / 18,652 ft), you will stop for a short
rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise
you are ever likely to see (weather permitting).From Stella
Point, you may encounter snow all they way on your 1-hour
ascent to the summit. At Uhuru Peak, you have reached the
highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa.
Faster hikers will see the sunrise from the summit. It can
be very cold at night at these elevations, but it will be
quite warm by the end of the hiking day. You will want clothing
for both extremes with you. From the summit, we now make our
descent continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut camp site,
stopping at Barafu for lunch. You will want gaiters and trekking
poles for the loose gravel going down. 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.
DAY 6 -- Mweka Camp to Moshi
Elevation (m): 3100m to 1830m
Elevation (ft): 10,200ft to 6000ft
Distance: 15 km
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
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, continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle
will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to hotel
in Moshi. Don't forget to tip your guides and porters. It
is time for celebration!
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR TRIP
• National Park gate fees
• Transport from Moshi to starting point on mountain
and return to Moshi
• Hut / camping fees and tents
• Qualified guides for all routes
• Porters' salaries
• Rescue fees
• All meals on the mountain
• Two nights accommodation in Moshi bed and breakfast,
double or triple occupancy
• Transfer to and from Kilimanjaro Airport
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
• Tips for guides and porters
• The typical tip is $10/guide/day, $5/porter/day, and
something in between for assistant guides. This is from the
whole group not per climber. If they did extra or special
work, it is nice to tip higher than this.
• Expect 2 porters per hiker, 1 guide per 8 hikers,
and 1 assistant guide per 4 hikers (assistant guides double
as porters).
• Budget $100 per hiker for tips for a 6-day trek.
• Tips should not be dependent on whether you summit
or not, but rather whether they were professional and had
your best interests in mind.
• Mountain equipment
• Some equipment is available for rent.
• Tents and foam sleeping pads are included on camping
routes.
DISCOUNTS:
Groups of 4 or more get a $50/person discount.
Low Season Discounts:
Low season is April 1 - June 15, and November.
Kilimanjaro treks are offered at a $50/person discount on
all routes. This can be combined with the group discount.
EXTRA CHARGES:
Extra days on the mountain are available for $190/person/day.
Oxygen is available for $30.
Extra porters (for camera gear, etc.) are $5/day
Western Breach: $50/person
Crater Camp: $100/person
Getting to Moshi
Ideally, you want to fly into the Kilimanjaro Airport. KLM
has direct flights from Amsterdam. These flights are more
expensive than flying into Nairobi, but you save yourself
two days of travel and expenses. We provide transportation
between the Kilimanjaro Airport and the Springlands Hotel
for $10/person one-way.
From/To Arusha
The Davanu Shuttle (see below) goes between Arusha and Moshi
once a day for $15/person one-way. We can arrange for a private
car for $80 one-way for the car.
From/To Nairobi
The first option is to take any of the two shuttles that leaves
every morning at 8am from Nairobi, Kenya, which cost $35 per
person each way and takes approximately six hours. You can
also fly to the Kilimanjaro International Airport, which is
located halfway between Moshi and Arusha. This costs around
$200 per person one way from Nairobi, Kenya. The third option
is to take a private car from Nairobi to Moshi. The car fits
7-8 people and costs $400 total each way, or a mini-bus for
$500 total each way (20-25 people). You determine time and
place of pick-up.
 Shuttle
Buses
These are 25, 35, or 55 person shuttle buses that go from
the Nairobi, Kenya to Moshi. This is not the most comfortable
route (very bumpy and dusty), but it is a quintessential African
experience. Excitement builds as you see African wildlife,
Masai villagers, Mt. Meru, and finally Kilimanjaro emerge
in the countryside around you.
The shuttle stops at the Tanzanian border where all passengers
must disembark and go through immigration. A visa is required
to enter Tanzania. Luggage may also be removed and randomly
inspected by customs agents.
There is one bathroom stop on the Kenyan side of the border
where you can also purchase refreshments. There is also a
stop in Arusha to switch shuttles and get lunch. You will
probably want to bring your own snacks and drinks for the
trip.
The shuttles leave from Nairobi at 8:00am. They will also
pick up at various hotels in the city center. The shuttle
from Moshi leaves early in the morning, and also picks up
at a few hotels in town. Arrive at the shuttle 1/2 hour early
to get your luggage loaded. Travel times vary greatly, but
allow at least 6 hours. The shuttle operates every day of
the year including holidays.
If you take the afternoon shuttle, it only goes as far as
Arusha. We can arrange for a private car to drive from Arusha
to Moshi for $70 one-way for the car.
Take a look at the Shuttle Buses we recommend:
The Riverside Shuttle
The Impala Shuttle
Flights
The flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro is approximately
9 1/2 hours. Because of the long flight, we recommend a rest
day in Moshi before starting your trek.
The only airlines that fly into the Kilimanjaro Airport are
KLM, Ethiopia Airlines, Kenya Air, and Precision Air.
Flights between Nairobi and Kilimanjaro cost around $200/person
one-way. Flights from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar are around $160/person
one-way. Flights form Arusha to Zanzibar are around $180/person
one-way. Flights from Zanzibar to Nairobi are about $200-260/person
one-way.
You can now book flights on-line:
Precision Air
Air Tanzania
Air Kenya
From/To Dodoma
Buses leave Moshi for Dodoma at 6:30am. They take 8-9 hours
and cost $20. These are public buses so not deluxe, they are
safe.
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