Shira Trail Overview
Shira Route is a little used trail that begins near Shira Ridge. It is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. In fact, Shira was the original route and Lemosho route. is the improved variation. Although Shira is a varied and beautiful route, it is less favorable than its successor due to the relatively high altitude of Shira's starting point, which is accessed quickly by vehicle. It is possible that climbers will experience some altitude related symptoms on the first day while camping at 11,800 feet.
The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, beginning with a long drive from Moshi to Shira Ridge. The vehicle bypasses the rain forest zone and the hiking trail begins on Shira Ridge. The Shira route crosses the entire Shira Plateau from west to east in a pleasant, relatively flat hike. Then the route traverses underneath Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. Descent is made via the Mweka route as others route.
Shira Map
SHIRA ROUTE FAQ
What is the success rate of the Shira route?Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all Kilimanjaro operators for the 7 days Shira route is around 85%
What is the altitude of the Shira Plateau?
For those who want to experience the thrill of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro without wishing to summit, book a hike on the spectacular Shira Plateau. This plateau stretches out over 13 kilometres to the west of Kibo, at an elevation of 3 962 metres.
What is the difference between Lemosho and Shira route?
The Shira route is one of the older Kilimanjaro routes, and is very similar to the Lemosho route. The only differences between them is the trail walked on first couple of days, and that the starting point of the Shira is higher.
How high is Shira Camp Kilimanjaro?
Shira Camp 2 (3,847m) sits on the Eastern edge of the Shira Plateau. It is the first camp at which altitude sickness might start to be felt. It also provides stunning views across the Kilimanjaro valley below.
How long is Shira?
The Shira Plateau is a 13km stretch of land on the western side of Mount Kilimanjaro. It sits at about 3,800 meters and is one of the highest plateaus in the world.
How many days do you need on the Shira route?
The Shira route can be completed in either six days or seven days. The extra day gives you more time to acclimatise. In our experience, most people who have completed the right Kilimanjaro preparation and are okay with the higher altitude at the start of the climb, manage fine with the seven-day option.
