Experience of Mount Trekking
About Shira Route
The 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 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.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Height : 5,895 metres
Distance : 5.4Km
Per Year Trekking : 743
Timing : 5-7 days
Success Rate : 72%
Highlights : Alpine Desert
Uniqueness :
The Shira Route on Mt. Kilimanjaro starts on the west side of the mountain just like that of the Lemosho route.
It is very beautiful but also difficult. Most exclusive and quitter route.
Shira route is approaching Kilimanjaro from the western side and a little longer trail.
Though the route is a bit expensive due to the longer trail but preferred by those who love to encounter nature in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.
As the route is considered identical to Lemosho the scenery is quite captivating.
Weather & Climate :
At the beginning of the climb, at the base of the mountain, the average temperature is around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius). From there, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro's ecological zones.
Success Rate :
The Shira route doesn’t have the best acclimatisation profile given it starts at such high altitude. Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all Kilimanjaro operators for the seven-day Shira route is around 85%.
