Kilimanjaro Shira Route

The Shira Plateau Route On Mountain Kilimanjaro

The Shira Plateau Route is the original, historic trail crossing the vast plateau, established long before the modern Lemosho Route. Despite its rich history, it is now rarely used by hikers and trekkers. Instead of a primary hiking path, it has been transformed into a 4WD track to provide emergency vehicles with fast and efficient access to the Shira 2 Campsite for urgent situations and rescue operations.

The few hikers who opt for the Shira Plateau trail often begin their trek above the forest line. This is one of the trail’s key drawbacks. In my opinion, the forest on the mountain’s western side is the most stunning and captivating on the entire mountain. Skipping this section means missing out on a truly valuable and enriching experience that shouldn’t be overlooked.

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. This route is sometimes referred to as the Lemosho route with a “high altitude drop-off.” 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. Climbers may experience some altitude-related symptoms on the first day while camping at 11,800 feet.

The route approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the west, starting with a long drive from Moshi to Shira Ridge. The vehicle bypasses the rainforest 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 beneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu. The descent is made via the Mweka route.