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shira 6 days

6 Days Shira Kilimanjaro Trakking

Description

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and transferred for overnight accommodation at the Hotel . Your head guide will meet you for your briefing, gear check and arrange for you to hire any equipment you may need.

Route Details

>>>Shira has low traffic until it combines with Machame route. This difficult route allows for good acclimatization, provided you are fine starting at a high altitude.

PRICE INCLUDE & EXCLUDE

INCLUDE

>>> Private transport from Kilimanjaro International Airport to your accommodations in Moshi.
>>> Kilimanjaro Park rescue team fees.
>>> Government taxes.
>>> 3 freshly-prepared delicious meals daily on the mountain prepared by professional cooks who are happy to accommodate your dietary needs.
>>>3-4 liters of mineral/treated water per person per day.
>>> Hot drinks on the mountain and hot water for washing.
>>> Private transport to and from the hotel to the Kilimanjaro Park Gate.
>>> National Park entry fees and hut fees.
>>> Portable oxygen tanks, ox meter and emergency first-aid kit.
>>> Porter’s Cook’s and Guide’s Salary.
>>> 2 nights of accommodation at Hotel Moshi.
>>> Friendly and highly qualified mountain guides, assistant guides and professional cooks.
>>> Enough Porters to carry camping gear and additional baggage.
>>> Accommodation in Huts/camping.

EXCLUDE

>>>Lunches, dinners and drinks at your hotel in Moshi before climb and after climb.
>>> Personal items and toiletries.
>>> Tips for guides, porters and cook (this is a guide to tipping on the mountain.

Tipping on Kilimanjaro from the trekking group (not per climber):

>>> Guides: US $15/day/guide.
>>> Cook : US $10/day.
>>> Porter: US $8/day/porter.
NOTE: Our Guides, cooks and Porters are always satisfied with your thanks giving (tip) you have and not beyond your ability.

Map of Shira Route

MOUNT KILIMANJARO TREKKING EQUIPMENTS

Day 1: Trekking from Hotel to Shira 1

Distance : 4 km
Walking Time : 5-6 hrs

Starting from Moshi/Arusha to 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.

Day 2:Trekking from Shira 1 to Shira 2 Camp Via Cathedral point

Distance : 7km
Walking Time : 3-4 hrs

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 clearly seeing from Shira 2.

Day 3: Trekking to Barranco Camp via Lava Tower

Distance : 12km
Walking Time : 6-7hrs

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.

Day 4: Trekking Baranco Wall to Barafu Camp

Distance : 13km
Walking Time : 7- 8hrs

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.

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))

Distance: 15.5km

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.

Day 6: Descend to Mweka Gate

Distance : 12km
Walking Time : 3hrs

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.

MOUNT KILIMANJARO INFORMATION

People can climb the mountain throughout the year, however there are times which are more convenient to climb due to different weather conditions. Bad weather conditions like rain makes it difficult to climb hence low summit success rate.

There are main two seasons for climbing Kilimanjaro. They are dry(June to October) and wet seasons (April to June). The dry season is referred to as the peak season.

During peak season, the weather is usually good with warm conditions making it easy for climbing Kilimanjaro and higher summit success rate. However being peak season is not because of weather but because the time coincides with American and European summer holiday.

Alternative time for climbing is from January to March where the weather is neither cold nor wet. The timing is best suitable for hikers who prefer less crowds of people.

Month Low (F) Average (F) High (F) Humidity (%) Rain Fall (in)
January 64 78 92 58 1.4
February 64 78 92 57 2.0
March 66 78 90 63 4.7
April 67 76 85 73 13.8
May 65 72 79 77 9.3
June 62 70 78 69 1.0
July 60 69 78 69 1.0
August 60 60 80 69 0.7
September 60 71 83 61 0.6
October 62 75 88 57 1.0
November 64 76 86 57 2.5
December 64 77 90 60 2.1

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Sometimes called “mountain sickness,” altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher elevation, or altitude, too quickly.

WHY IT HAPPENS?

The pressure of the air that surrounds you is called barometric pressure. When you go to higher altitudes, this pressure drops and there is less oxygen available. If you live in a place that’s located at a moderately high altitude, you get used to the air pressure. But if you travel to a place at a higher altitude than you’re used to, your body will need time to adjust to the change in pressure. Any time you go above 8,000 feet, you can be at risk for altitude sickness.

TYPES:

There are three kinds of altitude sickness:
  • Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mildest form and it’s very common. The symptoms can feel like a hangover – dizziness, headache, muscle aches, nausea.
  • High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a buildup of fluid in the lungs that can be very dangerous and even life threatening.
  • High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is the most severe form of altitude sickness and happens when there’s fluid in the brain. Its life threatening and you need to seek medical attention right away.

  • SYMTOMS

  • You might have:
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Fatigue and loss of energy
  • Shortness of breath
  • Problems with sleep
  • Loss of appetite
  • Symptoms usually come on within 12 to 24 hours of reaching a higher elevation and then get better within a day or two as your body adjusts to the change in altitude. If you have a more moderate case of altitude sickness, your symptoms might feel more intense and not improve with over-the-counter medications. Instead of feeling better as time goes on, you’ll start to feel worse. You’ll have more shortness of breath and fatigue. You may also have:
  • Loss of coordination and trouble walking.
  • A severe headache that doesn’t get better with medication
  • A tightening in your chest.
  • If you develop a severe form of altitude sickness like HAPE or HACE, you might have:
  • Confusion
  • Shortness of breath even at rest
  • Inability to walk
  • A cough that produces a white or pink frothy substance
  • Coma.
  • WHO GETS TO?

    Anyone can develop altitude sickness, no matter how fit, young, or healthy they are -- even Olympic athletes can get it. In fact, being physically active at a high elevation makes you more likely to get it. Your chance of getting altitude sickness depends on a few other things: how quickly you move to a higher elevation, how high you go up, the altitude where you sleep, and other factors. Your risk also depends on where you live and the altitude there, your age (young people are more likely to get it), and whether you’ve had altitude sickness before Having certain illnesses like diabetes or lung disease doesn’t automatically make you more likely to develop altitude sickness. But your genes could play a role in your body’s ability to handle higher elevations.

    TREATMENT

    If you get a headache and at least one other symptom associated with altitude sickness within a day or two of changing your elevation, you might have altitude sickness. If your symptoms are more severe, you’ll need medical attention. Your doctor might listen to your chest with a stethoscope or take an X-ray of your chest or an MRI or CT scan of your brain to look for fluid. Knowing the symptoms of altitude sickness will help you seek treatment early, while the condition is still mild. The most important treatment for any level of altitude sickness is to go down to a lower elevation as soon as possible while remaining safe. If you have severe altitude sickness, you’ll need to be taken down to a lower elevation right away -- and it must be lower than 4,000 feet. You’ll have to see a doctor as soon as possible and you may need to go to the hospital. If you have HACE, you might need a steroid called dexamethasone. If you have HAPE, you will need supplemental oxygen and may need medications, as well as moving to a lower altitude.

    PREVENTION

    The best way you can lower your chance of getting altitude sickness is through acclimatization. That means you let your body slowly get used to the changes in air pressure as you travel to higher elevations. You’ll want to climb to higher altitudes gradually. Going slowly helps your lungs get more air through deeper breaths and allows more of your red blood cells to carry oxygen to different parts of your body.

    Some of the basic guidelines for acclimatization are:

  • Start your journey below 10,000 feet. If you have to fly or drive somewhere that’s higher up, stop at one destination that’s lower for at least a full day before going any higher.
  • If you walk, hike, or climb over 10,000 feet, only go up an additional 1,000 feet per day. For every 3,000 feet you climb, rest at least a day at that height.
  • “Climb high and sleep low”: If you have to climb over 1,000 feet in a day, make sure you come back down to a lower altitude to sleep.
  • Drink 3-4 quarts of water every day and make sure about 70% of your calories are coming from carbs.
  • Don’t use tobacco, alcohol, or other medications, such as sleeping pills.
  • Know how to identify the first signs of altitude sickness. Immediately move to a lower elevation if you start to develop these symptoms.
  • Kilimanjaro Climbing Packing List

    Kilimanjaro climbing is one of the adventurous tour activity that one shouldn’t miss. However to make it more entertaining, it’s required to pack the right and necessary equipment.
    The following list will be of a great help:-

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    Clothes

  • Waterproof pants
  • 1-2 Long Sleeve Trekking Shirts
  • 1 Pairs of hiking pants
  • 1 Fleece Jacket
  • 1 Insulated Winter Jacket
  • 2 pairs synthetic warm weather trekking socks
  • 4 pairs heavier synthetic or wool blend socks
  • Top and Bottom Base Layer
  • 3-4 Short Sleeve
  • Water/Windproof mittens
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Lightweight Rain gear
  • 1 Pair of hiking boots
  • Balaclava
  • Trekking Equipment

  • A day pack
  • Headlamp with extra batteries
  • 1 Sleeping bag
  • 1 Duffel bag
  • A pair of trekking poles
  • Accessories

  • Backpack cover
  • Water bottle
  • Sunglasses
  • Electronic devices

  • Camera/Smartphone
  • Extra batteries/Power bank