About this tour
Tour Overview
Shira Plateau Day Hike on Mount Kilimanjaro
The Shira Plateau Day Hike on Kilimanjaro offers a fantastic opportunity to get a taste of Africa’s tallest peak and to explore a World Heritage Site as a day trip. Take either a more strenuous day hike along the ancient rim of the plateau or stick to something more relaxed on the undulating floor – perhaps going as far as the photogenic ‘cone place’ or Shira Needles at the southern end of the plateau. To the west, the Kibo massif sweeps up to the glaciers near the summit, the rise scarred by deep valleys and eroded lava flows that stand like twisted modern sculptures in the harsh mountain weather. A number of streams tumble down this flank of the mountain, eventually joining together in a gully that crosses the plateau before plunging down to the plains far below.
A day hike on Mount Kilimanjaro can be a great addition to your holiday with Topi Adventure
The details
From your accommodation in Moshi, depart with your guide after an early breakfast for the drive to Kilimanjaro National Park. Depending on the location of your hotel, the journey will take 1½–2½ hours.
You will be driven to the western side of the mountain and up through the forests to the Londorossi Gate, at an altitude of 2,100m, where the hike begins. The ascent is over 1,000m, moving steadily up through tropical montane forests, home to a variety of animals and birdlife. With the help of your guide, you may spot colobus monkeys, crested turacos and more. As well as being the less-visited side of the mountain, these western regions are known to be frequented by big game from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, which neighbors Kilimanjaro National Park. It is not uncommon to hear elephants rumbling through the forest; you may even catching sight of them through the trees.
Your hike takes you up to the vast Shira Plateau, at 3,400m, a 500,000-year-old volcanic caldera that is now a World Heritage Site. You can stop for lunch here, or continue on to Shira 1 Camp, Lion Gorge and the foothills of the Shira Pinnacles. Kilimanjaro’s iconic snow-covered table top, Kibo Peak, should be visible from here, as well as neighboring glaciers.
For those with limited fitness or mobility, it is possible to drive all the way up to the Shira Plateau and then gently explore the surrounding areas on foot. Reasonable levels of fitness would be ideal for the longer hike.
Then, at the end of the Shira Plateau day hike, most walkers are driven the full way back to their accommodation, allowing you to make the most of your time on the mountain.
- What to wear: The walk can be over uneven ground in places, so closed shoes are recommended. Due to the altitude, warm clothing and/or waterproofs are also advisable.
- Start time: Approximately 8.00am
- Duration of excursion: Full day
- Meals included: Packed lunch. Water will be provided in your vehicle.
- Maximum size of group: Private group
