The Shira route approaches Kilimanjaro through
forest and moorland from the west, crossing the caldera of Shira
volcano, exploring the rock formations of the plateau, and traversing
beneath the Northern icefields of Kibo. We make our final ascent
by the Western Breach, the steepest non-technical route on the mountain
and an exciting approach to the summit. The seven day itinerary
gives maximum possible acclimatisation and there are often stunning
views of Kibo in the sharp light of morning and early evening. Shira
is a little-used approach route and there is time to enjoy to enjoy
the unspoilt wilderness of Shira Plateau before the convergence
with other routes in the later stages of the trip.
Day 1
A long day of walking that begins from Londorossi National Park
gate (2,250 m.) through farmland and plantations, and continues
climbing steadily on a broad track through shrub forest and stands
of giant heather to reach the rim of Shira Plateau (3,350 m.) The
views across the surrounding plains open out as we climb and the
area is home to a variety of game including buffalo. Our first camp
is in the centre of the plateau at “Shira One” (3,550
m.) [6-8 hours walking]
Day 2
An easy day to help acclimatisation and to explore the grassy moorland
and the volcanic rock formations of the plateau. We walk to the
summit of Shira Cathedral (3,750 m.), a huge buttress of rock surrounded
by steep spires and pinnacles. There is a tangible sense of wilderness
here (especially when the afternoon mists come in!) and the views
from our camp near Shira Hut (3,840 m.) of Mt. Meru floating on
the clouds are simply unforgettable. [4-5 hours walking]
Day 3
A morning of steady ascent and panoramic views, leaving the moorland
plateau behind to walk on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the
Western Breach. The terrain changes to scree, with pockets of vegetation
in sheltered hollows. The afternoon is free to acclimatise at our
campsite below Lava Tower (4,550 m.), or wander with a guide in
the surrounding area. [3-4 hours walking
Day 4
A short but steep ascent to reach the Arrow Glacier campsite (4,
800 m.). There is a palpable sense of remoteness and high altitude
wilderness here, nestled in between the glaciers at the very foot
of the gash in the Crater Rim known as the Western Breach. There
is a short afternoon acclimatisation walk amongst the scree and
rocks before a very early night. [3-4 hours walking]
Day 5
For many, this is the day they've been thinking about. Climbing
the Western Breach demands respect, but trust us - the Western Breach
is not as daunting as some make it out to be. We've carried lots
of camera equipment up the Breach and hardly needed a helping hand
even when we reached the steep sections. We've never felt intimidated
and we never felt that a slip could be disastrous.
Many of the danger stories can be attributed to inexperienced guides
who got lost - causing their clients to scramble up and down open
rock faces while searching for the path. We do not recommend climbing
the Breach at night - many companies do this and we think it's crazy!
There is a danger of falling rocks but experienced guides know how
to best avoid the unstable areas. It will be a steep climb at altitude
but the views are spectacular. The Breach is our favorite part of
the whole trek and you will soon see why! . As you can see we zig-zag
our way up the Breach to slow down our ascent and to negate the
steepness. Breakfast is served at 6:30 and we start our walk at
7:00 am. It is safer to climb the Breach in the morning while the
ground is still frozen. The first part is gentle as we step carefully
over loose boulders. Looking back, we can see the porters in the
distance at our Arrow Glacier camp. On clear mornings we can see
the Lava Tower and even the Shira Ridge—we can almost trace
our path to this point! Within the first hour we reach an easy scrambling
section after which we can see the Barranco Wall and camp site in
the distance on the left. We swing to the left and aim for a white
snow field before turning right to disappear behind the ridge. The
walk is very steep but in general it is a comfortable slow hike
to the ridge. We rest often to enjoy the stunning views below and
above us. Energy drinks and snacks are now in high demand! Around
10am we reach an area with magnificent rock formations. This is
an unstable area and our guides will keep a watchful eye on our
surroundings. Just before 11am we reach the first of two scrambling
sections. The second one is a giant stair case. This is the scramble
we’ve all heard about! The truth is, it takes only 5 minutes
to traverse this section if you have experienced guides who know
exactly where to step. Compared with the Machame Route Barranco
Wall ( a steep 1 hour scramble) this is nothing. The reward is waiting
at the top of the stairs —lunch (11:15am) and a 30-minute
break. Many climbers are surprised to learn that the crater rim
is only 1 hour away! Luckily the scrambling part is over. What’s
left is a very steep hike to the rim— made more complicated
by the thin air. We have to dig deep here but the excitement of
reaching the rim is pushing us upwards. And at 12:45pm then we are
there! On our left, we see the Northern Ice field and on our right,
the Furtwangler glacier. We begin a 30-minute walk past the glacier
to the foot of Uhuru Peak—the site of our Crater Camp at (5630
mt)18,500 ft! We have reached the snows of Kilimanjaro! It is about
1:15pm and some of us will head straight to the tents to relax.
Others may walk to the glacier to touch it. Tough souls may walk
to the actual crater and back — a 90 min hike. We have come
a long way and have mastered the Western Breach!
Day 6
We will start our ascent by torchlight at about 1 a.m. so that we
can be up on the Crater floor by sunrise. The path is of unrelenting
steepness on loose scree with occasional easy scrambling over rocks
to reach the crater floor (5,700 m.).
A broad gully takes us on upwards to Uhuru Peak (5,896 m.) and
the spectacular ice cliffs that still occupy most of the summit
area. The descent to Barafu (4,600 m.) gives good views across to
Mawenzi and is surprisingly fast. After some refreshment, we continue
to descend to reach our final campsite (3,100 m.) at the edge of
Mweka Forest. [11-15 hours walking]
Day 7
A sustained descent through lovely forest with lush undergrowth
takes us to the National Park gate at Mweka (1,650 m.); and on through
coffee and banana farms to Mweka village. [4-6 hours walking]
Note: After heavy snow or other adverse weather conditions, the
Western Breach may be impassable for trekkers. In such cases an
extremely scenic traverse beneath the Southern Icefields via the
Barranco and Karanga valleys brings us to Uhuru Peak by the Barafu
ascent route.
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Tanzania
has one of the largest areas of protected lands in the world. It
houses the largest Game Reserve on the continent (Selous) and its
most famous national park (the Serengeti), not to mention the famous
Ngorongoro Crater considered being the eighth wonder of the world.
Here you can experience the landscapes which have captivated the
minds of millions of people. 
Tanzania is endowed with some of the most diverse and picturesque landscape. Its towering mountains in the North are some of the highest mountains in Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest point, is a great extinct volcano 5,895m (19,345ft) above sea level. Rift Cross can take you to the roof of Africa - Kilimanjaro and to the tops of other attractive mountains such as Meru and Oldoinyo lengai. Climbing these volcanoes is an incredible but manageable challenge. For travelers seeking adventures off the beaten track and spectacular views, these are ideal destinations.
The
white and golden sands of East Africa’s beaches are deservedly
world famous. They are soaked in sun all year round, and surrounded
by coral reef and the exotic scenery of the Indian Ocean. A rest
on a Tanzanian beach will leave you refreshed, restored and intrigued.
Walking through the narrow, twisting streets of Zanzibar’s
Stone Town plunges you into the past.
To many people tourism is confined to the wildlife destination, mountain trekking and beach relaxation. Rift Cross goes beyond the limits by taking you to experience the richest and most diverse cultures of people who follow ancient traditions –yet engaging on their own terms, with a globalizing world. Let us take you to visit these peoples, their homes and villages.