Shira

The first day of our mountain expedition. After breakfast, we will have about a 3-hour drive to Shira Gate at 3600 m, where we must complete formalities at the park gate, then we will begin our trek. We will hike gradually uphill along a winding path through the tropical forest, reaching Shira Camp 2 at 3850 m, where we'll have dinner and spend the night. The beginning of the trail might be muddy and slippery, so it's a good idea to have trekking poles with you.

An acclimatization day. This day involves reaching the next camp and crossing the Lava Tower at 4600 m on the way there. During this stage, you will feel the effect of thinner air. Returning to a camp below 4000 m will improve our mood and make reaching this altitude again much easier. The route to the picturesque Barranco Camp at 3900 m takes about 7 hours. The camp is located almost at the foot of the Kibo crater, which towers 2000 meters above us.

First up is the nearly 300-meter-high Barranco Wall with its naturally carved, narrow paths. Although this section isn't technically difficult, you might find it easier to stow your trekking poles and use your hands. The wall looks daunting from below but ends up being a pleasant, albeit a bit strenuous, climb. After 3-4 hours of alternating climbing and descending, we plan to reach Karanga Camp at 3995 m, where we will spend the night.

After breakfast, we are going to continue trekking to Barafu Camp at 4673 m. This will be a relatively short trek and a short day. The route leads over rocky terrain with a small amount of high-altitude desert vegetation. After reaching the camp, we will close the "southern circuit," from where it is possible to admire the Kibo summit from various points. In the camp, we will have to prepare our things for the summit attempt, then eat an early dinner to get some rest and gather strength for our night-time adventure.

We are going to have to leave the tents at midnight, have a quick snack, and by 1 a.m., start the summit attempt. Six hours of steep climbing will eventually take us to the crater rim at Stella Point at 5756 m, where we will have left the climbing along a wide ridge to the summit—Uhuru Peak at 5895 m. After reaching the world's highest free-standing mountain, we will have a three-hour descent to Barafu Camp, where we'll be welcomed with breakfast and porters ready to descend. After a one-hour rest, we are going to start to descend to Mweka Camp at 3100 m, situated in the Mweka Valley. This is undoubtedly the hardest and longest day of our expedition.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will officially say goodbye with dances and songs to our porters and guides. A gentle descent through the rainforest will lead us straight to the Mweka Gate at 1640 m, where we must quickly complete the final formalities. Then, we will have lunch just outside the park gate and head back to Moshi to our hotel for a long-awaited and well-deserved shower and rest. :) In the evening, there's a farewell party planned!