The Londorosi Route, also referred to as the Shira Route, is almost identical to the Lemosho Route, but it has slight variations at the beginning that makes it more suitable for mountain biking. The Shira approach to Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the most beautiful routes up the mountain. In sharp contrast to the conventional Marangu route, accommodation on the Londorosi Route is strictly in tents, making it better suited to slightly more adventurous hikers and bikers. This route rewards travellers with magnificent scenery, spectacular late afternoon sunsets, and misty revelations of Kibo at the great Barranco Wall.

 

You will have one guide cycling with you at all times, so you can cycle up and down the mountain, or combine cycling with hiking, whichever you prefer. You will each have a porter for your bikes, who will carry them for you when you prefer to hike.

Our Kilimanjaro Mountain Biking Expedition includes guest tents, a mess tent with tables, chairs, cutlery and crockery, a toilet tent, fully qualified mountain guide(s), assistant guide, cook(s), and an entire team of porters that will carry everything from your rucksack and tent to the food & water supplies for the entire trip.

 

All national park entry fees, bicycle fees, portage of 2 bags per person (max 15 kilos), mountain rescue fees / flying doctor’s medical evacuation, and safety equipment such as a hyperbaric chamber and oxygen bottles come as standard.

 

Itinerary Overview

 

Day 1: Arusha                                                                                                                                                                            

Arrive Arusha and transfer you to your hotel. Your mountain guide will schedule an afternoon briefing to discuss the following day’s departure time and itinerary.

Overnight: Arusha

 

Day 2: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                   

After breakfast today, you will leave the hotel (leaving any unnecessary baggage in storage), and transfer approximately 3-4 hours to the Londorosi Park Gate, where you will register, meet your mountain crew and begin your tour on the western slopes of the mountain. You will climb through the original montane forest, carpeted with unique "busy lizzie" flowers, begonias and ferns, before reaching Shira 1 Camp where you will overnight.

Altitude: 2200m – 3500m – 2980m                                                                                                                                       

Overnight: Shira 1 Camp                                                                                                                                                   

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 3: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                                 

After a hot cooked breakfast in the mess tent, you will head into the giant heather zone and out onto fine open moorland. You will then continue up a rocky ridge onto the Shira plateau, where on a clear day, you can see the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. After lunch, and a couple of hours hiking or biking, you will reach the Shira campsite at 3,840m.

Altitude: 2980m – 3840m                                                                                                                                                                                        Overnight: Shira Camp                                                                                                                                                         

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 4: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                                         

After breakfast in camp, you will ascend to Lava Tower, an impressive formation at 4600m/15,090ft elevation. During your ascent, you will see plants indigenous to the alpine zone such as giant lobelias, giant senecio, tussock grasses, and helichrysums. From Lava Tower, you will make your way across the Southern Ice fields, before descending to Barranco Base Camp beneath the spectacular breach wall of Barranco.  Another important day for acclimatization, you will ‘hike or bike high and sleep low’ to help your body prepare for the coming days.        

Altitude: 3840m – 4630m – 3950m                                                                                                                                                              Overnight: Barranco Base Camp                                                                                                                                            

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 5: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                                  

After breakfast today, your climb with start with a scramble up and over the Barranco Wall to Karanga Valley Camp at 13,900ft (4235m). From here, you can see the entire Shira plateau, and just how far you’ve come.

Altitude: 3950m – 4000m                                                                                                                                                                               Overnight: Karanga Valley Camp                                                                                                                                                                       

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 6: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                                

After breakfast this morning, you will leave Karanga Valley Camp behind and continue your journey past the crowded Barafu Camp to the secluded Kosovo special use camp at 15,970ft (4867m).  You will see many different angles of the summit along the way, and the two peaks of Mwenzi and Kibo are clearly visible from this prime position. At camp, you will rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for your midnight summit.                                

Altitude: 4000m – 4750m                                                                                                                                                   

Overnight: Kosovo Camp                                                                                                                                                           

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 7: Kilimanjaro                                                                                                                                                                                                    Today is the day you have been waiting for. At midnight, your crew will serve tea and biscuits before you begin your final journey to the summit – Uhuru Peak at 5895m / 19,340ft.  Your journey to the Roof of Africa will take anywhere between 5 and 8 hours. You should arrive at Stella Point in time to watch the sun rise over Africa. After taking your summit photos, you will descend along Mweka route, stopping en-route for lunch at Kosovo Camp.

Altitude: 475m – 5895m – 3100m                                                                                                                                

Overnight: Mweka Camp                                                                                                                                                                                       Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

Day 8: Kilimanjaro – Arusha                                                                                                                                                      

After your final mountainside breakfast, you will walk/ride down through the rain forest to Mweka Gate where you will receive your certificate and spend some quality time with your mountain crew. After a picnic lunch, you will enjoy a private transfer back to your lodge in Arusha for a welcome hot shower and overnight.                                                                                                                         Altitude: 3100m – 1980m                                                                                                                                                   

Overnight: Arusha

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

 

Day 9: Departure

Your magnificent Kilimanjaro Mountain Bike Expedition has finally come to an end. After breakfast, and a few hours to relax, your driver will collect you and transfer you to the airport for your return flight home.

 

Prices from: £2950.00 per person

Please complete the contact form below to receive a no-obligation tailor-made quote for this spectacular expedition.

 

Do you know?

 

• The Equatours Team have climbed Kilimanjaro several times to ensure we can offer our guests the very best in terms of service and support in the lead up to, and during, their expedition.  Our Kilimanjaro climbs are recommended in Henry Stedman’s Kilimanjaro Guidebook for offering good value.

 

• We offer guaranteed departures 365 days per year.

 

• We are proud members of KPAP (Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project), and every member of our Mountain Crew receives a fair wage, plenty of food, and adequate clothing for each expedition. This is one of the things that makes us stand out against budget operators.

 

• You can read more about it here in our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bCXomn

 

• All our climbs include Flying Doctors Medical Evacuation and our Mountain Guides carry safety equipment such as hyperbaric chamber / oxygen bottle.

 

• We are one of just a few Kilimanjaro Climbing Companies to use Kosovo Special Use Camp, which is situated approximately 200mts higher than Barafu Camp, the last camp before the summit.  With a higher elevation, our summit nights are shorter than most other companies, and as such, our success rates are very high.  To date, all our routes have a success rate of over 95%.