Lemosho vs Shira: Choosing Your Western Route Up Kilimanjaro
By Sam Diah | Founder, CEO & Head Tour Consultant, Tanzania Travel & Safari Company Ltd.
The Lemosho and Shira routes both climb Mount Kilimanjaro from its quiet western side. Both cross the high Shira Plateau, and both join the main southern circuit at Lava Tower before following the same path to the summit — the Barranco Wall, Karanga, Barafu and, finally, Uhuru Peak at 5,895 meters. So the choice between them comes down to the first two days: where you start, how quickly you gain height, and what you walk through on the way up.
Our own itineraries make the difference easy to see. The 9-Day Lemosho Route and the 8-Day Shira Route follow exactly the same line from Shira 1 Camp onward, including the quiet night at Moir Camp. Lemosho simply adds a first day on foot through the rainforest.
Lemosho and Shira at a glance
| Shira Route | Lemosho Route | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the walking starts | About 3,500m (11,500 ft), after a drive up onto the plateau | About 2,100m (6,890 ft), at the trailhead beyond Londorossi Gate |
| First day's landscape | Heather and open moorland | Dense montane rainforest |
| Acclimatization | Demanding: a fast gain in altitude by vehicle on day one | Gentle: height gained gradually on foot over two days |
| Crowds on the early days | Very few other climbers | Moderate: a popular route |
| Scenery | Open plateau and volcanic views from the first day | Every ecological zone, from rainforest to the glaciers |
| Best suited to | Experienced hikers, or climbers already acclimatized | First-time high-altitude climbers |
How the two routes differ
1. Starting altitude and acclimatization
Lemosho starts on foot in the rainforest at around 2,100 meters. You climb gradually over two days, through Forest Camp (sometimes called Big Tree Camp), before you reach the Shira Plateau. That slow start gives your body time to adjust to the thinning air.
Shira drives you past Londorossi Gate and up onto the plateau, so you start walking at around 3,500 meters. Going from Arusha's altitude to that height in a single morning is a big jump, and mild symptoms such as a light headache are more common on the first night at Shira 1 Camp. The extra night at Moir Camp later in the climb helps make up for it.
2. Scenery and ecological zones
Lemosho takes you through all five of Kilimanjaro's ecological zones. The first two days wind through old, moss-draped forest, home to black-and-white colobus monkeys and forest birds.
Shira skips the rainforest entirely. You step straight into high moorland, with open sky and views across the Shira caldera from your very first steps.
3. Crowds on the trail
Lemosho is widely seen as one of Kilimanjaro's most scenic routes, and it draws a steady number of groups.
Shira is one of the quietest trails on the mountain for the first three days — a good fit if you want the wilderness largely to yourself.
Our recommendation
- Choose Lemosho if this is your first time at high altitude, or if you want the gentlest acclimatization and the walk through Kilimanjaro's rainforest. Its gradual start gives first-timers the best chance of a safe summit. See the 7-Day and 9-Day Lemosho Route.
- Choose Shira if you are already acclimatized — after a climb of Mount Meru, for example, which we can arrange on request — or if you would rather start on the open moorland, with fewer people around you in the first days. See the 8-Day Shira Route.
Still deciding? Our guide to the best time to climb Kilimanjaro covers when to go, and our team is happy to talk through which route suits you. Just get in touch.
