The Shira route follows the Machame route up Mount Kilimanjaro, but with one big difference, the first day catapults you into some serious altitude. The first leg of the trek is via a road, which makes the most sense to drive along in order to conserve time and energy, but this means a leap to 3,500 metres above sea level without any acclimatisation time.
You can opt to walk the road instead, but it’s hardly the most scenic of options. The route can be completed in six days, but you’d be wiser to opt for a longer version of the trek in order to properly acclimatise, especially if you’re only just arrived in Tanzania or if you live around sea level.
