Shira Plateau Day Trip Via Londorossi Gate
Safari at a Glance
A Day on the Shira Plateau — Kilimanjaro's High Moorland From 3,400 m, Without the Week-Long Climb
🏆 TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2024, 2025 & 2026 · ✅ Kenya TRA Licensed No. TRA1/47/C01/25895 · 🏛️ TOSK (Tour Operators Society of Kenya) Member #0082 · 🇹🇿 Operated in Tanzania by our TALA-licensed partner — licence 037480. Certificate available on request.
Full Day · From Moshi · From $350 per person · Kilimanjaro National Park
Why the Shira Plateau Day Trip?
The Shira Plateau is what remains of Kilimanjaro's oldest volcanic cone. It collapsed roughly half a million years ago into a wide, high moorland on the mountain's western side, between about 3,500 and 3,960 m. Climbers on the Lemosho route cross it on their way up. This day trip from Moshi drives you to it: around two hours to Londorossi Gate, then a further hour or so on a rough dirt track up to the Morum Barrier at 3,400 m, where you get out and walk. The rest of the day is open moorland: giant groundsels, lobelias, giant heather and, in clear weather, Kibo's snow-topped summit straight ahead of you.
Be clear about what makes this day hard. It is not the distance: roughly 8–12 km, 4–6 hours, on open and mostly gentle paths. It is the altitude. You sleep in Moshi and start walking at 3,400 m the same morning, and the walk goes to around 3,800 m. Some guests feel it — a headache, breathlessness, a touch of nausea. Your guide walks slowly, keeps you drinking, and turns the group around at their own discretion if anyone is struggling. Reaching a particular point is never the aim. Being on the plateau is.
It suits fit walkers who want the high mountain in a single day, and it is a sensible add-on for climbers: a day above 3,400 m before your Machame or Lemosho climb, sleeping low again in Moshi that night. We do not put a figure on what it does for your acclimatisation. Book it for the day itself.
📋 Shira Plateau Day Trip at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| ⏱️ Duration | A long full day — around two hours' drive to the gate, a further hour or so up to the trailhead, 4–6 hours' walking, then the same back |
| 📍 Start Point | Pickup from your Moshi accommodation · pickup time confirmed with your booking · the walk starts at the Morum Barrier, above Londorossi Gate |
| 🏔️ Altitude | Morum Barrier 3,400 m · high point around 3,800 m on the standard walk · the turnaround is your guide's call |
| 💪 Difficulty | Moderate on paper · the altitude makes it harder than the distance suggests |
| 🥾 Walking Involved | Roughly 8–12 km, 4–6 hours, about 400 m of height gain from 3,400 m, on open and mostly gentle moorland paths |
| 👀 What You'll See | Giant groundsels and lobelias · giant heather · Kibo's summit in clear weather · birds and small mammals · elephant, buffalo and eland only occasionally |
| 🏊 Swimming | None |
| 📅 Best Months | Late June–September · December–early March · avoid April and May: the wettest months, and the dirt road above the gate suffers |
| 🌡️ Weather | Daytime around 10 °C on the plateau, colder in wind · afternoon cloud and rain are normal — the walk is timed to be off the plateau before them |
| 👶 Children | Not suitable for children under 10 · Kilimanjaro National Park does not allow under-10s above 3,700 m, and this walk goes above it |
| 👥 Group Size | Private — your group only |
| 💰 Price | $350 per person with lunch · US dollars · Kilimanjaro National Park fees included |
🗓️ Your Day
🚐 Early pickup in Moshi
Pickup is from your Moshi accommodation. The time is confirmed with your booking, and it is early — this is a long day with a lot of driving in it. The road to Londorossi Gate takes around two hours, paved for most of the way and dirt for the rest, climbing round to the western side of the mountain.
🎫 Londorossi Gate
Londorossi Gate is an open field with a cluster of park offices. Your guide registers the group; park fees are included in your price, so there is nothing to pay at the gate. There are toilets here — use them.
🚙 Up to the Morum Barrier, 3,400 m
From the gate the track climbs for a further hour or so, through forest and out onto the moorland, to the Morum Barrier — the picnic site where the vehicle stops and the walk begins. The track is rough gravel-and-earth (murram) and slow going, worse after rain. You have gained a lot of height sitting down; take the first minutes on your feet slowly.
🥾 Across the Shira Plateau
Open moorland, mostly gentle underfoot, with boggy ground in places. Giant groundsels and lobelias stand along the path; giant heather covers the slopes. In clear weather Kibo's summit is in front of you for much of the walk. Your guide sets a deliberately slow pace and checks on everyone. How far you go — roughly 8–12 km, 4–6 hours — depends on the group and the weather; the turnaround is the guide's decision. Tell your guide the moment you have a headache or feel short of breath.
🍽️ Lunch on the plateau
A picnic lunch at a spot your guide picks out of the wind. It is cold when you stop — around 10 °C in the day, colder in wind — so put every layer on before you sit down.
⬇️ Back to the vehicle, and down
You are back at the Morum Barrier before the afternoon cloud builds — it usually does, and rain can come with it. Then the track down to Londorossi Gate. Day visitors sign out at the gate the same day; your guide keeps the timing. From the gate it is around two hours back to Moshi.
📐 The Walk in Numbers
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| 🚐 Moshi to Londorossi Gate | Around two hours' drive |
| 🚙 Gate to Morum Barrier | A further hour or so on a rough dirt track |
| 📍 Walk start — Morum Barrier | 3,400 m |
| 🏔️ Walk high point | Around 3,800 m on the standard walk |
| 📈 Height gain | About 400 m |
| 📏 Distance | Roughly 8–12 km round trip |
| ⏱️ Walking time | 4–6 hours |
| 🌋 The plateau | About 3,500–3,960 m; Shira peak 3,962 m |
| 🛤️ Surface | Open, mostly gentle moorland paths; boggy in places |
✅ What's Included
- Transport — pickup from and return to your Moshi accommodation, including the track above Londorossi Gate
- Drinking water for the day
- Licensed guide — required inside the park; ours is with you all day
- Lunch — a picnic on the plateau
- Park fees — Kilimanjaro National Park; nothing to pay at the gate
- Lunch is included. Prefer to skip it? The price drops by $10.
❌ What's Not Included
- Tips for your guide — at your discretion
- Travel insurance
- Accommodation in Moshi before or after the trip
- Drinks other than the water we provide
- Warm layers, boots and other personal kit — see What to Bring
- Anything not listed as included
🎒 What to Bring
- Warm layers — a fleece at least, and a windproof, waterproof shell over it; daytime is around 10 °C and the wind makes it feel colder
- A warm hat and gloves
- Sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen — the sun is strong at this height even when the air is cold
- Walking boots with ankle support — the ground is boggy in places and the paths are rough moorland
- Walking poles if you use them
- A day pack for layers, water and lunch
- A bottle or bladder you can drink from while walking — we supply the water
- Personal snacks for the walk
- Passport or ID — you are registered by name at the gate
- Cash in small notes for tips
- Any personal medication
👍 Who This Trip Suits — and Who It Doesn't
It suits regular walkers in good health who want to stand on Kilimanjaro's high moorland without a week's climb. Climbers with a spare day in Moshi before their route starts. Anyone who wants giant groundsels, lobelias and — with luck — Kibo's summit in front of them.
It does not suit children under 10: the park does not allow them above 3,700 m, and the walk goes above it. It does not suit anyone who wants a relaxed day: you spend about as long in the vehicle as on your feet, the track above the gate is rough, and you walk at an altitude most visitors have never slept at. If you have had trouble at altitude before, tell us when you book so your guide knows. It is not a wheelchair-accessible route. And nobody can promise the view.
🔗 Combine it: Shira is the high day. Ease in first with the Marangu Day Hike To Mandara Huts & Maundi Crater — Kilimanjaro's forest zone at 2,700 m. For lower days, try the Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour From Moshi, a swim on the Kikuletwa Hot Springs Day Trip From Moshi, or the Marangu Waterfalls & Chagga Caves Cultural Day Tour. All five are listed on our Moshi Day Trips page. This walk also works as a rest day added to your Kilimanjaro climb — see the 7-day Machame route and the 7-day Lemosho route, and ask us to build it in.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Will I feel the altitude on the Shira Plateau?
Possibly. You start walking at 3,400 m having slept in Moshi, and some guests get a headache, feel short of breath, or feel a little sick. Most are fine. Drink water, walk slowly, and tell your guide as soon as you feel anything. The guide decides when the group turns around, and turning around early is a normal outcome, not a failed day.
Can my children come?
Not if they are under 10. Kilimanjaro National Park does not allow children under 10 above 3,700 m, and the standard walk goes above that. For older children, this is a long day at altitude with a lot of driving; tell us their age and what they have walked before and we will advise honestly.
Can I cancel or move the date?
Yes. Full refund with 14 days' notice, and flexible rescheduling within 12 months. Avoid April and May if you can — the wettest months, when the track above the gate suffers most.
Will I see the summit?
In clear weather, yes — Kibo's snow-topped summit is in view from the plateau. Mornings are your best chance, and afternoon cloud is normal. Nobody can promise the view.
How cold is the Shira Plateau?
Around 10 °C in the day, and colder in wind. Dress to be cold all day.
How long is the day?
Long. Around two hours to Londorossi Gate, an hour or so more to the trailhead, 4–6 hours of walking, then the same drive back. Pickup is early; the time is confirmed with your booking.
Do I pay anything at the gate?
No. Park fees are included in your price, and your guide handles registration at Londorossi Gate.
Do I need to have been at altitude before?
No. You need to be a regular walker in good health, to be honest with your guide about how you feel, and to accept that the guide's turnaround decision is final.
📞 How to Book
A 50% deposit confirms the booking. The balance is due 14 days before the trip. Booking inside 14 days: full payment confirms it.
Cancellation: full refund with 14 days' notice, and flexible rescheduling within 12 months — the same terms as our Kenya trips.
Prices shown are for non-resident visitors. East African citizens pay lower national-park fees — ask us for the citizen rate.
Payment details are sent with your written invoice. We accept M-Pesa and bank transfer.
We never request payment through social media, personal phone numbers, or any account or link not confirmed in writing by our office. If in doubt, call us before paying anyone.
📱 WhatsApp / Call: +254 729 257 317 · +254 734 417 496
🇦🇹 Austria: +43 650 702 1313 · +43 676 676 8130
Or write to us through the contact page. Tell us your dates, how many you are, where you are staying in Moshi, and whether you want lunch.
Operated in Tanzania by our TALA-licensed partner — licence 037480. Certificate available on request.
Where You Will Visit
This safari explores the following regions in
