3 Days Shira Mountain Bike Tour

5 STAR RATED TOUR OPERATOR IN TANZANIA
5/5

Tour Overview


The Shira Mountain Bike route is a short 2 to 3 day route which is mainly used for either a short biking Kilimanjaro experience, or as an acclimatization exercise, in preparation of our standard 5-day Biking Kilimanjaro Expeditions.

The Shira Mountain Bike route starts from the western side of Kilimanjaro. The route starts with a 4 x 4 track (+/-15 km) from the Londorossi gate (2100m) that ends near Shira 1 camp, close to the Shira Ridge (3600m) covering the Shira Plateau. The Shira Mountain Bike route runs parallel with the Lemosho hiking route.

Destinations

Day by Day Itinerary

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and transferred to Moshi town situated at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Today you will meet your guide who will brief you about your upcoming tour and together you will do the bike fitting. For those arriving in the morning or afternoon flight, you will have ample time to go for a quick test ride through the nearby Sugar cane plantation and surrounding villages.

Meals: No meals Included

Your day starts early with a briefing, followed by breakfast and a 2-hour drive from Moshi town (910m) to the Londorossi Park Gate (2100m). The guides and porters prepare and pack the supplies and your equipment in the village.

Following registration, we collect packed lunches and we start our mountain bike adventure by cycling from the Londorossi gate (2 100m) to the Shira 1 camp (3 500m) – total distance approximately 18 km. Expect some areas with loose rocks, mud and continuous uphill. Weather conditions, your fitness level and your mountain biking skills level will determine the how much cycling or how much pushing of your mountain bike you will be doing on this section. Especially after heavy rains the 4 x 4 access road can become very muddy in certain areas, making cycling really difficult.

The 4 x 4 track is very spectacular and offers some magnificent views of Mt Meru and the Great Rift Valley in general. Game is often sighted and the road features some striking vegetation changes ranging from forest, grassland, heath to moorland.

Upon arrival your porters will have your tent set up at camp and in the evening bring a small bowl of washing water to your tent. The cook will prepare dinner, before you retire to your tent for the night. Night temperatures can already drop to freezing point at this camp.

  • Cycling time: Approximately 4 to 5 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 18 km
  • Habitat: Montane forest

You rise early at Shira 1 camp and, after breakfast, you cycle across the Shira plateau for approximately 7 km to the Shira 2 Camp (3 875m), situated on the moorland meadows. The trail is not very good in some areas where you will be required to push or carry your bike. By now you will be able to see, in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its stunning glaciers. We enjoy lunch at Shira 2 camp. The porters will provide a small bowl of washing water to each hiker, before the cook serves dinner. The night at this exposed camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping to well below freezing.

  • Cycling time: 2 to 3 hours
  • Distance: 7 km
  • Habitat: Moorland

You rise early at Shira 2 camp and, after breakfast, you will start with an amazing Kilimanjaro downhill to the Londorossi gate, descending 1 800m over 25km. It is possible to encounter vehicles on the way down, we recommend controlling your speed and avoid any unnecessary risks.

We have a sustained our Biking adventures on well constructed morum road. Our route winds down to the National Park gate and We are met by our vehicle and transferred to Hotel. A well earned shower is tantalizingly close!

  • Cycling time: Approximately 2 to 3 hours
  • Distance: Approximately 25 km
  • Habitat: Montane forest
  • Riding Level: Challenging
  • Path: Gravel road
  • Highlights: Cycling on Mt Kilimanjaro

The day is left free to wind down after the bike tour before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.

Prices for 3 Days Shira Mountain Bike Tour