March 3
SHIRA PLATEAU CAMP (11,500 ft/3,505 m)

After breakfast, we climb up and cross the remaining rain forest towards the giant moorland zone. Today is normally a 6-7 hour trek with an altitude gain of 2,400 ft. After lunch we hike into the Shira Caldera, a high altitude desert plateau which is rarely visited. Shira is the third of Kilimanjaro's volcanic cones, and is filled with lava flow from Kibo Peak. The crater rim has been decimated by weather and volcanic action. Today we normally get our first close views of Kibo - the dramatic summit of Kilimanjaro.