Day 5 - Shira Camp to Barranco Camp

UPDATE FROM OUR TEAM

A long but rewarding day 3 on the mountain for Team Simba! After another early morning the crew trekked all the way up to 15,200 feet - our highest point yet. We had an hour long lunch (grilled cheese yum) at 15,200 to help acclimate. The crew then hiked back down to 13,200 where we made camp for the night. A ~9 hour day had the crew exhausted and ready for bed. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of naan bread, beef, pork, rice & peas, and steamed vegetables. The highlight of nearly everyone’s day was watching our friends from Taiwan in another group burst into dance during a water break. The team enjoyed a deep sleep after an exhausting day and is ready for day 4 and Karanga camp. Mambo Pua!!

MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW

Today, the trail runs through a black lava desert past millions of boulders. From the Shira Plateau, the group will go up a ridge, past the trail to the peak of Kibo, to Lava Tower (known by locals as Shark’s Tooth). During their lunch break, they can take in the snowline above the Lava Tower. After lunch, they’ll descend to the Barranco Camp at an altitude of 13,000 feet. The black lava desert fades into heather and moorland. From Barranco Camp, they’ll see the Barranco Wall, the Western Breach of Kibo, and the South Glacier. This is where their hike ends – and they rest and have dinner. Because their bodies are exposed to such a high elevation at lunch, this is one of the most important days for acclimatization and will prepare our climbers’ bodies for summit day!

MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS

Starting elevation 12,500 feet | Ascend to 15,000 feet at Lava Tower

Ending elevation 12,900 feet in Baranco Valley

Net elevation gain 400 feet

Distance hiked 6 miles

Average hiking time 7 to 9 hours