Where to see the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro
Some campsites are better situated than others to let you enjoy the amazing sunrises and sunsets that regularly bathe upper Kilimanjaro in beautiful light. We tell you which routes to choose for these special morning and evening postcard moments.
The two best campsites for sunrise and sunset
Shira 2 Camp on the mountain’s western slope Karanga Camp on its southern slope
Shira 2 and Karanga Camps are the best places for sunrise and sunset on Kilimanjaro. Though on summit day, everyone is rewarded with a sunrise!
Best sunset: Shira 2 Camp
So where is Shira 2 Camp?
Which routes stop at Shira 2 Camp?
Lemosho route Shira route Northern Circuit
The best sunset on the mountain
Best sunrise and sunset: Karanga Camp
Which routes stop at Karanga Camp?
Lemosho route Machame route Shira route Umbwe route
Gorgeous sunset and sunrise
The three best routes for sunrises and sunsets
Lemosho route Machame route Shira route
Why we recommend the Lemosho and Machame over the Shira
are very scenic and varied, taking you through some of the prettiest areas on the mountain follow a different down the mountain from the one that takes you up start at relatively low elevations, unlike the Shira route, which helps you to acclimatise better have excellent 'hike high, sleep low' opportunities, which help you to avoid developing altitude sickness are rated medium difficulty, as they don't follow as steep an incline as routes like the Umbwe
Sunrise on your summit hike
Hikers are usually very near the top of the mountain when the sunrise appears!