Sunrise at Shira Camp on Kilimanjaro

Where to see the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro

Feb 12, 2024
Reading time: 7 minutes

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

When you’re climbing Mt Kilimanjaro – a mighty volcano that rises up out of the plains – you naturally look forward to seeing some spectacular sunrises and sunsets throughout your trek. Two of Kilimanjaro’s dozen or so camps offer the most spectacular views of sunrise and sunset:

  • Shira 2 Camp on the mountain’s western slope
  • Karanga Camp on its southern slope

We discuss which routes take you via these camps so that you can factor this into your choice of Kilimanjaro route.  

The good news is that summit night on Kilimanjaro rewards all trekkers with a glorious sunrise! This is because you start your summit climb at midnight, and by the time the sun rises, you’re very near the top of the mountain!

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!

 

 

So here’s what you need to know about the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro…

Best sunset: Shira 2 Camp

Remember the beautiful sunset scene at a campsite in the feature image at the top of this blog post? That's Shira 2 Camp!

So where is Shira 2 Camp?

The map below shows the seven different routes leading up Kilimanjaro (as well as the descent-only route to Mweka Gate). It also shows the campsites along each route. Shira 2 Camp can be found on the west of the mountain. It sits at 3,505 m (11,500 ft) above sea level and is your first night's stop.

Kilimanjaro-routes-map-Follow-Alice

Map of the seven routes and all the stopovers (huts and campsites) on Kilimanjaro

Shira 2 Camp sits in the heather and moorland zone (or band) of Kilimanjaro. In this zone you've climbed above the trees of the rainforest zone, and so there's no longer tall, thick vegetation blocking your view of the sunrises and sunsets.

Which routes stop at Shira 2 Camp?

If you want to stay at Shira 2 Camp and enjoy the sunset and sunrise there, you must trek one of the following Kilimanjaro routes:

  • Lemosho route
  • Shira route
  • Northern Circuit
Dusk Kilimanjaro

The tail end of the sunset

The best sunset on the mountain

What's most special about Shira 2 Camp is the sunset. Having had a hard's day slog up the mountain, you're rewarded with a clear view to the west of the sunset. Everyone in camp tends to gather by the rocks at the edge of the camp to watch the sun as it descends over the western plain. It's a special moment of beauty and camaraderie at the end of a tiring day.

In her Lemosho route video journal, Tash encourages everyone to enjoy the sunset at Shira 2 Camp as she did. Watch from the 10:09 mark to see Tash head with others to watch the sunset. Or you might like to start at the 09:00 mark to see her enter Shira 2 Camp.

As was the case with Tash's sunset at Shira 2 Camp, often you're watching the sun as it drops into a thick sheet of cloud.

Clouds from camp on Kilimanjaro

This stunning shot was taken from camp on the Lemosho route

Best sunrise and sunset: Karanga Camp 

Karanga Camp is situated 3,995 (13,106 ft) above sea level and sits on the edge of the moorland and alpine desert zones of Kilimanjaro. If you look at the above map, you can find Karanga Camp perched just south of the snowy summit.

From Karanga Camp, you have just two days of climbing till you reach the mountain's summit.

Which routes stop at Karanga Camp?

If you want to stay at Karanga Camp, you must trek one of the following routes:

  • Lemosho route
  • Machame route
  • Shira route
  • Umbwe route

Gorgeous sunset and sunrise

Karanga Camp is great for both sunrise and sunset. This is because the camp sits due south of the summit and has no obstructions to both the east and the west. You're also so high up on the mountain, that your views feel endless! We love Karanga Camp, and a stay there is very special.

If you'd like to see what Karanga Camp looks like, start watching Tash's video journal at the 18:08 mark. She also shows the beautiful sunset and sunrise she enjoyed there!

Sunset Karanga Camp Kilimanjaro

Sunset as seen from Karanga Camp

The three best routes for sunrises and sunsets

The following three Kilimanjaro routes stop over at both Shira 2 and Karanga Camp. If you're super keen on enjoying the best sunrises and sunsets on Kilimanjaro, then we recommend opting for one of them:

  • Lemosho route
  • Machame route
  • Shira route

Having more than one chance to see the best sunset and sunrise on your trek is also a good idea should there by mist or clouds obscuring the view on one day. Remember that the weather on a mega mountain like Kilimanjaro is unpredictable, and it also varies depending on the time of year you climb (in that vein, you might like to read Best time to climb Kilimanjaro).

twilight Karanga Camp Kilimanjaro

Twilight

Why we recommend the Lemosho and Machame over the Shira

The Lemosho and Machame are excellent routes for a number of reasons, including that they offer many chances to enjoy sunrise and sunset. Other positives to these routes are that they:

  • 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

If we had to choose between the Lemosho and the Machame, we'd probably go with the Lemosho, as it's slightly less crowded than the Machame.

You might like to read Dwayne's Lemosho route Kilimanjaro journal.

lemosho route Kilimanjaro

The Lemosho route takes you through varied and gorgeous terrain, making it one of our favourite Kilimanjaro routes

Sunrise on your summit hike

On the day you summit Mt Kilimanjaro, you start your hike at midnight. That's right – you read correctly! You set off in the middle of the night for the summit, guided only by torchlight (unless you're doing a Kilimanjaro full moon climb). There are a few reasons for this, one of which is the great distance that must be hiked on summit day – you must reach the summit, and still then hike a long way back down the mountain to reach camp for the night.

Kilimanjaro summit sunrise

Near the summit, and the sun rises in power and glory!

One of the glorious results of such an early start is the climbers usually reach the summit of Kilimanjaro around sunrise. The goal is to reach Stella Point (5, 739 m), from which you have a perfect view east to the rising sun. Here, high up on the mountain, the emerging sun burns away the mist and brings with it warmth and renewed determination.

After that, there's about half an hour of climbing left to reach Uhuru Peak (5,895 m), which is the top point of both Kilimanjaro and Africa!

Hikers are usually very near the top of the mountain when the sunrise appears!

Of course, please note that not everyone gets a perfect sunrise.

Sometimes a summit climb is done in the mist.

We recommend not setting your hopes too firmly on a sunrise climb. That way, if it happens, you're delighted, but your mood isn't dampened if it doesn't. Because no matter what the weather is doing, if you're standing on Uhuru Peak, then you're a champion!! 🏆

sunrise summit night Kilimanjaro

Morning breaks over the roof of Africa, and you're there to see it!