ABOUT KILIMANJARO
CLIMATE & WEATHER
WHEN TO GO & WHAT TO EXPECT
The two main trekking seasons on Mount Kilimanjaro are also the warmer / dry seasons on the mountain, Mid December to mid-March and June to October. From January to mid March skies should be clear and temperatures warm, but a little cooler than from June to October. Trekkers can expect the odd rain shower in the afternoons.
Early June, after the rainy season there may still be the chance of cloud cover, but generally conditions should be dry and clear throughout this period, becoming increasingly warmer. This is peak Kilimanjaro climb season due to holiday periods in the northern hemisphere and so trails may be busier. Inclement weather can occur at any time however, and so trekkers should be prepared with the appropriate clothing.
RAINFALL & TEMPERATURES
Whilst you would need a good set of waterproofs to climb Kilimanjaro during the wet season – you will find the mountain is generally quieter so you will have the trails more to yourself. A long wet season falls on Kilimanjaro from late March to May with heavy rain falling on lower slopes and snow storms battering those towards the summit.
There is a shorter period of wet from November to the beginning of December, where rains are hard but generally less prolonged. You can of course climb Kilimanjaro at any time of year, but trekkers should be mindful that rain and cloud during the wet may cause poor visibility and any inclement weather can cause trekking conditions to be dangerous and therefore decrease your chances of reaching the summit.
Mountain weather is very difficult to predict. It can vary dramatically and can change within minutes. As such it is difficult to give set figures for what to expect in terms of temperatures on a Kilimanjaro climb. In general terms though, during both dry seasons, around Arusha and Moshi, temperatures range from the mid-twenties to mid-thirties centigrade. When trekking, temperature on average falls 1C for every 200m in altitude gained.
In the Kilimanjaro rainforest zone, temperatures should remain warm around the low-mid twenties, with high humidity, becoming cooler at dusk and at night dropping to around 10-15 C. As vegetation becomes more sparse and we ascend in altitude, temperatures begin to drop dramatically to around the low-mid teens and then into single figures around the 4000m mark, but in the day there can be intense radiation
At night temperatures are regularly below freezing and so it is imperative to have the right clothing and a good sleeping bag on a Kilimanjaro climb. On summit day, trekkers can expect temperatures to be below freezing and with added wind chill, the feel factor can be as low as -20C! As simple as it sounds, the key to your Kilimanjaro Climb is to be prepared and pack kit to cover all eventualities.
CLIMATIC ZONES...
Mount Kilimanjaro has 5 distinct climate zones that trekkers will journey through on their way to the summit and each has its own features, flora and fauna. This also means you have to pack to be prepared for all weathers and temperatures! Below is a summary of what you can expect from the different climatic zones on Kilimanjaro…
Savanna Bushland
800M > 1800M
The plains of Tanzania are home to cultivated farm land, coffee plantations, grasslands which surround Kilimanjaro. Towns and communities serve Kilimanjaro's trekking businesses, along with safari parks. Moshi is the closest town to Kilimanjaro and home to the Chagga & Maasai tribes. It is here that you'll be based as you land into Kilimanjaro airport.
Rainforest
1,800m > 2,800m
Drenched in heavy rains, it's lush & green all year. Colobus & Blue monkeys, the odd mongoose and lots of birds can be found amongst the giant ferns, vines, juniper, fig & olive trees. On north & west sides of the Kilimanjaro park you may even spot elephant tracks! There're lots of endemic flowers - violets, orchids & the famous Impatiens Kilimanjaro!
Heather & Moorland
2,800m > 4,000m
Known as the low alpine zone, you emerge from the forest into sparse vegetation. It feels fresh compared to the humid forest, with temperatures down to 0C at times. Heather & shrubs blanket the ground and everything is shorter. There're a few flowers - but the most prominent feature are Giant Lobelias, that grew like stubby palm trees!
ALPINE DESERT
4,000m > 5,000m
A fairly inhospitable place - not much life apart from some tussock grasses and a few small flowers. It is brown, dusty and dry. With little to no shelter from the elements, intense radiation plagues the day and at night temperatures plummet to sub freezing. It is however a great part of the trek, as for the first time Kibo and its summit come in to full view.
Artic - the summit!
5,000m - 5895m
From the desert we trek into arctic conditions - where oxygen is half that of sea level. With little to no surface water there is no life apart from lichens which cling desperately to rocks hoping for a few droplets. The sun burns during the day and at night the cold is ferocious. We are now experiencing the fragility of life and so waste no time in our Kilimanjaro summit quest.
