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.
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.
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.
