What is the Temperature on Mount Kilimanjaro?

The journey from the gate to the peak is like traveling from the equator to Antarctica in a matter of days. This is because the routes to the Uhuru peak cross different ecological zones. Throughout the climb, temperatures vary considerably with the altitude and time of day. Mount Kilimanjaro has five major ecological zones, each approximately 3,280 feet (1,000 m) in altitude. Each zone is subject to a corresponding decrease in rainfall, temperature and life as the altitude increases.

Moshi, the gateway town from which our climbs are organized, is located just south of the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. At 2,667 feet (900 m) above sea level, the town is located in the lowest, warmest ecological zone. Average temperature, humidity and precipitation figures for Moshi are reflected in the following table. As shown, January and February are the warmest months, April and May are the wettest months, June and July are the coolest months, and August and September are the driest months. These generalities about the weather in Moshi hold true for Mount Kilimanjaro as well.

Average Temperature, Humidity and Precipitation in Moshi, Tanzania
Month	Low (F)	Average (F)	High (F)	Humidity (%)	Rainfall (in)
January	64	78	92	58	1.4
February	64	78	92	57	2.0
March	66	78	90	63	4.7
April	67	76	85	73	13.8
May	65	72	79	77	9.3
June	62	70	78	72	1.5
July	60	69	78	69	1.0
August	60	70	80	66	0.7
September	60	71	83	61	0.6
October	62	75	88	57	1.0
November	64	76	89	57	2.5
December	64	77	90	60	2.1

At the beginning of the climb, at the base of the mountain, the average temperature is around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius). From there, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro's ecological zones. At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures can range between 0 and -15 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -26 degrees Celsius). Due to Mount Kilimanjaro's great height, the mountain creates its own weather. It is extremely variable and impossible to predict. Therefore, regardless of when you climb, you should always be prepared for wet days and cold nights.

Below are the five zones from the lowest to the highest altitude along with the average annual precipitation, zone characteristics, and links/feeds to the current weather in each particular zone (when available).

Bushland

Altitude: 2,600 to 6,000 ft (800 to 1,800 m)
Precipitation: 20 to 70 in (500 to 1,800 mm)

Cultivated land, grasslands and populated human settlements characterize this zone.

Rain Forest

Altitude: 6,000 to 9,200 ft (1,800 to 2,800 m)
Precipitation: 79 to 40 in (2,000 to 1,000 mm)

The forest receives 6 feet of rain annually, supporting a variety of plants and wildlife while clear nights can produce low temperatures.

Heath

Altitude: 9,200 to 13,200 ft (2,800 to 4,000 m)
Precipitation: 51 to 21 in (1,300 to 530 mm)

This semi-alpine zone is characterized by heath-like vegetation and abundant wild flowers. The unique Senecio trees are abundant here. Heath Zone Weather

Alpine Desert

Altitude: 13,200 to 16,500 ft (4,000 to 5,000 m)
Precipitation: 10 in (250 mm)

The alpine desert receives little water and correspondingly light vegetation exists here. The temperature can vary from over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day to below freezing at night. Alpine Desert Zone Weather

Arctic

Altitude: 16,500+ ft (5,000+ m)
Precipitation: <4 in (100 mm)

Characterized by ice and rock, there is virtually no plant or animal life at this altitude. Nights are extremely cold and the day's unbuffered sun is powerful. The oxygen level is half that of sea level. Arctic Zone Weather

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What Gear Do I Need to Carry in my Day Pack?

You are only required to carry items from your gear list that you may need prior to reaching your next campsite. A small to medium sized backpack, with a volume capacity of up to 2000 cu in (30 liters), is appropriate. The specific items to carry generally depend on the time to reach camp and trail and weather conditions. Typically, you will have inside your daypack: waterproof gear, extra clothing, water, snacks, gloves, hat, sunglasses, and other small items (bug repellent, sun screen). Consult your guide if you are unsure of what you need.

Everything else should be placed into your duffel bag, which the porters will carry. They will carry the duffel bag from campsite to campsite. Use plastic bags to separate and water proof your gear. You will be expected to pack your daypack and duffel bag each morning. (See Can You Recommend a Backpack for Kilimanjaro?)

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What is a Typical Day's Schedule?

On a typical day on the mountain, you will be awaken from your tent around 6:30AM by your waiter/porter, who will bring you a warm pan of water to wash your face and hands. Breakfast will then be served. After you assemble your day pack, you will begin walking by 8:00AM, while the porters stay behind to clean up the campsite, and pack up the tents and other equipment.

While the hours vary from day to day, your average walking time will be around four to five hours per day. During the walk, your guide will decide the pace and when to take a breaks depending on his assessment of the party's performance. The porters consistently move ahead of the group in order to prepare food, boil water, and set up tents so that everything is ready when the party arrives. Lunch may be a boxed lunch or on occasion a hot lunch if the day's hike is a short one. Dinner is served around 6:00PM every night in a mess tent (for parties of 2 or more). Down time is spent chatting with your fellow climbers, staff, others sharing the campsite, reading, singing or otherwise relaxing. We use four-season, warm, waterproof mountain tents with a rainfly. Each three-person sized tent will comfortably house two climbers and their gear.

For most routes, summit day is a tough, 11 to 15 hour day. It begins very early for most people because guides try to time their reaching of Uhuru point with the sunrise. For those who are leaving from Barafu or Kibo Hut, that means that climbers usually begin their push for summit at midnight, and ascend in the darkness, cold and wind. It goes without saying that under these conditions, climbing is difficult, not to mention that the path is through loose gravel (skree) and up a steep slope.

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What are the Trail Conditions?

The trails on Mount Kilimanjaro are well marked and maintained. Technical skills are not required on our routes. There are only a couple spots where scrambling (climbing on hands and feet) is required, such as the Barranco Wall, the Western Breach approach (now closed) and optional Lava Tower climb. The path to and from Uhuru Point is on scree (loose gravel), which can be especially tiring and slippery.

Bad weather conditions can complicate matters. Climbers should be prepared to trek through all types of weather, such as fog, rain, snow, and all types of earth, whether loose, dusty, muddy, wet, snowy or icy.

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What Food and Water Will be Provided?

You will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner each day spent on the mountain. The food, specifically selected to help your climb, are good tasting, high carbohydrate (energy) foods that are easily digestible. Drinking water (boiled and cooled) is also provided throughout the day to keep you hydrated. There is no need for further treatment of water, but you can use chemical water treatment pills if you have a sensitive stomach.

Below are sample menus for your three meals:

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate	Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate	Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate
Chicken or Vegetable Soup	Chicken or Vegetable Soup	Chicken or Vegetable Soup
Toast, Biscuits with Margarine, Jam, Peanut Butter	Bread, Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter	Bread, Biscuits or Pancakes with Jam, Peanut Butter
Eggs, Meat	Sandwich with Meat or Cheese, Boiled Egg	Roasted Chicken, Beef or Fish
Porridge	Snack: Peanuts, Popcorn, Cake	Potatoes, Rice, Pasta
Fresh Fruit: Mango, Banana, Avocado, Watermelon	Fresh Fruit Salad: Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Carrots	Fresh Vegetables: Carrots, Peas, Tomato, Beans