When planning to climb Kilimanjaro, you may have wondered what it’s like at the summit and especially the weather up there. I am planning to climb Kilimanjaro and I was wondering about how cold the peak gets, so I did some research.
At the Peak of Kilimanjaro, expect temperatures to go as low as -20°F (-28.89°C) with the average temperature on most seasons being 23°F (-5°C). Night temperatures on the highest point you will sleep go as low as -10°F (-23.33°C). Let’s take a deeper look at the temperatures you can expect at the peak of Kilimanjaro and what you can do to prepare for them.
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Learn MoreHow cold is it at the top of Kilimanjaro?
The highest point in Kilimanjaro is Uhuru Peak. The Graph below represents the annual temperature changes on Uhuru peak with the high low and average
Based on the research I did, I found that Temperatures at the peak of Kilimanjaro can go as low as -20°F (-28°C) on the cold months of April May and June.
How cold does the highest camp get
You would expect similar temperatures on the highest camp as you would on the summit. Preparing in this way ensures that you will carry warm enough gear to keep you comfortable when climbing this mountain.
Most camps when going up Kilimanjaro will be tented and only the Marangu route has huts so you will need to prepare for really cold temperatures when doing your climb.
Hottest and Coldest Months on Kilimanjaro
Based on the graph I shared earlier, the average temperatures are fairly constant but the coldest months are between June and Early September. I also found that the hottest months on Kilimanjaro are January and February.
But does this mean that you should only visit Kilimanjaro on the hottest months and ignore the cold ones?
Based on the research I did, I found that almost all months are ok for visiting Kilimanjaro in terms of temperatures. The only concern that is there that prevents people from going to Kilimanjaro in some months is rain.
Rain makes Kilimanjaro more difficult to climb and more dangerous too. It is therefore advisable to avoid climbing the mountain in the months of April, May, October, and November. These are the wettest months in East Africa and there will be a lot of rain on Kilimanjaro.
Summit Day Weather
The day you will be summiting Kilimanjaro will start really early. Most guides start their summit day at midnight and you will walk in the dark for 6-7 hours and arrive on the summit at daybreak. They do this to allow you to have enough time to get back to safer elevations for sleep or possibly lower elevations when you are done with the summit.
The implication of this is that you will have a really cold summit night and being well dressed for the weather will be essential. The fact that you will be attempting to summit in the middle of the night means that it’s possible that you will have snow falling and high wind speeds. This may make it feel colder than it actually is and make your climb even more difficult.
What Should I wear for summit day
To stay warm, you need to wear a jacket that is well insulated and adapted for the kind of weather you will expect to find at the summit. It also needs to be lightweight and pack well into your gear to avoid having to carry something really bulky, especially when starting off.
The other secret I found about staying warm when climbing Kilimanjaro is layering. Since you will start off your climb with fairly warm temperatures at the base of the mountain, you will not need very warm clothing at the beginning. Once you get to much higher elevations you will need to start adding layers of clothing until you reach the peak.
To stay comfortable, I found that you need to wear several layers of light jackets and finally have a jacket that is insulated for very cold temperatures.
Most of the inner layers are clothes you may already own. Check your wardrobe for warm light fleeces.
For the outer jacket that is more suited for below-freezing temperatures, I found the following jackets on Amazon that had great ratings and glowing reviews. I have not used any of the jackets here and I advise that you take the time to do more research on the one you are interested in before making the purchase.
Wantdo Women’s Lightweight Packable Down Jacket Hooded Insulated Coat
Eddie Bauer Men’s CirrusLite Down Jacket
Amazon Essentials Men’s Lightweight Water-Resistant Packable Puffer Jacket
Columbia Men’s Steens Mountain Full Zip Soft Fleece Vest
Here is a soft fleece that you can wear in the inside as part of your layers
Amazon Essentials Women’s Lightweight Water-Resistant Packable Hooded Puffer Jacket
What temperatures do I expect when going up Kilimanjaro
The fact that Mount Kilimanjaro is on the Equator means that the weather is going to be relatively warm and tropical all year round. The temperatures at the base of the mountain will range around 77°F (25°C) all year round. It may be colder in the months of June and July but this would only be around 66°F (19°C)
As you go up the mountain, the temperature will keep dropping but not precipitously enough to require you to wear insulated clothing earlier on.
Kilimanjaro only snows at the very top of the mountain and this goes to show that the temperatures remain relatively mild for most of your climb.
Is it just cold at night or throughout the day?
I got curious about whether its constantly cold on the summit of Kilimanjaro or if it gets warm when the sun comes out. Here is what I found.
The temperatures on the peak of Kilimanjaro drop by several degrees when the sun sets. It’s around January when I’m writing this and the forecast, as shown above, shows that the temperatures will drop to about -8 ° C (17.6 ° F) from -2 ° C (35 ° F) at around 3am and keep the low temperatures until about 7:00 am when the sun comes out.
With the added wind, It feels much colder than what it actually is so you will need to factor that into consideration.
Considering that you will be summiting in the middle of the night, you can expect the temperatures to be really brutal on summit night and you will be doing yourself a favor if you prepare adequately.
