Located in the northeast of Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point on the African continent. Standing at 19,341 ft the world’s highest freestanding peak, meaning it is not surrounded by other tall mountains, is a popular trekking and climbing destination. Kilimanjaro is known as the “easiest” of the Seven Summits as reaching its high altitude summit does not require mountaineering gear or technical climbing skills. Although mountaineering experience is not necessary to the summit, reaching the highest point in Africa is no small feat! Most Kilimanjaro treks take between 5 and 10 days as climbers have to slowly acclimate to get used to the high elevation.
Pros:
Very scenic with different habitats, including forest
Views of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mountain climbs offered
Cons:
Effects of cold temperatures at high altitude may be felt
It is possible to trek Kilimanjaro all-year-round. However, certain months are characterized by colder weather, more rain and potentially loads of snow on the summit.
Wildlife does live on Mount Kilimanjaro, especially in the forests that cover the lower slopes. But spotting animals on Kilimanjaro is not as easy as you might think. Well, eland and African hunting dogs are amongst the most exciting creatures that have been spotted - once or twice. A frozen leopard was found in 1926 and there have been two more sightings since. I guess it is not totally impossible that one day someone might see one again, but don't hold your breath. Kilimanjaro is totally overrun with people, and as rule, wildlife like to hang out where people don't.
There are four distinct climatic zones on Kilimanjaro – the rainforest zone (~800m-3,000m) is warm and humid. Rain is common in the zone, particularly during the wet season and temperatures average around 12-15 degrees Celsius at 2,870m. The second zone is often called the low alpine area (~3,000m-4,200m) and is a semi-arid zone where average temperatures range between 5-10 degrees Celsius at 3,630m. The high alpine zone (4,200m-5,000) is desert-like. Here temperatures average around the freezing point at 4,970m, and at the summit in the glacial zone (above 5,000m) temperatures average around -6 degrees Celsius.
Although the summit temperature doesn’t sound too cold, wind chill is a major factor. You are almost guaranteed relatively high winds. Moreover, the effects of cold temperatures at high altitudes are more pronounced as your body expends more effort trying to get your skin and vital organs well-oxygenated in an oxygen-depleted environment. This results in vasoconstriction near the extremities (like your hands, feet, and nose) and means that you will feel the cold a lot more at high altitudes.
Kilimanjaro once had three volcanic cones – Kibo, Shira, and Mawenzi. Kibo is the tallest cone and where the summit lies. Shira has since collapsed, creating the Shira Plateau on the western side of the mountain. Mawenzi is a craggy peak standing 5,149 meters (16,896 feet) tall, and is the third highest peak in Africa, after Kibo and Mount Kenya.
There are two distinct trekking seasons that constitute the best time to climb Kilimanjaro. They are January-March and June-October. January-March is generally colder than June-October and there is a higher probability of encountering snow on the summit. For some, this might be seen as a negative, but the benefits of a January-March trek is that the slopes are often quieter at this time of the year.
The dry season in Tanzania runs primarily from July through October. Also, there's a shorter dry season from January to February, but it's much less predictable than the longer season. The early rainy season can begin in March and extend through April and into May.
The weather is heavily influenced by trade winds that come from the Indian Ocean. These winds blow moisture-heavy air from the ocean to the land from March until May, making this time the wettest season on the mountain.
Precautions against malaria and certain vaccinations are advisable (consult your local healthcare professional).
Mt. Kilimanjaro is a very safe park to visit. Security within the park is high, and there is no cause for concern when visiting. However, one should always be cautious when walking around any towns in Tanzania without a guide. See ‘cities and other urban areas safety precautions’ for further information.
There are four distinct climatic zones on Kilimanjaro – the rainforest zone (~800m-3,000m) is warm and humid. Rain is common in the zone, particularly during the wet season and temperatures average around 12-15 degrees Celsius at 2,870m. The second zone is often called the low alpine area (~3,000m-4,200m) and is a semi-arid zone where average temperatures range between 5-10 degrees Celsius at 3,630m. The high alpine zone (4,200m-5,000) is desert-like. Here temperatures average around the freezing point at 4,970m, and at the summit in the glacial zone (above 5,000m) temperatures average around -6 degrees Celsius.
Although the summit temperature doesn’t sound too cold, wind chill is a major factor. You are almost guaranteed relatively high winds. Moreover, the effects of cold temperatures at high altitudes are more pronounced as your body expends more effort trying to get your skin and vital organs well-oxygenated in an oxygen-depleted environment. This results in vasoconstriction near the extremities (like your hands, feet, and nose) and means that you will feel the cold a lot more at high altitudes. In other words, -6 degrees Celsius can feel like -20!