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If the sky is clear for the climb, the stars and sunrise make for a nice distraction from the hiking
Weather
There are 2 rainy seasons in East Africa: the long rains are from late March until June and the short rains are from November until January. "Short rains" means that it rains once or twice a week and "Long rains" means that it rains almost everyday, often in heavy downpours.
The best time to visit Mt. Kilimanjaro and the famous parks like the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater is July through October and December through March. Of course the weather can be unpredictable and these are only guidelines. If you want to see the migration of wildebeest, they normally return to the Serengeti in November and head north again around July, reaching the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya in September.
On the mountain
At night the temperatures at most camps drops to around freezing, sometimes below. So make sure you have a warm sleeping bag and tent. It usually gets light around 6:30am. However, until direct sunlight hits, it usually hovers below 40 degrees (F). Once the sun comes over the peaks it usually warms up to a comfortable 60-70 degrees.
As the day passes, the clouds roll in and cause the temperatures to drop again. You might start in the morning with 75 degrees and by 2pm it can be 30 degrees. The clouds usually pass by 5pm to offer a bit more warmth before the sun sets and temperatures drop again.
In town / on safari
In town and on the safaris the weather is usually very comfortable. During the day most people are fine in short sleeve shirts and pants or shorts. In the evening you may want a long sleeve shirt some places, or even a light jacket. If you are doing a night safari or staying at Ngorongoro, you may want a bit more as the temperatures can be quite cool.
In general the evenings are between 50-60 degrees with days between in the 80s. With the direct sunlight it can feel quite hot, so make sure you bring a hat and sunscreen. In the evenings at most safari lodges it was cool enough to need a jacket, especially at Ngorongoro Crater which is at about 7,300' elevation. There is also a pretty consistent breeze that makes it comfortable during the day, and a bit chilly at night.
Average temperatures each month:
Full Moon Schedule for 2007
- Jan. 3
- Feb. 1
- March 3
- April 2
- May 2
- May 31
- June 30
- July 29
- Aug. 28
- Sept. 26
- Oct. 25
- Nov. 24
- Dec. 23