Worst/Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro: A Month by Month Guide

The Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro

Dry Seasons (Recommended)

• June to October: This is the “long dry season” with excellent weather conditions.
• July and August: These are the busiest, peak months due to the ideal weather.
• September and October: These are also great months with warm, dry conditions but with fewer crowds, especially October after the main summer rush.
• January to March: This is the “short dry season”.
  These months are warm and sunny with clear skies, and you might even experience a snow-covered summit, which is a beautiful sight.
  It is a good option for those seeking a quieter experience compared to the peak season.

The Worst to Climb Kilimanjaro

Rainy Seasons (Consider if you prefer fewer crowds)

• April and May (long rains): This is the long rainy season, and trails can be muddy and slippery.
• November to December (short rains): This is a short rainy season where showers are often brief. While not ideal for dry conditions, this period sees significantly fewer climbers.

Key Considerations

• Crowds: Avoid the peak season (July-August) if you prefer a solitary experience.
• Full Moon Summit: If you want to experience the stunning beauty of the summit lit by a bright full moon and have improved visibility, plan your climb to coincide with a full moon.
• Weather: While the dry seasons are best, be prepared for rain and snow at any time of year.

Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro (Month By Month)

Climbing Kilimanjaro is best done during one of two trekking seasons. January–March and June–October are the other two.

There is a greater chance of meeting snow on the top during the months of January through March than during the months of June through October. The slopes may be less crowded in January and February than during other times of the year, which could be considered as a drawback by some.

Many people choose to go on a hike between June and October because that’s when schools in Europe and North America are out for the summer.

The months of March, April, and November on Kilimanjaro are the wettest and therefore the worst for hiking.

From December to May, you may expect a lot of snow and chilly weather.

The Best Time to Trek Kilimanjaro

The interaction of trade winds with Kilimanjaro’s geology has a significant impact on the mountain’s climate.

Over the Indian Ocean, the southerly trade winds provide a lot of precipitation. They are propelled upwards as they strike Kilimanjaro in March, resulting in clouds and rain. This makes the months of March, April, and May the wettest on Kilimanjaro. At this time of year, the southern slopes are most vulnerable to precipitation.

We recommend the Rongai route if you can only climb in April or May because it leaves from the northern end of Kilimanjaro and is typically drier than the southern route options at that time of year.

North-easterly winds that are counter to trade patterns are dry yet very strong. Because of the intensity of these winds, the South-East trade winds stay below them from April through October, making those months relatively dry with cloud cover and precipitation typically confined to the lower slopes.

In November, the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro get little precipitation from the North-east monsoon.

Kilimanjaro Altitude and Climate Zones

The changing weather while you climb Kilimanjaro is another issue to think about.

Kilimanjaro has four very different climates.

• Humidity and heat are typical of the rainforest belt (about 800m to 3000m). Temperatures average approximately 12-15 degrees Celsius at 2,870m, and rain can be expected on most days, especially during the wet season.
• The second region, from around 3,000 to 4,200 meters in altitude, is a semiarid zone with average temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius at 3,630 meters.
• Desert conditions prevail in the upper alpine zone (4,200m-5,000m). At 4,970 meters above sea level, temperatures hover around freezing, while at the peak in the glacier zone (above 5,000 meters), they hover around -6 degrees Celsius.
• The wind chill makes the actual peak temperature seem much more severe than it actually is. You should expect fairly strong winds.

As your body works harder to oxygenate your skin and important organs in an oxygen-depleted environment, the effects of frigid temperatures at high altitude are exacerbated.

As a result, your blood vessels constrict around your extremities (such your hands, feet, and nose), making the cold feel much more intense. So, if the temperature is -6 degrees Celsius, it might as well be -20!

Monthly average temperatures for four locations representing different climate zones are displayed in the following chart.