You can climb Kilimanjaro at any time of the year. But we recommend climbing Kilimanjaro between mid-December and March, or between mid-June and October, to enjoy the best weather conditions. Due to Mount Kilimanjaro’s proximity to the equator, this region does not experience the extremes of winter and summer weather, but rather dry and wet seasons. Therefore, the best recommended time to climb Kilimanjaro tends to be the warmest and driest months. Here are the best time of year to climb Mt Kilimanjaro
The primary concern is safety, as the risks associated with climbing increase significantly when the weather is foul. The effects of rain, mud, snow, ice, and cold can be very strenuous on the body. Correspondingly, your chances of a successful summit also increase significantly with nice weather. Of course, the mountain gets more foot traffic during these periods as well.
Best Kilimanjaro Trekking Months
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 benefit of a January-March trek is that the slopes are often quieter at this time of the year.
The June-October trekking season coincides with the summer holidays in Europe and N.America and hence certain routes are often quite busy.
March, April, and November are the wettest months on Kilimanjaro, and not ideal for trekking.
Snowfall and cold temperatures are common during December-May.
The chart below shows the average snowfall in cm on the summit of Kilimanjaro.
What’s the best time to climb Kilimanjaro without the crowds? If you don’t mind the possibility of getting rained on and are well prepared, the shoulder seasons just before and after the rains are the quietest time of year. If you’re looking for solitude, it can be a worthwhile trade-off to risk a bit of wet weather to have the mountain to yourself.
We avoid climbing in the height of the rainy season (April/May and November). Alternatively, choose one of the routes that have less foot traffic. In the wetter months, we recommend the routes on the northern side of the mountain, which tend to experience less rainfall, and are more sheltered.
Best time to climb Kilimanjaro without the crowds
If you don’t mind the possibility of getting rained on and are well prepared, the shoulder seasons just before and after the rains are the quietest time of year. If you’re looking for solitude, it can be a worthwhile trade-off to risk a bit of wet weather to have the mountain to yourself. We avoid climbing in the height of the rainy season (April/May and November). Alternatively, choose one of the routes that have less foot traffic. In the wetter months, we recommend the routes on the northern side of the mountain, which tend to experience less rainfall, and are more sheltered on the best time of year to climb mt Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro Climate Zones
You’ll be trekking through five main Mount Kilimanjaro climate zones, each with unique weather patterns. Some have compared it to walking from the Equator to the North Pole.
The lower slopes: cultivated/savanna zone and rainforest will normally be hot and humid and experience the most rainfall.
The heath and moorland/low alpine zone are cooler, with less rainfall – precipitation is mostly fog and mist – and temperatures can drop dramatically at night.
The alpine desert zone has very little rainfall, with the scorching sun during the day, and freezing temperatures at night.
Arctic Zone – this is the mountain at its most inhospitable. Bitterly cold, with barely any rainfall only snow very little surface water, and no protection from the sun. Read more on Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes and tips for Climbing Kilimanjaro
