Best time to climb Kilimanjaro – a comprehensive look at all 4 seasons

An important part of anyone's Kilimanjaro preparation is choosing a time of year to climb the mountain. While you can climb Kilimanjaro any time of year, some months are just better than others.

We aim to help you choose the best time of year for you to climb the mountain by offering our cumulative expert advice, which is based on many years of trekking on Kilimanjaro. If you still have any questions after you read this article, book a call with us.

The best periods for climbing Kilimanjaro are:

Graph showing Kilimanjaro seasonal patterns

Late December, January, February and March are great months for climbing Kilimanjaro. For starters, while there's usually some rain during this season, it's neither frequent nor extreme.

Another good reason for climbing during this season is that you could be climbing to the summit in snow! Snow on the summit is, of course, very beautiful.

The summit of Kilimanjaro also isn't as cold during the short dry season as it is at other times of the year, as we discuss in How cold is the summit of Kilimanjaro? So this is another bonus of trekking at this time of year.

You're likely to have a snowy summit if you trek Kilimanjaro between late December and March

Please note that December generally sees the most snowfall on the summit. While it can be incredibly beautiful to walk in fresh snow, it does mean you might not have a clear view from the summit over the surrounding landscape if there's snowfall at the time.

Another reason why this is a good season for climbing Kilimanjaro is that it's not quite as busy as the long dry season. This means quieter trails and campsites, which for some is a plus.

If you're really not keen on crowds and would like to trek during Kilimanjaro's short dry season, we suggest that you steer away from the busier routes like the Marangu and the Machame. Better options for a quieter climb are the Lemosho, the Shira and especially the Northern Circuit.

June to October are arguably the best Kilimanjaro hiking months as there's little rainfall and less cloud coverage at this time, which means you should be treated to sprawling views over the African plains from all the different climate zones of the mountain! This time of year also tends to offer the crispest views from the summit!

Another factor making this a great season for climbing Kilimanjaro is that it's not so hot and humid during the day in the rainforest as it is during the short dry season.

A downside, however, to climbing during these months is the crowds. One reason for this being Kilimanjaro's busiest season is that these months coincide with the summer holidays in Europe and North America. Perhaps consider December to March if you'd like a less crowded climb.

The top of Kilimanjaro is usually at its coldest in June and July

Finally, another possible downside to trekking during the long dry season is that the summit is the coldest during these months. June to July tend to have the meanest conditions at the summit, so if you'd like to climb Kilimanjaro during the long dry season, we suggest booking your spot for August, September or early October.

Yes. Many people trek Kilimanjaro during the rainy seasons. That said, November is particularly quiet on the mountain, as it's one of the rainiest months, and so that's often when mountain crews do volunteer clean-ups.

Here are some more details about the rainy seasons, as well as some suggestions as to your route should you want to climb during one of the wetter months.

Late March, April and May make up the long rainy season on Kilimanjaro. The days can be very hot (as well as humid), especially in the rainforest, which some find irksome. Further, these are the wettest months, and you could end up trekking through downpours.

One of the downsides of trekking Kilimanjaro during the rainy season is that you must sometimes navigate muddy and slick paths, which increases the chances of injury.

All that said, you can still climb Kilimanjaro at this time of year, and one perk is that the mountain is less crowded.

It's the rainforest zone where (surprise, surprise!) most of the mountain's rainfall occurs

November is one of the least comfortable months to climb Kilimanjaro in terms of the weather lower down on the mountain. This rain can also sometimes extend into early December.

The short rainy season sees some intense downpours in the rainforest zone of Kilimanjaro. Not only does this mean having to trek in the rain, kitted out in rain gear, but the ground can also become slippery and treacherous. This is perhaps even more of an issue when you descend the mountain near the end of your trek.

It can also be pretty hot and steamy during this season. And when it's raining or very hazy, then you don't get to enjoy the incredible views that are synonymous with a Kilimanjaro climb!

For all of these reasons, we don't consider November and the first half of December to be ideal Kilimanjaro climbing weather.

The rains only really affect the lower portion of the hike as you walk through the mountain's rainforest belt

All that said, the mountain can still be climbed at this time of year if you wish. You might like to read Arwa Mrad's Kilimanjaro journal to see how she and her partner found hiking the Lemosho route during the short rainy season.

The mountain is also at its quietest during the short rainy season, which some find to be a plus.

If your schedule dictates that you need to tackle your Kilimanjaro adventure at this time of year, then you might like to consider trekking the Rongai route, as this trail on the northern slope receives less rainfall on average than the other Kilimanjaro routes, which ascend the west or south of the mountain.

Kilimanjaro trekkers start their summit attempt at midnight, but most do so by the light of their headlamps alone. The fortunate few, however, get to hike under the bright light of a full moon!

A full moon summit climb is incredibly beautiful

Kilimanjaro full moon climbs are a special and incredibly beautiful experience. Instead of trekking for hours in darkness, you see the dramatic, nighttime world of the mountain's summit, something few ever will!

Please chat to us if you'd like to arrange to climb Kilimanjaro during a full moon!

Can you imagine a better – or more novel! – way to bring in the new year than from the highest peak in Africa? A New Year's Eve climb takes place during the short dry season on Kilimanjaro, and so is one of the best times to climb Kilimanjaro.

– Stephen Hemmings

Keen for your turn at the very top of Africa?!

Finally, if you're thinking of spending some time in Tanzania either before or after your Kilimanjaro climb, you may also want to research the best time to travel in Tanzania.

After climbing Kilimanjaro, it can be sheer bliss to laze on a beach in Zanzibar!