One of the key planning decisions you will need to make is when to climb Kilimanjaro. There are three main things to consider when deciding when is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro. The weather, of course, is always the most important consideration. Being near the equator, Kilimanjaro has no hot and cold season but it does have two rainy seasons: the long rainy season in April and May and the short rainy season in November to mid-December. You can still climb in the rainy season but there is likely to be some rain every day, often in short sharp downpours. The period with the greatest weather stability when it is mostly warm clear weather is June to October.
Kilimanjaro is a very popular destination and the mountain can tend to be rather crowded, particularly at certain times of the year. The second consideration then is how busy the mountain will be. Inevitably June to October is busier than at other times in the year. To minimise this problem during these months we generally start our treks away from the weekend and ensure that we get started early every day to get ahead of the crowds.
Finally, you should look at the cost of your flights. Flight prices can tend to vary quite a lot, both at different times of the year but also depending on the day of the week. The main summer holiday period in Europe always tends to be particularly expensive.
And of course, climbing Kilimanjaro in the full moon is magical any time of year so check out the dates with us.
Month by Month Guide of climbing Kilimanjaro
An important issue often overlooked when planning a climb up Kilimanjaro is the full moon dates. The summit ascent is nearly always done overnight and the benefit of a full moon is huge for fantastic night sky views.
We recommend climbing Kilimanjaro during this time
If you are planning to climb Kilimanjaro one of the key decisions you will need to make is when to go “Deciding the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro” comes down to looking at three things.
Of course, the weather is the most important consideration. Kilimanjaro is located near the Equator and has no hot and cold season but it does have two rainy seasons: the long rainy season in April and May and the short rainy season in mid-November to December. If you climb in these months there is likely to be some rain every day but often in short sharp downpours. The driest period is June to October when there is almost invariably warm clear weather.
The second factor to take into account is how busy the mountain will be. Inevitably more want to climb in June to October and as a result, you can find that the routes are busy. To minimise this problem during these months we generally start our treks away from Saturday or Sunday and make sure we get started early every day to get ahead of most people.
Finally, you should look at the cost of your flights. These vary quite a bit, both during the year and depending on the day of the week. The main summer vacation period in Europe always though tends to be particularly expensive.
And of course, climbing Kilimanjaro in the full moon is magical any time of year.
Choosing the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro?
If you’ve decided you want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, but haven’t worked out when you want to go, why not talk to one of our advisers who can help you decide. Weather conditions, flight costs and mountain-traffic should all be considered to ensure you have maximum enjoyment and value for money.
Basically though because Kilimanjaro sits so close to the equator it does not have seasons as we have in either the Northern or Southern Hemispheres- the only real difference in the weather is the timing and extent of the rainy season. You can see from the charts above just how much rain they get in the rainy season and this can make your attempt to climb Kilimanjaro tougher.
Deciding when the time to climb Kilimanjaro is ultimately up to you but whenever you choose our team will work had to make sure you have a life-changing experience. So climb Kilimanjaro with Mount Kilimanjaro Routes, the high altitude trekking specialists, for the ultimate trekking adventure any time of year.
