Peak climbing season on Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro Trekking is available year-round. Nonetheless, some months are distinguished by lower temperatures, heavier precipitation, and possibly a lot of snow at the top.

We give a quick summary of the two trekking seasons—which are the ideal times to climb Kilimanjaro—in this post.

Kilimanjaro weather and winds
Trade winds and Kilimanjaro’s topography interact to greatly affect the mountain’s weather.

A lot of moisture is carried by the trade winds from the southeast as they cross the Indian Ocean. Around March, when they reach Kilimanjaro, they are propelled higher, where they condense to produce precipitation and clouds. This indicates that Kilimanjaro experiences its wettest season from March to May. This time of year, the southern slopes are more prone to rain.

If your trekking schedule is limited to April or May, we advise you to take into account the Rongai route, which starts at Kilimanjaro’s northernmost point and is typically drier than the southern route options during these months.

Northeastern anti-trade winds are strong but carry relatively little moisture. These winds, which blow from April to October, are strong enough to keep the trade winds from the southeast below them. As a result, these months are often dry, with limited cloud cover and precipitation on the lower slopes.

Ideal Months for Hiking

The optimal time to climb Kilimanjaro is during one of two separate trekking seasons.

They are June–October and January–March.

In general, January through March is cooler than June through October, and there’s a greater chance of snow on the top at this time. Although this may not be a plus for some, one advantage of a trek from January to March is that the slopes are frequently quieter during this time of year.

Since the hiking season, which runs from June to October, falls around Europe’s and North America’s summer vacations, some routes are frequently very crowded.

The wettest months of Kilimanjaro are March, April, and November, which makes them unsuitable for trekking.

Snowfall and chilly weather are typical from December to May.