Even though you can climb throughout the year - January / February / March and July / August / September / are the best months to climb. However it must be noted that Kilimanjaro has a typical montane climate - unpredictable even in the driest seasons.

A bright clear morning can turn to rain and sleet in the afternoon as the hot air rises from the lowland valleys. Then as evening falls the sky clears and a beautiful starlit canopy appears.

There are two wet seasons, November to December and April to May. During these rainy periods, clouds tend to pile up and over the summit, with snow on top and lots of rain at the base. Blizzards appear more frequently during these periods. Cloud cover can limit visibility even when no rain falls.

Rainfall decreases rapidly as altitude increase. In the forest area the annual rainfall is around 2300mm, while at +/- 2700m the rainfall is 1300mm. At the base camps (+- 4600m) the rainfall is around 200mm.

Conditions above 4000m can be extreme and the temperature range there is considerable. You need to be prepared for any weather condition at this altitude, doesn’t matter when you climb. Night temperatures generally fall below zero, even at your fist camp.

It is an awesome experience to hike on Kilimanjaro with full moon (especially when you summit), but please keep in mind that the mountain is very busy. Our advice is to try to be NOT on Kilimanjaro with full moon. Remember everybody advertise these dates – if you want to have a really experience, avoid these dates.

Full moon dates

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