Best Time To Climb Kilimanjaro

BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a dream to uncountable adventure lovers worldwide. Out of 30,000 climbers stepping their foot on Kilimanjaro, only 60% climbers are succeeding to reach the top. The reason for the unsuccessful trek to the top is mostly lack of information and preparation. A great element that impacts highly the success rate is the Perfect Time to Climb Kilimanjaro.

Many trekkers dream about a great wilderness adventure while trekking Mt. Kilimanjaro. However, the true adventure can be experienced in the perfect weather conditions as well as the suitable time of the year.

Kilimanjaro is the highest peak of Africa acquiring 5,895m height. Acquiring such a height the mountain forms its own climatic and geographical structure. The world’s tallest freestanding mountain offers a decent challenge for the trekkers. The climate is truly unpredictable on the mountain.

The bad weather during your climbing will not only affect your climbing but also it can ruin the pictures /videos you intend to take during your climb. If the climate is good the chances are high that you will reach the summit successfully.

Kilimanjaro Best Time To Climb

Being nearer to the equator, the mountain usually experiences a wet and dry season. The Mountain is accessible throughout the year; however, the long rainy seasons are mostly avoided for trekking. From the 2 climatic periods, the dry months are more adaptable for summiting the mountain.

The High-Season Of Kilimanjaro –

The high season of Kilimanjaro is usually the dry months. Dry season again divided into 2 sub-dry seasons out of which one is the long dry season and one is the short-dry season. The long dry season continues from June to October. These months are considered the best time for the trekkers for climbing Kilimanjaro. The sky remains clearer in these months, the temperature remains cold, and the trails conditions will be drier.

Though don’t expect any rainfall, as you probably will meet rainfall throughout the year in the rainforest and Moorland zone of the mountain. Rest zones you may travel without any rain. Traveling in the dry season will allow you to explore the mountain’s best views. You are likely to meet more wildlife, as well as if you are a camera person you will get to capture some scenic moments.

During the long-dry season routes like Machame, Lemosho, and Marangu get crowded. If you are someone who is trekking alone and planning to combine it with a group then the dry season will be the best. During the dry season, there are many trekkers tend to climb Kilimanjaro as it offers comfortable climbing along with high more chances of successful summiting.

Apart from these months, another best weather is the short-dry months for climbing Kili. Usually, December and January are considered as the short dry months. During this time the weather of the mountain remains almost dry. There is a lower rain-fall with mostly sunny weather. The Alpine desert zone and the Arctic zones are mostly colder and free from rain-fall. No heavy downpour will get experienced during these months.

The Low-Season Of Kilimanjaro –

However, we don’t consider there is any time that is not suitable for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. January to Mid-March is though considered to be the low season for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. It is the time when the mountain receives rainfalls.

The rainy season as like the dry season is also divided into 2 parts. One is the long-rainy season when the mountain experiences heavy downpour. The long rainy season start from mid-March and lasts through early June. During these months the trekkers are likely to feel heavy downpour. The best route to take during the long-rainy season is the Rongai Route. The route is considered best in the wet season as it initiates from the Northern side of the mountain which is comparatively drier than other routes.

From November to early December months are considered as the short rainy season. During this period the mountain receives some rain-fall, however, it’s less in comparison to the longer-wet months.

The low-season is quite preferred for those who are looking for low cost, the lesser crowd, and more adventure. As there are fewer climbers are coming to hike the mountain during the wet season, many trekking companies lower their prices. Due to low traffic, trekkers will feel an exclusive trekking experience.

HERE IS THE KILIMANJARO WEATHER CHART FOR OUR TREKKERS –

MONTH MIN °C MAX °C CROWDS RAIN (mm)
JAN 14 24 MIDIEUM 47
FEB 14 25 MIDIEUM 42
MARCH 15 25 LOW 119
APRIL 15 23 LOW 327
MAY 14 22 LOW 174
JUNE 12 22 MIDIEUM 41
JULY 10 22 HIGH 31
AUG 11 22 HIGH 21
SEP 12 24 HIGH 20
OCT 14 24 HIGH 41
NOV 15 23 MIDIEUM 88
DEC 14 23 MEDIUM 63

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