The best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro : Mount kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano located in Kilimanjaro region in Northern Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. It is not only the tallest peak in Africa but also the highest free-standing mountain in the world. To have a successful climb, anyone planning to attempt to climb the tallest mountain in Africa, must prepare mentally and physically with a good exercise regime and enough understanding of altitude.
Several factors need to be considered when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro such as the views, the density of the traffic on the trek, difficulty level and safety. But the most important factor that oversees the other factors is the weather. The mountain is found in an equatorial climate zone and it experiences only dry and wet seasons instead of the fours seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn. The wet seasons of Mount Kilimanjaro are in April to May and November with all its other months being dry months with it being sunny but not necessarily clear skies.
Mount Kilimanjaro has two main climbing seasons one is July , August and September and the other being January and February. Most travellers have their summer holidays or Christmas during the time when the weather conditions are perfect for climbing mount Kilimanjaro.
During the rainy months of April, May and November many climbers shy off. The rainy season softens the soil around Mount Kilimanjaro making its rocks slippery making the climb a slower and dangerous adventure. This rainy season is good for landscape lovers and photographers because more precipitation means more snow on the peak, which is good for the shoot of the snow-capped summit of the tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro.
What is the best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro?
April- May
The most rainy season around the mountain and most parts of Tanzania start at the end of March and continues until the middle of May. April is the beginning of the coldest month and time of the year in Tanzania. During this time there are very few climbers in Mount Kilimanjaro than the rest of the year , but there is high successful rate of hiking at this time of the year.
June- July
The rain would have significantly reduced with its frequency during this period but the nights are still very cold. June is usually known to be quiet and sunny which is much underrated for climbing. It is one of the excellent months to choose for your adventure because of its great weather and the routes are almost private due to less traffic of climbers with the number of climbers increasing as the year progresses. By the start of July majority of Kilimanjaro routes will be quite busy.
August to September
This is considered the peak of the climbing season on Mount Kilimanjaro. The weather is perfectly good for climbing with the days being reasonably warmer than in June/just. Sometimes during this time it may be cloudy especially in the forest/ moorland zone and it may be as well rainy on the southern routes( Machame and Umbwe). However, once you leave the rainforest behind, it will be sunny.
October
This also is one of the unfairly ignored season with nice weather conditions which last into mid October with the number of climbers dropping drastically, providing a chance to enjoy the Kilimanjaro trek almost privately. Towards the end of October the weather changes again and the rainy season begins with occasional rain showers.
November
It is considered the small rainy season which lasts until mid-December. The temperatures at this time drops and mist covers the mountain making the Kilimanjaro climb slightly tricky and risky yet more challenging and exciting. November gives great opportunity to enjoy the breath-taking views of the misty covered tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro with its snow-capped peak and some of the terrific photos despite it being not favourable pick in terms of weather.
December- January
This is the Christmas season and the New year’s holiday Seasons. It is the second busiest climbing season of Mount Kilimanjaro. There is extremely high traffic of climbers for most people will be enjoying their holidays, there is also a good chance of rain and the thick cloud covers at the lower altitudes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mid-January to Mid- March
This is the perfectly balanced weather and the best season for mountain climbing Kilimanjaro. It is the most popular season among the climbers, where the weather is neither too cold nor too wet. This period of time around Mount Kilimanjaro is generally dry, though occasional rains may happen. The weather begins to change drastically towards the second half of March because the season of the heavy rains season is approaching.
Kilimanjaro temperature
Mount Kilimanjaro temperature varies between the four distinct climatic zones in the mountain.
The rainforest zone( 800m -300m)
This is the warm and humid region of the mountain. It is densely covered with green vegetation with its temperatures averaging between 12-15°C and 20-25°C during the daytime at 2,900m. This is where you are going to spend your one or two days of your climb depending on the route used.
The low alpine zone (3,000m – 4,200m)
This is a semi arid area of the mountain. The higher you climb Mount Kilimanjaro the scarcer the vegetation becomes. Here depending on the route used you’re likely to spend one or two days with a temperature range of between 5-10°c and 15-20°C during the day at 3,600m.
The high alpine zone (4200m – 5000m)
This is a desert like region of the mountain. Here you’re on your fourth or the fifth day on the mountain. From here you’ll be planning and getting ready for the Final summit. At this zone the temperatures average at around the freezing point at 5,000m but during the day when the sun is shining it is still quite warm and comfortable.
Glacial zone (above 5,000m)
This where the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro lies and the temperatures are around -6°C. It is very important to note that all summiting attempts usually starts at midnight in order to reach the Uhuru peak by dawn. Trekking at night, the temperatures may drop to -20°C. With harsh gust of wind ,the temperatures may feel below -40°C . However, at the peak on the roof top of Africa the scenery is rewarding witnessing the rising sun from the highest point in Africa is worth the endurance.
