Climate

When is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro?

The most favourable times are the warmest and driest months - January, February, and September. June, July, and August are also good months. However, temperatures and weather are less predictable. It is better to avoid the long rains, from the end of March to early June, and the short (or Mango) rains (from the end of November to the start of December.

The Weather

The weather on Kilimanjaro is diverse. The climb starts through a wide belt of wet tropical forest then goes through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall to the summit where there is permanent ice and sub-zero temperatures.

Within a few Kilometers, conditions vary from equatorial to arctic. In general temperature decreases about 1 Degree Celsius for every 200m increase in altitude. The belt of dense forests around the lower slopes, from 1800m to 2800m, benefits from a wet tropical climate, characterized by the high average of rainfall. Continuing upwards the vegetation drastically decreases and finally disappears. This is because it is colder and dryer.

January, February and March are the hottest months, fairly clear of clouds and with only brief rain showers, followed by the main rainy season, which lasts from the beginning of April to mid-June. The temperature is still high but huge clouds restrict visibility. Dense cloud formations mass over Kilimanjaro, dropping snow on the summit and heavy rain on the lower slopes.

The driest season follows and by late June, through July and August it is usually extremely cold at night with a clear sky is above 3000m. It gets progressively warmer between September and the end of October, when daytime is often clear. A belt of precipitating clouds usually girdles the whole of Kilimanjaro above the forest band, leaving the summit clear.

The short rains last from November to December, when afternoon thunderstorms are common. The clouds will disappear in the evening leaving an excellent visibility during nights and mornings.

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