When is the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro?

If you’re reading this article, then it’s likely that you have a trek booked, or have a plan to tackle Kilimanjaro in the near future. We’re here to help with some of those sticky wicket questions that don’t seem to have an easy answer! One of those being “When the best time of year to do the Kilimanjaro trek”?

When is the best to go?

When looking at the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro, some of the things to consider are weather, precipitation, and also the number of people on the mountain!

There are definitely wetter and drier months to climb Kilimanjaro, so it’s worth keeping those in mind. We like to time our treks mainly at the beginning of the year in January, February, and the beginning of March, where it's warm on the lower slopes with some rain but also is one of the quietest periods.

Then you are into the summer months of July, August and then September, and October. These two time periods are the driest times of the year for Kilimanjaro - but don’t be fooled, you’ll still have some rain on the lower slopes at ANY time of year! When looking at the best time to climb Kilimanjaro, it's just worth noting that although it may have the best weather, it may also be the busiest!


Which Kilimanjaro Route Should I Choose?

With all of that in mind, we offer two awesome ways to climb Kilimanjaro: the Lemosho Route and our new Marangu Route. Both offer an incredible journey to the summit, but give you a different experience on the summit.

The Lemosho Route, known as “The Long Way”, is a great choice if you want a longer, more gradual journey to the summit. Not only does it offer stunning views and plenty of time for acclimatisation, but its longer, less direct approach also means it tends to be one of the quieter routes on Kilimanjaro. You’ll spend your nights camping, making it a fantastic option if you want that classic mountain adventure.

The Marangu Route offers something completely different. Rather than camping, you’ll stay in mountain hutsthroughout the trek, making it a great option if you’d prefer to sleep indoors while still taking on the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro. As a newer route for us, Marangu gives you another way to experience the mountain depending on the type of adventure you’re looking for.

The time of year you choose can also make a difference to how busy your trek feels. January, February and the beginning of March are some of the quieter periods on the mountain, while the drier summer months of July, August, September and October can be busier.

The first time I climbed Kilimanjaro was during February into March. I found that there were pockets of rain over the first day or so and, after that, it was relatively dry. Overall, it was a great time to go as it was super low traffic, with awesome visibility and an overall ideal time to trek. That being said, any time of year you go, you will have a great experience, and on the later trips that we run, you might even get away with no rain at all!

Whatever the time of year you climb Kilimanjaro, and whatever the weather, always pack for four seasons. You can read more about the weather on Kilimanjaro right here.

We hope that answers your question about when is the best time of year to do the Kilimanjaro trek!

Whatever the time of year you climb Kilimanjaro and whatever the weather always pack for 4 seasons, you can read more about the weather on Kilimanjaro right here.

We hope that answers your question about when is the best time of year to do the Kilimanjaro trek!

Have more questions about the Kilimanajro trek? Read our "Beginners guide to climbing Kilimanjaro".

If you need any advice on the types of training you want to do before your trek or want to use one of our own training plans, do drop us a message at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and one of the EverTrek yetis will get back in touch.