Best time to climb Kilimanjaro

Best time to climb Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed year-round. However, the best time to climb Kilimanjarois the dry season. Most of the climbers prefer to climb Kilimanjaro on a full moon day. There are two distinct trekking seasons that constitute the best time to climb Kilimanjaro. They are January-March and June-October. January-March is generally colder than June-October and there is a higher probability of encountering snow on the summit. For some, this might be seen as a negative, but the benefits of a January-March trek is that the slopes are often quieter at this time of the year. The June-October trekking season coincides with the summer holidays in Europe and North America and hence certain routes are often quite busy. March, April, and November are the wettest months on Kilimanjaro, and not ideal of trekking. Snowfall and cold temperatures are common during December-May. If you are confined to a trekking date in April or May we suggest you consider the Rongai route which departs from the Northern end of Kilimanjaro and is generally drier than the southern route options during these months. Another the factor that is important to consider when you are looking for the best time to climb Kilimanjaro is the variation in weather conditions as you ascend Kilimanjaro that is. There are four distinct climatic zones on Kilimanjaro, the rainforest zone (~800m-3,000m) is warm and humid. Rain is common in the zone, particularly during the wet season and temperatures average around 12-15 degrees Celsius at 2,870m. The second zone is often called the low alpine area (~3,000m-4,200m) and is a semi-arid zone where average temperatures range between 5-10 degrees Celsius at 3,630m. The high alpine zone (4,200m-5,000) is desert-like. Here temperatures average around the freezing point at 4,970m, and at the summit in the glacial zone (above 5,000m) temperatures average around -6 degrees Celsius. Although the summit temperature doesn’t sound too cold, wind chill is a major factor. You are almost guaranteed relatively high winds. Moreover, the effects of cold temperatures at high altitudes are more pronounced as your body expends more effort trying to get your skin and vital organs well-oxygenated in an oxygen-depleted environment. This results in vasoconstriction near the extremities (like your hands, feet, and nose) and means that you will feel the cold a lot more at high altitudes. In other words, -6 degrees Celsius can feel like -20! Another best time to climb Kilimanjarois during a full moon. When the peak of Kilimanjaro and magnificent glaciers are lit up by the full moon, the view is absolutely stunning. For this reason alone, some climbers schedule their trek to coincide with this celestial event, occurring once a month. However, a practical reason for climbing at these times is that a bright moon along with a clear sky will improve your visibility throughout your climb, and most importantly, during the summit attempt. Below are full moon dates: To summit during a full moon, a 7-day climb should start 5 days prior to the full moon date. It is not necessary to submit on the exact full moon date to take advantage of moonlight. A summit on the day before or the day after is also beneficial. We offer several groups climbs with full moon summits every month during the dry season. These dates tend to be the first to book completely full well in advance. For those who favor a less crowded climb, avoid the full moon completely as these dates attract many climbers. Another method of dodging crowds is to choose an “off” day of departure. Most climbers will begin their climbs on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, with routes lasting 6 to 7 days. We have many clients who climb with or without the full moon, and clients are equally satisfied with either itinerary. You can go anytime but do it sooner rather than later. What makes Mount Kilimanjaro unique is that despite its close proximity to the equator, it is crowned with ice. The glaciers have existed here for more than 11,000 years. They used to be more than 300 feet (100 m) deep and extended 6,500 feet (2,000 m) from the mountain top. However, due to global warming and long term climatic cycles, the ice has been vaporizing at an alarming rate. Some scientists estimate that Mount Kilimanjaro’s ice cap will be completely gone by 2050.