Many people ask, “when is the best time to try to summit Kilimanjaro?” This comes hand-in-hand with the question, “how hard is it to summit Kilimanjaro?”

You can climb Mount Kilimanjaro any time of year, but some times can be a bit more rainy than others. It can rain anytime, even during the “dry” season, but there are definitely times of year where it rains a lot less and provides a nice time to try for the Kilimanjaro summit. The dry seasons each year last from about mid-December through March, and then again in June through October. We’ll always bring the rain gear as it can rain any day on the mountain, particularly in the rainforest zone below about 9,000 ft/2,743 m.

Through the shorter December-March dry season, you’ll be more likely to see snow up high on the mountain and it can be a bit colder up high than the rest of the year, but it can be a great time to climb with fewer crowds.

The main climbing season on Mount Kilimanjaro is the June-October season, where you’ll be more likely to experience nice weather, but you will also see more climbers on the mountain.