Can you climb Kilimanjaro in December? This is a question we receive from time to time from our clients. Of course, you can climb Kilimanjaro in the month of December.
The short rainy season often runs into December and it begins in November, however this is still a popular time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tanzania is located south of the Equator and the month of December is their summer.
However, just because it is summer we still recommend hikers pack accordingly and be to be prepared for warm, sunny conditions, and rain, wind, cold, and even snow.
See Kilimanjaro packing list recommendation
Standing at 19,341 ft above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is big enough to create it’s own weather systems. One of the unique aspects of a Mount Kilimanjaro climb is that we experience five distinct climate zones on our way to the summit.
Each of those zones has it’s own weather systems.
When are the best times to climb Kilimanjaro?
The best time to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro are the months of January through early-March and End of June through October. The clear skies, great views, and sunshine make for spectacular photo-opportunities and comfortable hiking conditions. June and December are good months to go as well but there is more chance of clouds and rain.
Climbing in December is actually a good time to go.
December to March, and June (just after the rains) are usually the coldest, and there’s a good chance you’ll see snow on the summit.
This reduces the number of visitors (as compared to July through August which is the busiest time)
The rainy season begins around mid-March and typically extends well into May and the other rainy Season is November. During this time, conditions can be wet, stormy and muddy on Kilimanjaro, particularly along it’s southern face.
The best routes to climb during the rainy season are either the Marangu Route where you will sleep in huts the Rongai route or Northern circuits routes as the northern side of the mountain is more sheltered and has less overall rainfall
Kilimanjaro temperatures in December
Temperatures on mount Kilimanjaro vary with the seasons and also within the different climate zones as you climb higher.
The summit zone is considered “Arctic” and temperatures drop well below freezing at all times of the year
Average °C – 26 Average °F – 79 High °C – 32 High °F – 90 Low °C – 19 Low °F – 66
