When is the best time to hike the Kilimanjaro Machame Route?

Best time to hike the Kilimanjaro Machame Route

Best: July–September and December–February. Also good: March, June and October.

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BestAlso goodPossible

The Kilimanjaro Machame Route is 38 km long, in 6 stages. Below is the average weather for every month at about 4,038 m, the middle height of the trail (1,822–5,874 m), from 10 years of daily data (2015–2024).

Weather month by month

Month	High °C	Low °C	Rain mm	Rain days	Daylight h	Snow cm
January	8°	−1°	108	18	12.3	0
February	10°	0°	103	14	12.2	0
March	10°	0°	138	18	12.1	0
April	9°	0°	226	26	12.0	0
May	7°	−1°	194	23	12.0	0
June	6°	−3°	94	15	11.9	12
July	6°	−3°	60	12	12.0	28
August	7°	−3°	81	10	12.0	24
September	9°	−2°	95	8	12.1	44
October	10°	−2°	108	14	12.2	0
November	9°	0°	284	24	12.3	0
December	8°	0°	221	26	12.3	0

Higher up it is colder: about 6 °C less for every 1,000 m of height. The highest point of the trail is 5,874 m.

Season notes from our guide

KINAPA describes two dry seasons: late June to September and December to early March. These months have the clearest days and the best conditions, and July, August and the New Year period are the busiest. The main rains fall from March to May and the short rains in October and November; the forest is muddy and the summit can be deep in snow. Kilimanjaro is close to the equator, so day length hardly changes, but on summit night it is often -10 to -20 °C with wind chill at any time of year.

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Best time for other trails

Weather: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), daily values 2015–2024 near -3.06, 37.30, adjusted to 4,038 m. Rain days: days with at least 1 mm. Daylight: sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.