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Kilimanjaro full moon dates

Most climbers leave high camp for the summit shortly after midnight. When that night falls on a full moon, the whole mountain is lit: the glaciers, the crater rim and the plains far below.

Below is every full moon for the rest of this year and the next two, in Kilimanjaro time, with the night to summit and the day to start your climb. Choose one and we will plan the climb around it, on any route.

  • Full moonSummit by moonlight
  • UTC+3Kilimanjaro time, all year
  • ±1 nightAlmost as bright either side
  • Any routeTimed to the moon
Full moon calendar Ask about a full moon climb
Climbing Kilimanjaro on a full moon
🌕The next full moon over Kilimanjaro

Full moon calendar

Choose the length of your climb to see the day to start. The summit night is the night of the full moon, or the night after when the moon is full in the early hours.

Year
Moon
Climb length
  • The calendar needs JavaScript. Please ask us for full moon dates using the form below.

Times are Kilimanjaro time (UTC+3). Start dates assume you summit on the second-to-last day, as on most of our routes. Arrive in Tanzania the day before you start, or two nights before if you are landing late or crossing many time zones.

Ask about a full moon climb

Tell us which full moon you have in mind, and a coordinator will reply with routes, prices and what needs to happen next.

Summit bids don’t have to be in darkness

Some people would rather not climb in the dark, usually for two reasons: it’s colder, and you see less. Children often find it hard to stay awake through the night, too.

For them, we can arrange a daytime summit: we wake at around 04:30 and set off at around 05:00 to 05:30. A daytime summit can also be a good choice when the mountain is busiest, usually in July and August, and many Excel Series climbs summit in daylight because they don’t need to descend as far afterwards.

Why some summit on a new moon

A full moon isn’t for everyone. A new moon gives the darkest sky and the best stars, so keen stargazers aim for a new moon in the driest months, June to September. Choose New moon in the calendar above to see those nights instead.

Questions about full moon climbs

What is it like to summit on a full moon?

The mountain is lit by the moon for most of the night.

With a full moon high in the sky, the glaciers, the crater rim and the plains far below are all visible as you climb. Many climbers find they hardly need their headtorch, though you should still carry one, with spare batteries.

Do I have to summit on the exact night of the full moon?

No: the night before or after is almost as bright.

The moon is still more than 95% lit on the nights either side of full, so if the exact date doesn’t suit your flights, start a day earlier or later and you will still climb by moonlight.

What time zone are the times on this page?

Kilimanjaro time, which is UTC+3 all year.

Tanzania doesn’t use daylight saving, so the times never shift. Each full moon is calculated in your browser from the standard astronomical formulas, accurate to about a minute, which is why the calendar never runs out.

Can I join others on a full moon climb?

Yes, if you ask us to open your climb, or join one already scheduled.

Choose a full moon below and tell us you would like company. Our scheduled departures show a moon symbol on climbs that summit near a full moon. A solo climber joining a group pays the same as two climbers sharing.

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