Kilimanjaro Full Moon Climb Dates 2027: A Complete Guide
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro during a full moon transforms the final, grueling midnight push to Uhuru Peak into a magical, naturally illuminated journey. The bright moonlight reflects off the massive glaciers, offering spectacular nighttime vistas and reducing or even eliminating your reliance on a headlamp.
Because the summit push traditionally begins around midnight to catch the sunrise at the peak, timing your multi-day itinerary around the lunar cycle completely alters the atmosphere of the hardest night of the trek.
Importance of Kilimanjaro full moon dates
A lifetime experience you don’t want to miss, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro under a full moon, seeing the glaciers gleaming in the moonlight… really amazing! A lot of climbers seek to time their climb of Kilimanjaro with the full moon, as a brilliant full moon allows them better vision when the sky are clear. It’s a very popular time to climb and gets booked up early, see below for full moon dates.
Imagine trekking up Mount Kilimanjaro under the silvery glow of a full moon, where the mountain’s beauty takes on an enchanting aura. Discover the unique experience of a Full Moon Climb with Kilimanjaro Trekking Services Co.
Kilimanjaro Full Moon Climb
On Kilimanjaro, a full moon comes every 29 days, giving you 12 chances to see a full moon each year. That’s a monthly opportunity to get a glimpse of this stunning celestial event on top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Most of a Kilimanjaro climb is done in the day and it is only the summit attempt that will start before midnight to get at the peak at sunrise. If you attempt to summit with a full moon, the evening climb may be easier since you may not have to turn on your head lamp in the brilliant moonlight.
You might also plan your Kilimanjaro trip to coincide with the full moon dates listed below and the bright moonlight will make for a stunning view of Kibo from most of the overnight sites.
Please be aware that we cannot guarantee the correctness of the information supplied in any of the above Kilimanjaro Full Moon dates tables. Every attempt is made to attain correctness in these moon calendars. Users may use these dates entirely at own risk and are therefore strongly urged to confirm the accuracy of the details at own arrangement, before travelling.
| Routes | Start Dates | End Dates |
| 9-Day Northern Circuit Route | November 27 2026 | December 7 2026 |
| 8-Day Lemosho Route | November 28 2026 | December 7 2026 |
| 7-Day Lemosho Route | November 29 2026 | December 7 2026 |
| 6-Day Marangu Route | December 5 2026 | December 12 2026 |
| 8-Day Lemosho Route | December 7 2026 | December 16 2026 |
| 7-Day Lemosho Route | December 8 2026 | December 16 2026 |
| 8-Day Lemosho Route | December 18 2026 | December 26 2026 |
| 9-Day Northern Circuit Route | December 19 2026 | December 29 2026 |
| 8-Day Lemosho Route | December 25 2026 | January 3 2027 |
| 7-Day Lemosho Route | December 26 2026 | January 3 2027 |
Questions about Kilimanjaro Full Moon Climbs
1. What is it like to summit on a full moon?
The mountain is lit by the moon for most of the night.
When you are climbing with a full moon high up in the sky you can see the glaciers the crater rim and the plains far below. Many climbers find they seldom need their headtorch yet take one, with spare batteries.
2. 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% illuminated on the nites either side of full, so if you can’t make the precise date fit your flights, start a day earlier or later and you’ll still be climbing by moonlight.
3. What time zone are the times on this page?
Kilimanjaro time, which is UTC+3 all year.
Tanzania doesn’t have daylight savings hence the times don’t change. The calendar never goes out of date since every full moon is calculated in your browser from the usual astronomical algorithms, accurate to within a minute or so.
4. 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 want company. If the ascent finishes near a full moon, our scheduled departures show a moon symbol. A single climber joining a group pays the same as two sharing.