Tanzania
Kilimanjaro in May
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Warm, a little humid and some showers.
🎒 Pack: sunglasses & hat
Why May scores 8.9What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort8.7
- ✓Warm (28.5°C highs / 17.6°C lows)
- ✓Humid (dew point 17.3°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~97 mm rain)
- Air quality9.5
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~8 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline6.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.9 Excellent | 9.3 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 29° / 18° | 28° / 16° |
| Rain | 97 mm | 34 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 17° | dew pt 15° |
| PM2.5 | 8 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Eid al-Adha 15–17 May · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: International Workers' Day (1 May)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore KilimanjaroEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyAfrica's highest mountain, in northern Tanzania, climbed by trekkers on routes that pass from rainforest to glacier near the summit.
No major events on our calendar for May.
Coming up later
Kilimanjaro MarathonDate variesUsually late February or early March
Marathon, half marathon and fun run at the foot of the mountain.
Why go: Moshi accommodation is busy that weekend.
Where: Moshi
Uhuru Peak
The summit of Kibo, the highest point in Africa.
💡 Most climbs take 6-9 days; longer itineraries improve acclimatisation and success rates.
Machame Route
A popular, scenic route with good acclimatisation profile.
Marangu Route
The route with hut accommodation instead of tents.
Lemosho Route
A longer route from the west, crossing the Shira Plateau.
Moshi
The main base town for climbs, with views of the mountain on clear mornings.
Materuni Waterfalls and coffee farms
Day trips from Moshi to waterfalls and Chagga coffee farms on the lower slopes.
Ugali
Stiff maize porridge eaten with stews and greens.
💡 Local restaurants in Moshi
Nyama choma
Grilled meat, usually goat or beef.
💡 Bars and local eateries
Mtori
A Chagga soup of green bananas and meat from the Kilimanjaro region.
💡 Local eateries around Moshi
Kilimanjaro coffee
Arabica coffee grown on the mountain's slopes.
💡 Cafes in Moshi and farm visits
Kilimanjaro coffee
Locally grown arabica beans.
💡 Shops and cafes in Moshi
Tingatinga paintings
Brightly coloured Tanzanian paintings.
💡 Craft markets in Moshi and Arusha
Kitenge and kanga cloth
Printed East African fabrics.
💡 Markets in Moshi
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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