While we didn’t plan our Kilimanjaro climb to coincide with a full moon, we were lucky that it worked out that way, and as we made our summit attempt under the soothing glow of a sparkling moon, I can only recommend it to other Kili adventurers.

When you climb during a full moon you rarely need to use your headlamps, and as such, you can witness the magnificent night sky and the amazing constellations of stars that feel so close you can almost touch them.

The glaciers seem to light up when shined upon by the full moon, and as this celestial event generally brings clear skies; it will improve the visibility throughout your hike to the Roof of Africa.

If you dream of climbing Kilimanjaro under the full moon in 2013, here are the dates you need to look out for:

January 27^th

February 25^th

March 27^th

April 25^th

May 25^th

June 23^rd

July 22^nd

August 21^st

September 19^th

October 18^th

November 17^th

December 17^th

If you intend to climb the 7-day Machame Route, just remember to start your climb 5-days before the new moon if you want to summit on the exact full moon date.  A summit on the day before or day after is also beneficial, so don’t worry if your dates are slightly out.