Full List: Lesotho and 9 other African countries that experience snowfall

• Snow falls in some African countries, including Lesotho, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Kenya and Tanzania, mainly in mountainous and high-altitude areas.

• Some of Africa’s most famous snow-covered peaks are near the Equator, including Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori Mountains along the Uganda-DR Congo border.

• Snow is generally limited to specific regions, with altitude playing a major role in tropical countries, while winter weather systems bring snowfall to parts of North and Southern Africa.

From the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya to the Atlas Mountains and the highlands of Lesotho, at least 12 African countries have recorded snowfall or have snow-covered mountain areas.

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Kenya is home to Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest mountain at 5,199 metres. The mountain has glacier-covered summits, although its remaining glaciers are rapidly retreating. Snow and ice can still be found around its highest peaks.

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Lesotho is one of Africa’s best-known destinations for natural snowfall. Its mountainous terrain and high elevation produce cold winters, with snowfall particularly common in the highlands.

The country is also home to Afriski Mountain Resort, located at about 3,200 metres in the Maluti Mountains. Recent reports describe temperatures dropping to around -8°C between June and August, with regular winter snowfall.

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Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,895 metres. The summit is famously snow-capped and has glaciers, creating one of the continent’s most striking examples of snow in an equatorial environment.

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Snow and permanent ice can be found in the Rwenzori Mountains, which lie along the Uganda-DRC border. UNESCO describes the range as having glacier- and snow-capped mountains just kilometres from the Equator.

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Ethiopia's high mountains can also experience snow. In the Simien Mountains, UNESCO material notes that snow and ice appear at the highest points despite the country's proximity to the Equator.

Research on the area also records occasional snow at high elevations, particularly around the highest peaks.

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Snow may seem particularly surprising in Libya because much of the country is desert, but snowfall has been recorded in the mountainous northeast.

The Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar (Green Mountain) region has experienced snow during severe winter weather systems. The World Meteorological Organisation reported snowfall there during a December 2021 cold spell.

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Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains are another unusual location for snow in Africa. The range rises to more than 5,000 metres and contains snow and glaciers at its highest elevations.

The Rwenzoris are particularly remarkable because they are located close to the Equator.

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Northern Algeria's mountain regions can receive winter snowfall. The country's Djurdjura Mountains, part of the Tellian Atlas, have peaks that are regularly covered with snow during winter.

Algeria's official tourism information also describes its highlands and mountain ranges as areas with cold and wet winters.

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Snowfall is possible in Tunisia's mountainous northwest, particularly around Aïn Draham and the Khroumerie region.

Snow has been documented covering parts of the area during winter weather, although such conditions are relatively uncommon compared with countries such as Lesotho or Morocco.

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Egypt is predominantly hot and arid, but snowfall occasionally occurs in the country's high-altitude Sinai Mountains.

Mount Sinai and the higher peaks around Saint Catherine have experienced snowfall during unusually cold winter weather. Egyptian reports have documented snow on the mountains, including significant snowfall in January 2019.

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The answer is mainly altitude and weather patterns.

Africa's highest mountains reach elevations where temperatures can fall below freezing, allowing snow and ice to form even in countries located near or around the Equator. In northern and southern Africa, seasonal winter systems can also produce snowfall in mountainous regions.

However, snow does not cover these countries generally. In most cases, it is restricted to particular mountains, highlands or areas affected by unusual cold-weather systems. Africa remains the world's hottest continent overall, but its varied geography creates pockets where snow is very much a reality.

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Some of Africa's snow-covered landscapes are found within or close to the Equatorial region. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Rwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-DRC border all demonstrate how altitude can create cold, snowy environments even in tropical Africa.

Editor’s note: The list refers to countries where natural snowfall or persistent snow/ice has been documented in at least part of the country. It does not mean snow is common across the entire country.