Best Time To Visit Tanzania
The Best Time To Visit Tanzania depends on the activity you want to do and getting the experience you dreamt of. But if you are a true wildlife enthusiast, this African gem is best visited year-round.
However, the weather and the time of the year make a significant difference in game viewing during Safari In Tanzania.
" The Best Time To Visit Tanzania is in the dry season which comes between July and October. This coincides with the most dramatic movement of great migration river crossings.All the Tanzania National Parks and game reserves offer amazing wildlife sightings while the grasses and bushes are at their least dens. "
Tanzania Travel Guide 2023
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The weather in Tanzania
Weather is the most important thing to consider when planning for a Safari In Tanzania. Tanzania is a diverse country with a basic weather pattern that gives a general idea of what you can expect year-round.
In general, Tanzania has two rainy seasons-
- The long rainy season is from March to May
- The short rainy season runs between November and December.
The best time of the year is the long dry season which runs between <>June and October. During this time, the weather remains dry and clear. Temperatures vary depending on the different regions. But on the coast and the reserves, the weather remains warm for the whole year.
To know more about the weather in Tanzania, visit the World Republic of Tanzania.
Tanzania Climate Guide
To know the Best Time to Visit Tanzania, you should know the climate guide of Tanzania first. It will help you to generate an idea about the temperature and rainfall in Tanzania. Then you can plan your safari accordingly.
Destinations |
Maximum temperature(°C) |
Monthly rainfall (mm) |
Serengeti National Park |
27°C |
94mm |
Nyerere National Park |
29°C |
210mm |
Ruaha National Park |
28°C |
137mm |
Mahale Mountains National Park |
24°C |
174mm |
Mount Kilimanjaro |
2°C |
168mm |
Dar es Salam |
31°C |
68mm |
Month By Month guide for Traveling in Tanzania
Tanzania has an excellent safari industry along with some outstanding wildlife destinations. Whether you visit any national parks or conservation area, you can find breathtaking wildlife views that will amaze you.
But the main question is which is the Best Time To Go To Tanzania. Do not worry! Here is the complete month-by-month Safari guide which will help you plan your dream Safari To Tanzania.
Tanzania In January
- In Tanzania, January is considered the short dry season and the weather remains hot and sunny days.
- In January, the mornings are dry and warm, making it a popular safari time in Tanzania.
- The landscapes still look green with lush vegetables from the recent rains.
- This is also considered as the calving season and offers the best chance to witness the baby animals on the Serengeti plains.
- Predators’ action is also high at this time because of the calving season.
Event: Zanzibar Swahili Festival
Tanzania In February
- February also comes under the short dry season in Tanzania.
- The days are very hot and humid but there are also chances of short afternoon rainfall.
- During this month, thousands of animals are being birthed making it an excellent time for a Safari In Tanzania.
- You can also find a lot of birds in their breeding plumage, this is the best time for bird lovers.
Events: Sauti za Busara, Wildebeest calving season
Tanzania In March
- The beginning of March still offers a good game-viewing experience, while the end is the heavy rainy days.
- Many lodges and hotels reduce their price and you can get a good discount offer if you go on a safari To Tanzania in March.
- It’s also a great time to witness the young herds of wildebeest and Zebras and many predator actions.
Events: Kilimanjaro Marathon, Nyama Choma Festival
Tanzania In April
- April comes under the long rainy season, sometimes heavy rainfall occurs throughout the day.
- Some lodges and hotels are found to be closed and those that are open, offer valuable discounts.
- There is plenty of grass and water available in April for the animals.
- The air looks clear and crisp.
Events: Wildebeest migration begins
Tanzania In May
- During the middle of May, the rains are getting lighter.
- The national parks are still found less crowded.
- Nature looks green and beautiful everywhere.
- Still, you can receive some special treatment from the hotel or lodges.
Events: Mzalendo Halisi Music Festival
Tanzania In June
- June is the end of the wet season and the beginning of the dry season in Tanzania.
- Travelers can enjoy the clear weather, fresh blooms, and excellent animal sightings.
- The daytime temperature remains between 25°C-30°C
Events: Bulabo Dance Festival
Tanzania In July
- July is the driest month in Tanzania which makes it a perfect time for wildlife sightings and family vacations.
- This is the last month when you can watch the great herds in the Serengeti. After that, they begin their journey to Kenya.
- The daily temperature remains at a maximum of 26°C in July.
Events: Festival of the Dhow Countries, dry season wildlife watching, Mwaka Kogwa, Ruaha Marathon
Tanzania In August
- With dry and cold weather, August is a great time for wildlife viewing.
- There are a few risks of mosquitos due to the dry month.
- You can see a lot of wildlife gathering around the water sources.
- You can see the great migration gathering in northern Tanzania.
- The average temperature in August is around 25°C.
Events: The iconic Mara River Crossing
Tanzania In September
- September is also the peak season in Tanzania and that’s why you will find the safari destinations are quite busy.
- The temperatures are rising and the trees are getting to blossom.
- You will be offered excellent game viewing with a high concentration of wildlife.
- You will see the great migration still on the northern Serengeti.
- The temperature remains around 28°C.
Events: Bagamoyo Festival of Arts & Culture
Tanzania In October
- The weather in October is warm and dry with occasionally some rain.
- During this month the air is so refreshing and the rain washes out the excess dust.
- The short rain attracts great migration and they prepare their journey towards the south.
- In October the temperature reaches the height of 30°C.
Events: Chimpanzee trekking in Mahale Mountains National Park
Tanzania In November
- November also comes under the wet season.
- The days are still sunny with increasing temperatures.
- The national parks and game reserves are found less crowded and you will find excellent discount offers.
- Nature looks green and beautiful everywhere.
- The migration moves towards the southern plains.
- In November, the average temperature is 26°C.
Events: Karibu Music Festival
Tanzania In December
- Though there is a chance of rain, it comes under the low season.
- The temperature increases slowly and humidity starts to build.
- The great migration return back to southern Serengeti again in December.
- As December is the festive season, you can find safari destinations are very busy.
Events: Swahili Fashion Week, Christmas festival
The Tourism Seasons in Tanzania
In Tanzania, there are two main tourism seasons that you can obtain for your Safari In Tanzania.
- The High/Peak Season runs between May to October
- The Low/Green season runs between November to April.
You may be pondering on which season you will opt for your next Safari To Tanzania. Here is the complete guide according to the season of the year.
Facts |
High/peak Season |
Low/Green Season |
Time |
May to October |
November to April |
Weather/Climate |
Cool & Dry |
Hot and occasionally wet |
Wildlife views |
Easy to spot animals |
A little hard to spot animals |
Newborn animals |
Not many baby animals can be found |
Lots of baby animals are found around |
Bird watching |
Not many migrant birds can be seen |
The best time for bird watching |
Wildebeest Migration |
The epic Serengeti-Masai Mara River crossing |
Calving Season in Serengeti, Tanzania |
Crowds |
National parks and game reserves are found most crowded |
National parks and game reserves are found less crowded |
Accommodations |
Less availability of accommodations because of more visitors |
Easy availability of accommodations because of fewer visitors |
Nature |
Dry & cracked landscape with no natural beauty |
Everywhere looks green and alive with full of natural beauty |
Safari Cost |
Highest safari cost |
Lowest safari cost |
Best time to visit Tanzania through major parks
The two main wildlife destinations Serengeti and Ngorongoro offer excellent wildlife viewing throughout the year. While February is best for wildebeest calving, June and July are considered for the iconic river crossing.
The dry months, from June to October offer good wildlife viewing throughout the country. The southern and the western circuit parks including Katavi, Ruaha, and Nyerere offer the best wildlife viewing during the dry season.
To know more about the Tanzania National Park and safari Packages, you can visit us by clicking here.
Get Connected With The Best Tanzania Safari Operator
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Best time to visit Tanzania through safari activities
Tanzania Safari offers several activities to do for tourists. Travelers plan their Safari In Tanzania according to the activities they want to experience and these experiences differ according to the time of the year. Read on to know which activity can be done at which time at its best-
Best wildlife viewing:
Though Tanzania is suitable for year-round game viewing, you will just not see the same number of animals every time. It can vary from time to time followed by the weather.
As we know the dry month is the best time for Visiting Tanzania, which means you can see the best wildlife during this period. The vegetables become dry and the animals gather around the water sources. This will give you an excellent wildlife viewing opportunity.
Nature walk
Generally, travelers opt for the high season for their Safari To Tanzania and they consider the low season is not fit good at all for a safari. But that’s not true.
The low or the green season runs between November to December and March to April are the wet seasons. These rainy days are when nature looks most beautiful and flourishing. You can see everywhere green and live. So, this is the best time to see nature in its most beautiful attire.
Diving and Snorkrling
Diving and snorkeling can be done all year round in Tanzania. But we advised you to not consider the heavy rainy days for diving and snorkeling. For swimming, you can visit during January and February or during the winter months of July and August.
Best time for bird watching
Tanzania is also an excellent bird-watching destination in the whole of Africa. There are around 1150 bird species introduced in Tanzania. You can witness the different colorful birds year-round but birdwatching is at its best from November to April (rainy season).
During this time of the year, many migratory birds come from Europe and northern Africa. Many resident birds can be seen in breeding plumage.
The Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro
When you think about the Tanzania Safari Packages, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro must come to your mind at some point. This is an adventurous journey and leaves you with great experiences.
But when you choose the best time of the year, your trekking would be more interesting and successful. Although Trekking Mount Kilimanjaro is a year-round journey, there are some days considered by cold weather, heavy rains, and lots of snow on the summit.
So, you can opt for the driest months from December to Mid-March and Mid-June to October to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. These are the busiest months no doubt as they are called the best time for trekking Kilimanjaro.
To know more about hiking Kilimanjaro, visit our
https://africanscenicsafaris.com/mount-kilimanjaro-climbing page.
The Best Time To see Great Migration
The Great Wildebeest Migration In Tanzania is one of the biggest animal migrations in the World. This is an amazing natural phenomenon that attracts lots of travelers to Visit Tanzania.
However, this is a year-round journey and you can witness them at any time of the year. But every traveler has different choices and demands to witness the wildebeest activities. Read on to clear about the great migration movement and choose your Safari time accordingly.
- If you Visit Tanzania between December to March, you can see thousands of baby animals on the southern Serengeti. There are around 8,000 baby animals born in a day.
-
If you visit in April and May, you will see the great migration following the thunderstorms to the Central Serengeti. During this time period, you can witness the great migration move through the Moru Kopjes towards the western sides.
The great herds congregate here in thousands of numbers near the Grumeti River.
- June comes with the Grumeti river crossing. You can also see the Nile crocodiles waiting for the animal herds on their way. This is the shoulder season and the best time for visitors who love to travel with fewer crowds.
- From July to August, you will see the most breathtaking movement of the great migration, the Mara River Crossing. After the Grumeti River crossing, the herds move from the west to the north of Serengeti into Massai Mara, Kenya.
- From September to October, the great herds move on to Kenya’s Masaai Mara after the dramatic Mara river crossing. Some of the animals remain in the northern Serengeti in the search of fresh pastures. During this time, you can see animals moving around the plains.
- If you go for your Safari In Tanzania during November, the great herds return to Tanzania and with this, the cycle starts again. They start moving from the north to reach the southern plains.
Months |
Wildebeest activities |
December to March |
The Great Migration calving season |
April to May |
The wildebeests move from Ndutu to central Serengeti |
June |
Grumeti river crossing in the western Serengeti |
July to August |
The great migration Mara river crossing |
September to October |
Wildebeest in Northern Serengeti |
November |
Central to southern Serengeti migration |
FAQ’s on the Best Time To Visit Tanzania
There is a different pattern of rainfall throughout the country. Due to the excess humidity, North and east Tanzania has two rainy seasons run from November to December and March to May.
But southern Tanzania has a single but long rainy season which runs between December to May.
In Tanzania, there are two major tourism seasons that define the Safari timing.
Although Tanzania is a year-round safari destination, there is a certain time of the year for the best wildlife sighting. The dry months run between June and October is called the High season.
During this season, you will see the animals congregate around the water sources making it the best time for game viewing on Safaris In Tanzania.
The best time to explore the beaches of Zanzibar is during the archipelago’s dry season runs between July to September. This is a very comfortable time to travel to Zanzibar.
However, the temperature remains between 28 °C and 34°C with clear and dry weather.
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From our clients
Tyler D
Canada
WOW! Such an incredible trip, full of animal sightings. Our experience was overall fantastic from start to finish. African scenic safaris is a GREAT choice to do your safari tour!
Choose Your Time For A Rewarding Tanzania Safari!
Tanzania is an astonishing safari destination with rich wildlife and breathtaking scenic beauty. Whether it is high season or low season, opt for your own preferable time for your next Safari In Tanzania.
To make your Tanzania Safari Packages remarkable, let us know your thoughts and we will do the rest. As a friend and guides, we always emphasize the choice and wishes of our guests.