Best time to visit Tanzania
Best time to Visit Tanzania – Tanzania is a world-famous tourist destination visited by many tourists from all parts of the world, Tanzania consists of many national parks, reserves, mountains, and a wide range of ecological system attracting tourists to the country.
Many safari activities such as wildlife viewing safaris, mount climbing safaris, bird watching safaris, walking safaris, and many more.
Many tourists interested in visiting Tanzania for a safari spend a lot of time looking for the best time to visit Tanzania for a safari, for those tourists there is no more need to look as this article enlights more about the best time to visit Tanzania for a safari.
The best time to visit Tanzania for a safari depends more on the climate and weather conditions and preferences of the tourists, the best time to visit Tanzania is detailed as below.
Climate of Tanzania
Tanzania experience inconsistent climatic conditions which keep changing from time to time, the climate in Tanzania consists of the dry season and wet season experienced in different months of the year.
Dry season
The dry season in Tanzania is experienced in the periods of January-February and June – October, Tanzania experiences 2 dry seasons with the first season experienced in the months of January and February. The first dry season is technically a short season experiencing less rainfall most especially the northern region of the park which usually so dry with other parts of the country.
The second dry season is along season experienced from June to October, in the tourism and safari world this period is the peak season offering amazing wildlife sights.
The dry season is the best time to visit Tanzania for a safari, this season is a peak season where a large population of tourists visits various destinations of Tanzania for a safari because of the perfect sight of animals and dry routes.
Caution: In peak season/dry season, accommodation costs are high because of the high demand for them.
Rainy season
Rainy season in Tanzania is experienced in the months of March-May, in this period heavy rainfall is experienced causing most of the routes to be slippery and muddy, the vegetation cover gets too thick distracting sights for wildlife species. The rainy season is usually offseason in the tourism world and not recommended for individuals wanting a perfect safari, regardless of the weather conditions some tourists who are not scared of the rain use this opportunity to visit Tanzania’s tourist destinations.
Caution: The reason why most tourists chose to visit Tanzania in the rainy season in the periods of March, April, and May is that fewer people travel in this period and accommodation charges are low.
Temperatures and rainfall in Tanzania
Various destinations/regions of Tanzania’s temperature varies from time to time and locations for instance Ngorongoro crater tends to be much colder than Serengeti national park and the coast usually has constant temperatures.
Serengeti area
Serengeti area including Serengeti national park lies in a subtropical climate experiencing dry and relatively cool conditions from May to August, these conditions are followed by a warmer season in the period of September and October. The rainy seasons in Serengeti national park features humidity and the periods of November – April comprises of rain and heat.
Ngorongoro area
Ngorongoro area in Ngorongoro conservation area unique weather conditions when compared to other parts of Tanzania with spring-like conditions through-out the year, the conservation areas also receive more rain fall than other areas and the high altitudes of the crater above 2000 meters you should expect cool nights and more precipitation.
Kilimanjaro area
Kilimanjaro area in Tanzania with Mountain Kilimanjaro standing at the altitude of 5895 meters tall with permanent snow summit experience temperatures which drop to -15 to -25 degrees Celsius in the night. The area receives a lot of sunlight and high levels of rainfall in the months of April and May. Kilimanjaro is is generally cold so travelers visiting the area are advised to carry sunscreen and warm clothing on their packing list.
The coast
Tanzania coast is usually hot throughout the year with 2 rain seasons mostly in the northern area of the coast, the first rain season is received between March to May with April receiving the highest amount of rainfall and the second season is received from October to December.
Temperature table in Tanzania
| JAN | FEB | MARCH | APRIL | MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUG | SEPT | OCT | NOV | DEC | |
| Day
(High) |
29°C | 29°C | 29°C | 28°C | 27°C | 27°C | 26°C | 27°C | 28° C | 29° C | 28° C | 28° C |
| Night
(Min) |
16°C | 16°C | 16°C | 16°C | 16°C | 15°C | 14°C | 15°C | 15° C | 16° C | 16° C | 16° C |
| Chances of rain | low | low | high | high | medium | low | low | low | low | low | medium | Medium |
The best month to visit Tanzania
As already noted, the best time to visit Tanzania on a safari generally depends on the climatic conditions which vary from months to months as broken down below
January
The month of January in Tanzania is a short dry season with average daily temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius, the month of January is the best time to visit Serengeti national park for sights of newborn babies mostly wildebeest calves born in the wildebeest migration.
February
The month of February is a continuation of the short dry season in Tanzania experiencing average temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius, in this month the northern region of Tanzania is drier than the southern region. The month of February is the best time to visit Serengeti national park to get sights of newborn babies for example wildebeest calves born during the wildebeest migration.
March
The month of March in Tanzania is the beginning of the long rain season characterized by high humidity and cloud coverage, due to daily rainfall this month is the low season with a few numbers of tourist visiting Tanzania. March is characterized by average high temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius.
Reminder: in low season accommodation prices are lower because of the fewer tourists.
April
The month of April in Tanzania is a wet rainy season characterized by high humidity levels and daily high temperatures of about 28 degrees Celsius, according to safari experts, April is the cheapest month to visit Tanzania for a safari. April is a low season with discounts offered on accommodation (hotels and lodges)
May
The month of May in Tanzania is characterized by heavy rainfalls especially in Zanzibar where the rain is heavier than in other parts of Tanzania, this month is characterized by a daily high-temperature average of 27 degrees Celsius. Due to heavy rains this month is considered a down season as fewer tourists (only those who aren’t scared of the rain) visit, what makes May the best time to visit Tanzania is that the accommodation prices are lower.
June
The month of June in Tanzania is the beginning of the dry season characterized by sunshine, fresh blooms, and incredible views of animals. June experiences day time temperature range of 25-30 degrees Celsius, the month of June is the best time to visit Tanzania as it offers sights most of the attractions in Tanzania ranging from wildlife, birds, and dry trails for hiking. June offers a perfect time to have a great time for a beach holiday on Zanzibar beaches.
July
The month of July is the driest month in Tanzania and a continuation of the long dry season, this month is also the last month of the wildebeest migration. This month offers sights of wildebeest migration including wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles in Serengeti national park as they set off on their migration to Kenya’s Masai Mara national reserve. The month of July is the perfect month to visit Tanzania for beach holidays, wildlife viewing, bird watching, camping safaris, and many more safari experiences, this month is characterized by daily maximum temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius.
Note: This month risks of malaria are very low because of the dry weather and hot temperatures.
August
The month of August in Tanzania is a continuation of the dry season characterized by average temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius, this month is the perfect time to visit Tanzania for wildlife viewing, bird viewing, camping, and beach vacation because whether conditions are warm but no too hot, in this month national parks are characterized with sparse vegetation cover offering great sights of wildlife.
September
The month of September in Tanzania is still a dry season characterized by low humidity and daily temperatures of about 28 degrees Celsius, September is one of the best months to visit Tanzania for wildlife safaris including viewing of the wildebeest migration. In this month the animals taking part in the migration (wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles) begin the migration from Kenya’s Masai Mara national reserve back to Serengeti national park. The month of September is also a perfect time for snorkeling, diving, beach vacation, and many safari activities.
October
The month of October in Tanzania is the beginning of the wet season characterized by warm temperatures with high average temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius, though this month marks the beginning of the wet season-low levels of rain fall are randomly experienced (less enough not to disrupt your safari experience). October is a great time to visit Tanzania for beach holidays, wildlife viewing, and nature walks.
November
The month of November in Tanzania is the beginning of shirt rainfall season with hot temperatures to make you sweat, November marks the end of the great wildebeest migration, arriving of migratory bird species, and offers great opportunities for wildlife and birdlife sightings. The month of November is the best time to visit Tanzania most especially for budget Travellers and anti-social travelers because of the few crowds, the prices in this month are lower.
December
The month of December in Tanzania is the continuation of the short rainy season characterized by 27 degrees Celsius, this month is the perfect time to visit Tanzania for bird watching as migratory bird species arrive into the country and merry-making since it is a Christmas and New Year’s Eve season. In December expect large crowds in various destinations of Tanzania.
Best time for activities
Safari activities in Tanzania can be done throughout the year but in human nature, we all look for the best time, the best time to visit Tanzania for various safari activities is as detailed below
Best time to spot animals (game viewing)
Game viewing in Tanzania can be done throughout the year but the best time for this experience is usually the dry season experience from June – October, and January – February, in the dry period a shorter dry spell occurs in the north region of Tanzania in January – February. The period of late June to October is the best time for wildlife viewing in various parts of Tanzania, visiting in the dry season is a peak season in June to October and low season in the short season of January – February. In the peak season there is a lot of crowds in various destinations of the park so expect high prices and in the low season, lower prices are charged most especially on accommodation.
Best time to see the great wildebeest migration
The great wildebeest migration is one of the most spectacular phenomena involving the migration of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles from Serengeti national park of Tanzania to the Masai Mara national reserve. The best time for viewing the wildebeest migration is from the months of July to December.
Best time to explore Zanzibar
Zanzibar in Tanzania offers the best beaches and cultural safaris in Tanzania, Zanzibar comprises many white-sand beaches. The best time to visit Tanzania for a beach holiday is from June to October, in this period temperatures are warm but not too hot, other perfect time to visit Zanzibar is from December to February characterized by high temperatures without humidity.
Best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
The best time to visit Tanzania for Mount Kilimanjaro is in the dry season experienced in the dry season from January to March and June to October. Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed all the year-round, this is because of the relatively stable and mild weather conditions, this is because the mountain is situated in close proximity to the equator.
In general, the best time to visit Tanzania for a safari depends on the weather conditions and interests of tourists.
