Best Time to Visit Tanzania – By Season

Best Time to Visit Tanzania – By Season

Tanzania is one of the most rewarding safari destinations in Africa, thanks to its diversity with majestic wildlife, stunning landscapes, and rich cultures. When it comes to the best time to visit Tanzania, the ideal time depends on your interests, as the seasons will determine your expectations and comfort zones.

Migrating herds on their annual journey

When is the high season?

The high season in Tanzania runs from July to March with a short rainy break in November. However, in the wildlife parks to the south and west of Tanzania. The high seasons runs from June to October.

During the high season accommodation prices can be higher. As Ratel Safaris our goal is to plan for and provide guests with intimate experience, but bear in mind that this will be the peak travel period to Tanzania’s most famous game parks. If you are looking for a more secluded safari, one of our country experts can help you choose less visited parks to the south or west of Tanzania.

If you are on a budget, you can consider one of our intimate group tours, which provides you with the same amazing experience at a reduced cost.

When is the low season?

The low season, brought about by the long rains, occurs in Tanzania from April to May. With the abundance of available grass, the wildlife becomes harder to see as it moves further away from its dry season’s water sources. However, the green vibrant landscape with a wealth of migratory birds certainly makes up for this.

Camps to the north tend to remain open. However some of the accommodations in Southern Tanzania can close during this period. The Zanzibar Archipelago can receive large amounts of heavy rain, which makes a dream – beach – holiday less advisable in these months.

Prices are lower during this period and if you are open to suggestions from one our country-experts, we could help you plan a unique experience to Tanzania during the low season.

When is the dry season?

The dry season in Tanzania occurs from June to October and it is the best time to visit Tanzania.

Depending on where you would like to visit, you can expect to experience dry day-time temperatures ranging from 20°C/68°F to 30°C/86°F. Surprisingly, temperatures can fall rapidly at night, so don’t forget to pack warm clothes for when for when you partake in an early morning game drive. If at altitude, such as the rim of Ngorongoro Crater or Mount Kilimanjaro, temperatures will be much lower. In general, there is very little rain, low levels of humidity and beautiful blue skies during this season.

The Tanzania Coastline and the Zanzibar Archipelago has a tropical climate. The best time to visit Zanzibar is also during the dry season, due to low humidity, warm weather and low chance of rain. The dry season has the perfect weather for your post-safari beach destination.

When is the rainy season?

Tanzania experiences two rainy seasons, the short and the long rains. Both influence the best time to visit Tanzania, however, the long rains will have the greatest impact on a safari trek, climb or beach holiday to Tanzania.

The short rains last from November to December. Often unpredictable, it creates a flush of green growth and it is a beautiful time to visit Tanzania. Another highlight is the returning migratory birds.

January to February experiences a break from the rain and it happens to coincide with the start to the wildebeests calving season in the Serengeti National Park. Low-season prices are on offer in some of the Southern Parks, making this period one of the best times to visit Tanzania.

The long rains occur in March to May thanks to the south-east trade winds carrying huge amounts of rain inland. Often coming in bursts, heavy rain can be expected nearly every day.

Mountain Kilimanjaro

The Best Time to Visit Tanzania – By Activity

Safaris and Game Viewing

The best time to enjoy a safari and view game in Tanzania is June to October. During this time hundreds of herbivores gather near to water sources and dense numbers of predators will be waiting for them.

The great wildebeest migration occurs during the dry season, and in July the famous river-crossings take place. Other important months on the wildebeest migration calendar are January to February to see the calving season or May and June to experience the rut (Mating Season). Both events are spectacular to behold.

January and February are generally dry months, but with fewer visitors in the national park which is a great time for a safari.

The perfect safari weather occurs during the dry season with low humidity and temperatures ranging from 20°C (68°F) to 30°C (86°F). Nights and mornings are cool.

For bird watchers, the best time to watch resident birds is in the dry seasons. And to watch the migratory birds is from November and December.

Kilimanjaro Trekking

The best time to trek Mount Kilimanjaro is the dry season, from June to October, or from January to February when the weather is also dry, if you would like to have a guaranteed experience, either of these two periods of dry weather, June to October, or January to February, are the two optimum periods to trek Mount Kilimanjaro.

However, this is the peak season on the mountain, so if you want to avoid the crowds whilst trekking Kilimanjaro, try to consider periods outside these months.

March to May is the wet season in Tanzania and it is generally not recommended to trek the mountain, however, it is theoretically possible to trek Mount Kilimanjaro through the year.

Beach Holiday on Zanzibar Island

The best time for a beach holiday on Zanzibar is June to October. Crystal clear sea, coconut trees bowing over the white sandy beaches, low humidity, yet warm weather with no rain, all combine to create the best time for a tropical beach holiday on Zanzibar.

Snorkeling and diving on the coral reef can be incredible from June to February, depending on the weather. However, January to March is the best time to dive on Zanzibar. Plan your diving experience in September to coincide with hatching turtles or December if you want to share the water with whale sharks.

If you enjoy the heat and humidity, January and February is the period for you. March to May is the rainy season and it is worth avoiding this period if you are looking for the dream beach holiday on Zanzibar.