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Best Time to Visit Tanzania
Tanzania's best travel months: the June to October dry season for river wildlife and the northern Serengeti herds, January to March for calving, and the wet, cheaper April and May. Book a safari for the season you want.
For most travellers, the best time to visit Tanzania is the long dry season from June to October: almost no rain falls, animals crowd the rivers, and the wildebeest herds reach the northern Serengeti. January to March is the other strong window, for calving on the southern plains. April and May are the wettest and cheapest months, and some camps in the south close.
Top Best Time to Visit Tanzania tours
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3 Days3 Day Tanzania Safari Holiday
The 3 Day Tanzania Safari Lodge package to Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and…
4 Days4 Day Tanzania Safari: Ngorongoro, Serengeti, & Tarangire
Prepare yourself for a tour filled with thrilling encounters with the Great…
5 Days5 Day Safari in Tanzania Adventure
Explore the world renowned Ngorongoro Crater, a wonder teeming with wildlife and…
Prefer your own dates and lodges? Ask for a tailor-made quote.
Tanzania Safari Packages
3 Days
3 Day Tanzania Safari Holiday
The 3 Day Tanzania Safari Lodge package to Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire and Lake Manyara covers the best of wildlife on a game drive safari.
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4 Days
Wildlife Safari
4 Day Tanzania Safari: Ngorongoro, Serengeti, & Tarangire
Prepare yourself for a tour filled with thrilling encounters with the Great Serengeti Wildebeest Migration, Big Cats and the renowned Big Five.
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5 Days
5 Day Safari in Tanzania Adventure
Explore the world renowned Ngorongoro Crater, a wonder teeming with wildlife and delve into the enchanting wonders of Lake Manyara National Park.
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6 Days
6 Day Wildlife Safari Tanzania
In 6 days you'll explore Lake Manyara National Park, witness the captivating Serengeti with its wildlife and marvel at the incredible Ngorongoro Crater, where you…
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7 Days
7 Day Safari Tanzania Holiday
7-Day Wildlife Safari Adventure in iconic national parks like Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Lake Manyara. Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration & spot the Big Five.
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8 Days
8 Day Safari Tanzania Expedition
8 day safari, witness the awe inspiring herds of wildebeest and zebras, catch glimpses of predators like lions, cheetahs and leopards and marvel at the…
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9 Days
9 Days Tanzania Safari Holiday
9-Day Wildlife Safari Adventure. Witness Serengeti's Great Wildebeest Migration, encounter diverse wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater, and customize your dream safari.
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12 Days
12 Day Safari in Tanzania Expedition
Our 12 day safari lets you visit the top national parks in Tanzania, lots of game viewing, see the big five animals and more.
Safari DetailsDriest months: June to September, at 5 to 15 mm of rain a month on World Bank national averages.
Wettest months: December to April, peaking near 167 mm in March.
Coolest and warmest: about 21°C in July and 24°C in November, on the national average.
Peak pricing: July to September, when Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) charges its high season concession rates.
June to October in Tanzania: The Long Dry Season
June to October is the best time to visit Tanzania for wildlife. National rainfall drops to about 11 mm in June and 5 mm in July, the bush thins, and animals have to come to permanent water.
June and July: The Herds Move North
The wildebeest migration gathers at the Grumeti River in the western Serengeti around June and reaches the Mara River in the north from about July. July is the coolest month of the year, with cold mornings on game drives and on the Ngorongoro rim.
August and September: Peak Game Viewing
These are the busiest months, and the most expensive. River crossings continue in the northern Serengeti, Tarangire's elephant herds are at their largest along the river, and TANAPA puts the prime chimpanzee trekking season at Gombe and Mahale from June to October.
October: Dry, Hot and Quieter
October stays mostly dry, at about 33 mm, but the heat builds toward the rains. Visitor numbers fall after September, which makes it a good month for the southern parks, including Nyerere and Ruaha.
November and December in Tanzania: The Short Rains
November and December bring the short rains, which Tanzania's weather agency calls Vuli in the north of the country. Showers are usually brief, the plains turn green, and the herds leave the north for the southern Serengeti.
November is the warmest month, at about 24°C, with about 86 mm of rain. December is wetter, at about 145 mm, and the holiday weeks fill lodges at peak prices despite the weather.
January to March in Tanzania: Calving Season and Green Plains
January to March is the best time to visit Tanzania for the wildebeest calving on the southern Serengeti plains around Ndutu, and it is a wetter season than many visitors expect. January and February each average 140 to 155 mm nationally.
January and February: Calving at Ndutu
Most calves are born within a few weeks around February, and predators follow. In the north of the country these months often bring a drier spell between the two rains. TANAPA describes January and February as a second, shorter dry period in Tarangire.
March: The Long Rains Arrive
March is the wettest month on the national average, at about 167 mm. The long rains, known as Masika, set in, and TANAPA's lower entry season begins in the middle of the month.
April and May in Tanzania: The Long Rains
April and May are the quietest time to visit Tanzania. April averages about 142 mm of rain and May about 57 mm, as the rains taper off.
Tracks turn to mud, and TANAPA advises a 4x4 in Tarangire from November to May. Camps in Nyerere and other southern parks often close for the wettest weeks. The northern circuit stays open, lodge rates are at their lowest, and TANAPA's low entry season runs from mid March to mid May.
Planning tip. The first half of June is the sweet spot for value: the rains have ended, the parks are green, and high season concession rates have not started.
Tanzania Weather Month by Month
The table gives national monthly averages from the World Bank's climate data for the most recent 30 year period, rounded.
| Month | Rain | Avg temp | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 154 mm | 24°C | Calving, birds |
| February | 141 mm | 24°C | Calving, predators |
| March | 167 mm | 24°C | Low prices |
| April | 142 mm | 23°C | Lowest prices |
| May | 57 mm | 22°C | Green, quiet |
| June | 11 mm | 21°C | Safaris, value |
| July | 5 mm | 21°C | Migration north |
| August | 8 mm | 22°C | Peak game |
| September | 15 mm | 23°C | Peak game |
| October | 33 mm | 24°C | Southern parks |
| November | 86 mm | 24°C | Fewer visitors |
| December | 145 mm | 24°C | Green plains |
These are countrywide figures. Central and southern Tanzania have one long wet season from about November to April, which dominates the average. The north has two rains with a drier gap in January and February, so the northern circuit is easier in those months than the table implies.
Best Time to Visit Tanzania by Region
Tanzania is large enough that the right month changes with the region.
Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Good in every month; January to March for calving in the south, July to October for the Mara River in the north.
Tarangire. June to October on TANAPA's advice, when herds gather at the river.
Nyerere and Ruaha. June to October; many camps close in April and May.
Gombe and Mahale. June to October for chimpanzee trekking, per TANAPA.
Kilimanjaro. The drier months on either side of the long rains: January to early March, and June to October.
Zanzibar and the coast. Best planned outside the long rains of March to May.
Dry Season or Green Season in Tanzania: Which to Choose
The dry season is the better choice for a first safari in Tanzania, and the green season wins on price and on calving. The trade is simple.
Dry season, June to October: the easiest game viewing and reliable roads, with the highest prices and the most vehicles.
Green season, November to May: calving, migrant birds and lower rates, with rain, mud and some closed camps.
Our take. Choose July to September if the river crossings matter most, and book a year ahead. For a first safari with fewer vehicles, February is hard to beat in the Serengeti. Skip April unless price outweighs everything else.
Best Time to Visit Tanzania FAQs
What is the best month to visit Tanzania?
August and September are the best months for general game viewing, and February is the best for calving season in the southern Serengeti.
When is the rainy season in Tanzania?
The long rains fall from about March to May and the short rains in November and December. March is the wettest month nationally, at about 167 mm.
When is the best time to see the wildebeest migration in Tanzania?
July to October for river crossings in the northern Serengeti, and January to March for calving around Ndutu. The herds are somewhere in the Serengeti for most of the year.
Is Tanzania worth visiting in April and May?
It is worth it for travellers who put price and quiet parks first, since lodge rates and TANAPA's entry season are at their lowest. It suits the northern circuit better than the south, where camps close and roads flood.
What is the cheapest time to visit Tanzania?
Mid March to May is the cheapest period, followed by November. Peak pricing runs from July to September and over the December holidays.
How cold does Tanzania get on safari?
The national average dips to about 21°C in June and July, and high areas such as the Ngorongoro rim are much colder at dawn, so pack a warm layer for morning drives.
Insight Safari Holidays plans Tanzania safaris as part of its East Africa trips and can combine them with gorilla trekking in Uganda, where it runs its own vehicles and guides. Send your travel month, and the team will suggest which parks fit it.