Best time to visit Tanzania
Best time to visit Tanzania.
The dry season, which lasts from late June to October, is the ideal time to visit Tanzania because wildlife viewing is typically at its peak during this time. In late January or early February is when you can witness the wildebeest calving, and the wildebeest migration typically takes place in the Serengeti throughout June and July. For the most part, the northern circuit parks as well as Tanzania parks are open all year-round, but the southern and western circuit parks are best visited from June to October, which is known as the Dry season.
Most Tanzanian safari locations have warm days and chilly nights all year long. The country’s Indian Ocean coast and lakeside areas are hot and muggy, yet temperatures on Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru can drop below freezing.
Depending on your destination and desired sights, there are a few factors to consider while planning a Tanzanian safari. The greatest time to visit Tanzania for a first-time safari visitor is usually during the dry season, when it is simpler to follow and locate wildlife. Knowing the difference between Tanzania’s high and low seasons for safari travel is a terrific place to start, even if you’re not from there before.
Month by Month Guide for Travelling to Tanzania:
Travelling to Tanzania during January to March.
January is one of the greatest months to visit Tanzania’s coast if you’re looking for a tropical beach vacation. A holiday in Zanzibar means beaches with powder-soft sand, blue waters, and complete relaxation. When it comes to the Wildebeest Migration, the herds typically head toward the southern Serengeti in the first month of the year to give birth to their calves.
February marks the beginning of calving season, when thousands of wildebeest give birth to their young while predators wait in the shade. The month is hot and muggy. This is the time of year when about 500,000 wildebeest calves are born. New life is sprouting out all across the plains, stumbling cautiously at first.
Tanzania experiences severe heat in March, with dry weather most of the month although in past years, the “long rains” have arrived early. During the summer, the dark roughness of the earth is starkly contrasted with an alien green environment. The late afternoon brings brief, intense rains to the Ngorongoro Highlands, while the mornings remain mild. Additionally, March is regarded as the best month to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Visiting Tanzania and April and May.
Although afternoon thunderstorms are the most common type of precipitation in April, large storms often occur at night and there are plenty of cloudy days. April is by far the wettest month of the year. While it’s the wettest time of year in the western and southern parks, if you choose to travel then, lodging and Tanzania tours are very affordable.
Though it’s still somewhat damp during the beginning of May, as June brings in the dry season, things do begin to dry out by the end of the month. From the southern Serengeti to the western corridor, the Great Migration is traveling during this month.
Visiting Tanzania from June and August.
June is regarded as the ideal month to travel to Tanzania for luxury safaris because it is dry, crowded, and pleasant. The rains have stopped, the savannahs are beginning to turn yellow instead of green, and as the vegetation gradually withers away, wildlife sightings get better. Perhaps the migration of wild animals came to a halt at the Grumeti River, where they gathered numbers in preparation for their daring crossings.
The greatest time to visit Tanzania is in July, when the game drive season is at its height and you can combine a safari in Kenya and Tanzania with perfect weather and fantastic game drive opportunities. In order to prepare for its major event—crossing the dangerous Mara River into Kenya—the Great Migration should have made it to the northern Serengeti. See what a safari in Tanzania vs Kenya is like by reading on.
Tourist numbers to Zanzibar and the northern safari circuit (Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti) are at their highest in August, which is still acknowledged as peak season. There is incredible wildlife watching, and the Great Migration herds ought to have begun crossing the Mara River by now.
Travelling to Tanzania during September and October.
September is a month when the tourist rush starts to thin down and the rainy season continues, which means that the humidity is low and the mosquito population is reduced. In September, hikers hoping to summit Kilimanjaro will have excellent conditions for seeing large herds of elephants, which can be found in large numbers in the Tarangire National Park. In addition, the vast lake regions of Tanzania are entering their fishing season this month.
When October arrives, the first rains and the formation of thunderstorms are both noticeable. It is the ideal time to visit Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains National Park in order to see chimpanzees, and this is also the warmest month to visit Lake Tanganyika. This month is ideal for visiting Arusha National Park if you wish to climb Mount Meru.
Visiting Tanzania in November and December.
Possibly one of the most underappreciated months in Tanzania to go on safari is November. Although there will be rain, it will usually only be light afternoon thunderstorms. In addition to being excellent for year-round wildlife viewing, Tanzania’s northern parks are a terrific place to explore some lesser-known locations this month.
In contrast to the two weeks before Christmas and New Year’s, December typically starts out quietly during the “short rains.” When the migratory birds begin to arrive in December, it’s the ideal month to go birdwatching, especially in the Tarangire and Nyerere National Parks. The southern Serengeti’s short grass plains are once again the site of the Great Migration. It’s the perfect time of year for a Tanzanian Serengeti safari to see the feasting that occurs before the animals calve and start their yearly cyclical journey.