Best time to visit Tanzania

• “The best time to visit Tanzania for a safari is the dry season from June to October” bwindiforestnationalpark.com
• “The best time for a safari in Tanzania is June to October, the dry season.” makasatanzania.com
• “for game viewing we recommend travelling between June and October” africaodyssey.com

7 of the 10 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January82°F / 50°FChecking fares…Mostly dry and warm; first calves drop on the southern Serengeti plains and Zanzibar beaches are hot.Calving starts in the south.Wildebeest calving season
2. February82°F / 50°FChecking fares…Calving peak in the southern Serengeti; also a classic Kilimanjaro month.Among the hottest months of the year.Sauti za Busara · Kilimanjaro Marathon
3. March81°F / 52°FChecking fares…A gamble month: early March like February, storms common by the last week.Long rains begin; the herds move north and crowds are low.
4. April77°F / 55°FChecking fares…Long rains at full strength; roads can turn to mud, several camps shut, and beach islands are wettest.Greenest month and best for birds, with very low crowds.
5. May72°F / 52°FChecking fares…Rains ease from mid-month; the wildebeest rut is in full voice in the central and western Serengeti.Lowest-cost, least crowded period; some southern and western camps close.
6. Best timeJune70°F / 46°FChecking fares…Start of the classic safari season; herds reach the Western Corridor and the Grumeti River.Dry with cold mornings; animals move toward water.Zanzibar International Film Festival
7. Best timeJuly68°F / 48°FChecking fares…First Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti; busiest time because of summer holidays.July is the driest month in the Serengeti.Mwaka Kogwa
8. Best timeAugust72°F / 46°FChecking fares…Crossings continue; dry and clear, with high crowds and prices.Heart of the dry season; bush is thin and cats are easier to find near water.
9. Best timeSeptember75°F / 46°FChecking fares…Recommended most often for returning guests: still dry, quieter after summer holidays, big elephant herds at Tarangire.Crossings are most reliable from about mid July to mid September.
10. Best timeOctober79°F / 50°FChecking fares…Dry and hot; late crossings. First rains are possible and herds head back south.Ruaha afternoons often reach the mid thirties.Whale sharks off Mafia Island · Bagamoyo Arts and Culture Festival
11. November81°F / 50°FChecking fares…Short rains begin; landscape turns green, migrant birds arrive and crowds are low.Brief showers, often afternoon or overnight; fewer tourists.
12. December81°F / 50°FChecking fares…Showers taper off and herds head to the southern plains; Christmas weeks are busier everywhere.Safari prices rise again around the December holidays.

Weather: Arusha averages from Weatherbase (long-term averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Wildebeest calving seasonSouthern Serengeti and Ndutu, TanzaniaEvery January to February
• Sauti za BusaraStone Town, ZanzibarEvery February to March
• Kilimanjaro MarathonMoshi, TanzaniaEvery February to March
• Zanzibar International Film FestivalStone Town, ZanzibarEvery June to July
• Mwaka KogwaMakunduchi, ZanzibarEvery July
• Whale sharks off Mafia IslandKilindoni, Mafia IslandEvery October to February
• Bagamoyo Arts and Culture FestivalBagamoyo, Pwani RegionEvery October to November

When's the best time to visit Tanzania and Zanzibar?

June to October suits both: dry season safari in Tanzania, and a drier, breezier Zanzibar. December to February is a second option.

• Best Places to Visit in Tanzania16 places

• JapanApril and October to November
• IrelandApril to May and September
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