The right month for a trip to Tanzania depends on what you want to see and where you go: dry from June to October; between January and March the wildebeest calving on the Ndutu plains. April and May are the months of the long rains. Below you will find the twelve months for each area, the seasons and the events worth planning around.
The twelve months
| Month | Northern Tanzania | Southern Tanzania and the coast | Kilimanjaro |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ideal | Low season | Ideal |
| February | Ideal | Low season | Ideal |
| March | Good | Low season | Good |
| April | Low season | Not advised | Not advised |
| May | Low season | Low season | Low season |
| June | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal |
| July | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal |
| August | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal |
| September | Ideal | Ideal | Ideal |
| October | Ideal | Ideal | Good |
| November | Good | Good | Low season |
| December | Good | Low season | Good |
The seasons
Northern Tanzania
Jun–Oct · Dry season. Days between 24 and 28 °C, cool nights of 12–15 °C; on the rim of Ngorongoro, at 2,300 metres, it drops below 10 °C at dawn. Short grass and animals close to water: easier sightings, dusty tracks. You’ll need a jacket for morning game drives.
Nov–Dec · Short rains. Brief showers, usually in the afternoon, with 25–29 °C. The landscape turns green again and the herds move down to the southern Serengeti. Fewer vehicles at sightings.
Jan–Mar · Short dry season. Warm, 27–30 °C, with occasional rain. On the Ndutu plains the wildebeest calves are born and predators are at their most active.
Apr–May · Long rains. Frequent, heavy rain, some muddy tracks and several seasonal camps closed.
Southern Tanzania and the coast
Jun–Oct · Dry season. Dry heat, 25–32 °C by day with cooler nights. Animals concentrate along the rivers: this is the best time for the parks of the south and the coast, with boat and walking safaris where offered.
Nov–Mar · Hot and humid. Between 30 and 35 °C with high humidity and rain increasing from December. Dense vegetation, harder sightings.
Apr–May · Long rains. The heaviest rain of the year: many camps close and some tracks become impassable.
Kilimanjaro
Jan–Mar · Warm window. More settled, warmer weather at lower altitudes; the summit is often free of cloud. Up high, at night, it drops below −10 °C with the wind.
Jun–Oct · Dry window. The busiest season: settled skies and dry trails, colder at altitude than in January.
Apr–May and Nov · Rains. Long rains in April and May, short rains in November: muddy trails, poor visibility and possible snow up high.
Not to be missed
- Great Migration (July–October): The herds of wildebeest and zebra are in the northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara. The Mara River crossings can’t be predicted to the day: you need several nights in the same area.
- Wildebeest calving (January–March): On the Ndutu plains, in the southern Serengeti, thousands of calves are born within a few weeks. It is also when predators are at their most active.
- Big Five (June–October): In the dry season the grass is short and animals gather around water: this is when you are most likely to see all five.
- Summit of Kilimanjaro (January–February, June–October): In the dry windows the trails are dry and the summit is more often free of cloud. January and February are warmer; from July to September it is colder at altitude.
- Green season (November–March): Green landscapes, young animals, migratory birds from Europe and fewer vehicles around sightings, with prices lower than in high season.
Area by area
Northern Tanzania. Dry from June to October; between January and March the wildebeest calving on the Ndutu plains. April and May are the months of the long rains.
Southern Tanzania and the coast. The dry season, from June to October, is the best time for the parks of the south and the coast. Many camps close in April and May.
Kilimanjaro. The best windows run from January to early March and from June to October. April and May are best avoided.
Our trips in Tanzania
Tanzania · Adventure
Kilimanjaro by the Lemosho route
The climb to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 metres, by the Lemosho route: one of the most scenic and, thanks to the…
from €3,660per person, flights included*
Tanzania · Beach & relax
Safari in the parks and the sea at Zanzibar
Our most requested combination: six days of safari in the northern parks, then the Indian Ocean. You fly…
from €5,000per person, flights included*
Tanzania · Safari
The northern parks and the Ndutu plains
The complete safari through the northern parks, built around Ndutu: between December and April the southern plains of the…
from €5,980per person, flights included*
Kenya and Tanzania · Safari
Kenya and Tanzania in the footsteps of the Great Migration
A single journey through both countries of the Great Migration: from Lake Nakuru to the Masai Mara, then the Serengeti…
from €6,810per person, flights included*
