Tanzania is a year-round destination, but each season is different. The right time for you depends on what you want to see, your budget and how much you mind other vehicles at sightings.
Useful For
- Travelers choosing dates
- Migration and photography planning
Late June to October: long dry season
Vegetation thins and animals gather near water, making game viewing easy. This is also peak season for river crossings in the northern Serengeti, with higher demand and prices.
November to December: short rains
Brief afternoon showers, green landscapes and fewer visitors. The migrating herds move back towards the southern Serengeti.
January to March: calving season
A drier spell between the rains. The herds gather on the southern Serengeti plains, where calving usually peaks around February.
April to May: long rains
The wettest months. Some camps close and some roads are harder going, but lodges that stay open are quieter and often cheaper.
Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro
Zanzibar is best from June to October and December to February. Kilimanjaro is usually climbed in the drier months, January to mid-March and June to October.
Questions We Are Often Asked
Is the rainy season a bad time for safari?
Not necessarily. Outside the long rains of April and May, rain usually comes in short bursts and the green season can be excellent and quieter.
Your Safari Doesn't Have to Start With a Package.
It can start with a conversation.