Best Time to Visit Tanzania

June to September: the safe bet

For most of Tanzania, the dry months from June to September are the best time to go. Zanzibar, Arusha and Dar es Salaam all agree on this. Days are sunny, nights are cooler, and the roads are easier to drive. Grass on the savannah thins out, and animals gather near rivers. That makes game drives in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater much better. The Serengeti's wildebeest herds are usually in the northern part, around the Mara River, in the later part of this window. Expect crowds and the highest lodge rates, though. This is high season, and July and August are the busiest.

Mwanza, on Lake Victoria, is best in June and July. Dodoma, the capital, is drier from May to July. It gets hot later in the year, reaching 33°C in October, so avoid that month if heat bothers you.

The rains: April and November

Tanzania has two wet spells. The long rains come around March to May, and the short rains arrive in November. Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam get hit hardest in April, with 281 mm and 269 mm. Some beach hotels on Zanzibar close for a few weeks then. Those that stay open drop their prices. If you don't mind grey skies and warm downpours, it's a quiet time to visit.

Arusha, Mwanza and Dodoma peak in November or January instead. Dirt roads in the north can turn to mud, so allow extra driving time to the parks.

Heat, holidays and crowds

February is the hottest month in Zanzibar, Arusha and Dar es Salaam, at 29 to 30°C. It's also dry enough for good safaris, and the southern Serengeti is busy with calving season. It's a smart choice if you want wildlife with fewer people.

Christmas and New Year are another busy time, especially on Zanzibar's beaches. Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, shifts each year and affects the coast. Ferries and hotels fill up around it, and some daytime restaurants in Stone Town may close during Ramadan.

Want a simple plan? Do safari in the dry months, then finish with a few days on the beach at Nungwi or Paje.