Best Time to Visit Dar es Salaam

June to October: dry and comfortable

This is the best stretch, and the data backs it up. From June to September the days are warm but not heavy, and the nights cool down a little. July and August are the driest, with just 4 rainy days each. October is still rated Excellent, though it's hotter and the first showers start to creep in.

On the ground, that means easy days. You can take the ferry from the city centre to Bongoyo Island or Mbudya Island for snorkelling and a grilled fish lunch. You can wander the Kivukoni fish market in the morning and eat nyama choma (grilled meat) in Msasani in the evening. The sea breeze makes the afternoons much kinder than in the wet months.

This is also the busiest time. Dar is mostly a gateway city, so many visitors pass through on the way to Zanzibar or the northern safari parks. Hotels fill up more in July and August, when school holidays in Europe and North America begin. Travelling with kids? This is your window, but expect fuller flights to Zanzibar.

November to February: hot, with short rains

The short rains arrive in November, and you'll feel it. Days stay around 30°C, the air gets sticky, and downpours can flood low roads for an hour or two. December has 22 rainy days, but it's often rain in bursts rather than all day, so the sun still shows up.

Hate crowds? January and February are quieter in the city, and February is noticeably drier than January. The beaches south of the centre, like Kigamboni, are calmer then too. Christmas and New Year bring Tanzanians home from abroad, so some hotels and buses book up even though the weather is mixed. Traffic in town is slow whenever it rains, so give yourself extra time to cross the Selander Bridge or reach the airport.

March to May: the long rains

This is the low season, and April is the hardest month: 269 mm of rain on 27 days, with grey skies and the least sun of the year. Roads flood, ferries can be rough, and some beach lodges close. March is also rated Poor, though May starts to ease.

There's an upside. Prices drop and the city feels slower. If you're here for museums, such as the National Museum and House of Culture, or for coffee and Swahili food in Kariakoo market, rainy afternoons won't ruin much. Islands and snorkelling trips are the real losers, so save those for another time.

Ramadan and Eid move around the calendar, and they change the feel of the city, especially along the coast. Shops keep different hours and evenings get lively with food. Check the dates for the year you're travelling.