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The population of Tanzania
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Vaccinations for Tanzania
Malaria in Tanzania
Which airport you fly into in Tanzania?
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The best time to visit Tanzania
The best time for a safari in Tanzania is June to October, the dry season. The animals move towards water, the grass is short and you can see a long way. January and February are the second peak, when the wildebeest calves are born in the southern Serengeti. And the months most guidebooks write off, March, April and May, are the quietest of the year.
There is no bad month. There is a month that suits you, and that depends on what you want to see and how many other vehicles you are willing to share it with.
What you see, month by month
Month | What happens | Crowds | Price level |
January | wildebeest calves in the south, plenty of predators, green | low to moderate | moderate |
February | most of the births, most of the hunting | moderate | moderate to high |
March | long rains begin, herds move north | low | low to moderate |
April | greenest month, many birds, animals spread out | very low | low |
May | rains ease off, central and western Serengeti | very low | low |
June | dry, cold mornings, animals move towards water | moderate | moderate |
July | crossings at the Mara River | high | high |
August | crossings continue, dry and clear | high | high |
September | large herds of elephants in Tarangire, herds still in the north | moderate | moderate to high |
October | first rains possible, herds head back south | low to moderate | moderate |
November | short rains, landscape turns green, many migrant birds | low | low to moderate |
December | rains taper off, herds arrive in the south | low to moderate | moderate |
The Christmas weeks are the exception in December, when everywhere is busier.
June to October, the dry season
This is when most people go, and for good reason. The water runs low, the animals come to it, and you can see far across the short grass.
In July and August the herds cross the Mara River in the northern Serengeti. It is also the busiest time of year, because it falls in the European and North American summer holidays. The well-known spots along the river fill up with vehicles. That is why our guests sleep in the north, around Lobo and Bologonja, where you see the same animals with fewer vehicles around them. More on the crossings on our page about the Mara River crossing.
September is the month we recommend most often to our returning guests. The summer holidays are over, it is still dry, and in Tarangire the largest herds of elephants gather at the river.
January and February, the wildebeest calves
In the southern Serengeti, around Ndutu, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest are born within a few weeks. Where there are young animals, there are predators. Cheetahs hunt here on the open plains, in broad daylight, and you watch the whole chase unfold.
It is warm, the landscape is green, and it is quieter than in July. How the herds move through the park over the year is in our blog on the Serengeti migration.
March, April and May, the green months
The long rains. People who do not live here write them off. We do not.
It rains in showers, usually late in the afternoon, and the mornings are often clear. The Serengeti is green, thunderclouds hang over the plains, and you can drive a whole morning without seeing another vehicle. Lodges are cheaper. Some of the smaller camps close in these months, but there is always enough open to sleep well.
The roads can turn muddy, and that is when an experienced guide in a good vehicle makes the difference. April is also the best month for birds.
November and December, the short rains
Within a few days the landscape turns green. The herds head back south, the migrant birds arrive from Europe, and it is quiet. In November the sky often clears over Kilimanjaro after a shower, and then you can see the glaciers from Moshi.
With children in the school holidays
If you can only travel in the summer holidays, you are travelling in the busiest and most expensive period. That works perfectly well, and it makes where you sleep all the more important. If you can travel over the autumn, Christmas or spring holidays, you have more choice. Talk it through with us before you book your flights.
The weather month by month
Temperature and rainfall by month, for the parks and the coast, are on our page on Tanzania weather.
Which month suits you
Tell us when you can travel and what you want to see, and we will tell you where to be in those weeks. Every itinerary shows how that works out, with an indicative price per season.
Rather talk it through straight away? Plan a call