Tanzania weather

Tanzania lies just south of the equator and is warm all year, but how warm depends more on altitude than on the month. In Arusha, at 1,400 metres, daytime temperatures sit between 20 and 28 degrees. On the coast in Dar es Salaam it is between 30 and 33. The country has two rainy seasons, the long rains from March to May, and the short rains in November and December.

The two rainy seasons

The long rains, March to May. They usually start in mid-March, April is the wettest month, and they fade out over the course of May. It rarely rains all day. More often a heavy shower comes in late in the afternoon or at night, and the mornings are often clear.

The short rains, November and December. Shorter and less predictable. Sometimes a shower late in the afternoon, sometimes a few days of rain on and off.

Dry from June to October, and little rain falls in January and February.

For the last months of 2026, extra rain is expected because of El Niño. That applies to this year, not to every year.

Temperature and rainfall by month

Arusha, the north, 1,400 metres. The gateway to the safari parks.

Month	Day	Night	Rain
January	28 °C	10 °C	50 mm
February	28 °C	10 °C	80 mm
March	27 °C	11 °C	170 mm
April	25 °C	13 °C	360 mm
May	22 °C	11 °C	210 mm
June	21 °C	8 °C	30 mm
July	20 °C	9 °C	10 mm
August	22 °C	8 °C	10 mm
September	24 °C	8 °C	20 mm
October	26 °C	10 °C	30 mm
November	27 °C	10 °C	110 mm
December	27 °C	10 °C	100 mm

Dar es Salaam, the coast, sea level.

Month	Day	Night	Rain
January	32 °C	25 °C	54 mm
February	33 °C	25 °C	71 mm
March	32 °C	24 °C	170 mm
April	31 °C	23 °C	264 mm
May	30 °C	22 °C	172 mm
June	30 °C	20 °C	31 mm
July	30 °C	19 °C	16 mm
August	30 °C	19 °C	18 mm
September	31 °C	20 °C	20 mm
October	32 °C	21 °C	77 mm
November	32 °C	23 °C	114 mm
December	32 °C	24 °C	110 mm

Averages over several years. Any single year can turn out wetter or drier.

On safari, the weather in the parks

The Serengeti, Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater lie higher than the coast, and you feel it. Days are usually between 25 and 28 degrees.

From June to September the mornings are cold. You set off at six, the roof of the vehicle goes up and you feel the air on your face. Bring a fleece and a windproof jacket. By ten you are taking them off again.

On the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, at over 2,300 metres, evenings and mornings are cool all year round.

From June it gets dusty. Every vehicle trails a plume of red dust. A buff or a scarf over your mouth is no luxury.

What to bring for that weather is on our packing list for Tanzania.

The weather on Zanzibar

Zanzibar sits in the ocean and is warm all year. There, the wind matters more than the temperature. Everything about it is on our page on the best time to visit Zanzibar.

Rain is no reason to stay at home

If you come in April or November expecting to spend the whole day in your tent, you will be proved wrong. The rain comes in showers. A game drive interrupted by a thunderstorm is often the one people remember longest. And after the first rain on dry ground, the Serengeti smells of wet earth and grass. No photo holds it, and everyone talks about it.

Which month suits your trip is on our page on the best time to visit Tanzania.

Every month, a different trip

Which route we drive in which month, and why, is worked out day by day in each of our itineraries.

View our itineraries