Weather & travel health
Tanzania is a year-round destination. Here is the weather month by month, temperature, sunshine and rainfall for the safari heartland, plus everything you need to know about yellow fever and staying healthy.
A year in one glance
Average high and low temperatures (°C) with monthly rainfall for northern Tanzania. Two rainy seasons frame the year, the long rains around April and the short rains in November, leaving long, sunny dry spells that are perfect for safari.
Choose your month
Calving season
A warm, sunny break between the rains. Brief afternoon showers keep the plains green while the southern Serengeti fills with newborn wildebeest.
Big-cat action
The warmest, brightest stretch of the green season. Calving peaks in the south, drawing predators into the open under big, dramatic skies.
Green & quiet
Warm and increasingly humid as the long rains build. Landscapes turn emerald, crowds thin and prices soften.
Birding & value
The wettest month, with heavy afternoon downpours and vivid green scenery. The quietest time in the parks, a photographer and birder dream.
Lush & peaceful
Rains ease toward month-end and the bush is at its greenest. Migration herds start drifting north and you often have the plains to yourself.
Migration moves
The dry season arrives, cooler nights, clear skies and thinning grass that makes wildlife easy to find.
Peak safari · Kili
Cool, dry and reliably sunny. Prime safari and Kilimanjaro weather, with the first Mara River crossings up north.
River crossings
Peak dry season: warm days, cool mornings and superb visibility. Dramatic river crossings and the busiest, most popular month.
Best game viewing
Clear skies, thin bush and concentrated wildlife make this one of the very best months to visit. Comfortable and dry.
Sunniest month
Warm, golden and still excellent for game viewing before the short rains, the sunniest month of the year.
Birding · green
Short rains bring brief, refreshing afternoon showers and fresh green growth. Migratory birds arrive and the parks feel peaceful.
Festive safari
Festive-season warmth with green landscapes and short, passing showers. The wildebeest gather once more in the south.
In short: June-October (dry season) is the classic choice for game viewing and Kilimanjaro; January-February is calving season on the plains; and the green months of March-May and November reward you with lush scenery, fewer people and better value.
Give us your dates and travel style and our Arusha team will match you to the right season, parks and pace, with honest advice and no obligation.
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