The first question almost every traveler asks is “when is the best time?”. The short answer: a safari in Tanzania is good in every month. The long answer depends on what you want to see, your budget and how many other tourists you are willing to meet along the way. Here is what you get in each season.
Peak season: July to October
This is the dry, cool season and the most popular time of the year.
- Pros: the Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti, large elephant herds in Tarangire, thin vegetation that makes game viewing easier, and very little rain.
- Cons: the highest prices of the year, more jeeps at the sightings, and lodges that fill up months in advance.
- Best for: travelers who dream of seeing a river crossing and are happy to book early. It also matches the European and North American summer holidays.
The dry season: June, and December to February
June is the start of the long dry season, and December to February is a relatively dry spell between the two rainy seasons.
- Pros: roughly from January to March it is calving season in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, with thousands of newborns and very active predators. In June the herds move north through the central and western Serengeti. The weather is pleasant and Zanzibar is at its best.
- Cons: around the holidays, especially late December, it gets busy and prices go up. You need to choose the area according to where the herds are.
- Best for: families over the Christmas and New Year break, and anyone who wants to see the young animals.
The green season: March to May, and November
In the rainy seasons the landscape is green, the parks are quiet and prices are lower. The long rains fall roughly in April and May, and the short rains in November.
- Pros: far fewer tourists and a more authentic experience, green scenery and dramatic skies, good prices, and plenty of birds.
- Cons: rain, usually as short afternoon showers, muddy roads in some areas, and some lodges and Zanzibar hotels close in April and May.
- Best for: travelers looking for quiet and a good price. Easter usually falls in this season, and in March the herds are still in the southern Serengeti.
What about Zanzibar?
June to October and December to February are the best months for the beach. In April and May there are heavy rains and some hotels close. That is why in spring we sometimes recommend fewer beach nights, or beaches where the weather is more stable.
So when should you go?
Whenever it suits you. We build the route around the month you fly and aim for the area where the animals are at that time. In the Ngorongoro Crater, for example, the animals stay all year round. Contact us with your month, number of travelers and safari days, and we will send you a day-by-day route and a price estimate.
