Best time to visit Tanzania

The short version

Tanzania's safari year is shaped by rain. In most years the pattern runs like this:

• June to October, the long dry season. Short grass, animals gathered near water, cool mornings. The classic safari months, and the busiest.
• November to December, the short rains. Passing showers, green landscapes, migrant birds arriving and the wildebeest herds heading south.
• January to February, the calving window. A drier spell on the southern Serengeti plains, where the herds give birth and predators follow.
• March to May, the long rains. Heavy downpours, with April often the wettest month. Fewer vehicles, lush scenery, and some seasonal camps close.

These are patterns, not promises. The rains can arrive early or late by a few weeks, and the herds move with them.

Matching the month to what you want

Big herds on the Mara River usually mean July to October in the northern Serengeti. Calving means late January to February around Ndutu. Elephants under the baobabs of Tarangire are at their best from June to October. The Ngorongoro Crater has wildlife all year, though its rim is cold at dawn in the dry season.

If your dates are fixed, that's fine. Every month has a good route in it; it's a matter of choosing the right parks and camp areas for the season you have.

Read the full guide

Our travel guide on the best time to visit Tanzania goes through each season and each park in detail. For the herds specifically, see the Great Migration month by month.

When you know roughly when you'd like to travel, plan your safari and we'll suggest the route that suits it.