Best time to visit Tanzania : Tanzania dubbed as The Safari Capital is an incredible safari destination popular for abundant wildlife, The Great Wildebeest Migration and other attractions.
Tanzania is a wonderful destination to visit all year round, however the best time for a Tanzania safari depends on the what you intend to do on your safari. The highlight of Tanzania tourism is wildlife and he Great Wildebeest Migration experienced between July to September, in this incredible phenomenon. Over 2 million wildebeests accompanied by zebras and gazelles move from Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve and back in search for water and green pasture.
The Great Wildebeest Migration is an annual migration which takes place in the Mara – Serengeti Ecosystem which is made up of Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park.
When planning an African safari to Tanzania, knowing the best time to visit determines the experience you will have on a Tanzania safari.
This article details all you need to know about the best time to visit Tanzania.
As a country, Tanzania experiences two seasons that is wet season and dry season. The dry season is experienced from June – October and the wet season is experienced from November – May.
Here is a detailed break down by months
January
January receives rainfall with temperatures rising higher and the humidity is building, this month is the best time to visit Tanzania as it is a low season with lower rates on accommodations and the safari experience is excellent.
In this period of the year, the Great Wildebeest Migration is in the Southeast region of Serengeti. It is a calving season with wildebeests giving birth to thousands of calves per day. The animals and the calving season can be seen in the Ndutu plains.
February
In the month of February, the great wildebeest migration is still in the Ndutu Plains of Serengeti National Park and they can be seen there. February is characterized of hot and humid conditions with little chances of rain.
March
The migrating herds are beginning to leave the Ndutu plains making their way heading towards Grumeti, February is a low season and before the rains start pouring, humidity also starts building.
March is a great time to visit Tanzania due to low rates on accommodation.
April – May
These months receive heavy rains, this period is not a good time to visit Tanzania and travelers are advised against traveling to Tanzania in these months. This is because the heavy rains make the routes impassable.
June
This month is a typical green season in Tanzania with lush grass and bush which makes spotting of wildlife more difficult, regardless of the fact that this month is not the best time for game viewing.
It is a best month for birders and the migratory bird species arrive in Tanzania and the parks are filled with colorful birds.
In this month, the migrating herds are in the Grumeti area of Serengeti National Park heading North.
July
This month is a start of peak season in Tanzania with the great wildebeest migration happening in the north region of Serengeti national park moving towards Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.
Also, the elephants start to gather in Tarangire National Park. In July, the land is getting drier with vegetation cover becoming thinner making game viewing easier.
In July, temperatures are high ranging from 20°C to 30°C and the humidity is low.
August
August is a peak season in Tanzania and the great wildebeest migration is still in the north region of Serengeti National Park, in this month the land becomes more perched and the animals’ behavior is more predictable.
The vegetation cover in Tanzania parks such as Ruaha National Park, Serengeti National Park is thinner making game viewing easier.
September
September is a continuation of the peak season in Tanzania and marks the end of the migration still in the northern region of Serengeti National Park with the migrating herds on the both sides of the borders of Tanzania and Kenya – Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve.
In this month, the Tanzania Northern Safari Circuit is very busy as opposed to the South Safari Circuit. For visitors not interested in crowded areas, Southern Safari Circuit is the best circuit to visit in Tanzania in September.
October
October is a continuation of the peak season in Tanzania, game viewing is good in the central Serengeti and Southern national parks of Tanzania, the great migration herds are in Kenya.
November
Short rains are received in November most especially overnight, but still there is a risk of rain during day. In this season, there are low season rates. In this season, the herds start crossing into Serengeti National Park from Kenya and the river crossing can be seen in the north of Serengeti.
December
In this month, rain is expected generally overnight and the temperatures and humid are starting to build up. December is a festival season for Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations meaning many tourists visit Tanzania.
In December, safari is good offering visitors an opportunity to see the migrating herds that are heading in the North of Serengeti National Park moving north traveling South to Ndutu Plains.
In conclusion, Tanzania can be visited all year round. However, the best time to visit is from July to October. In this dry season, the river crossing stage of the great wildebeest migration and the game viewing is at its best as the vegetation cover is thinner.
