Plan around nature, not a calendar
Follow the migration, trade crowds for green-season calm, or find a better-value window. Compare weather, wildlife and visitor levels before choosing when to travel.
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Choose a priority, then narrow the calendar by destination if you already know where you want to go.
Climate figures show Serengeti monthly averages; conditions vary by destination.
Showing 12 of 12 months
January
January is a superb time for an East African safari. The short dry season brings clear skies, and in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area the wildebeest herds gather for calving season. Warm days, lush green scenery and fewer visitors than the peak months.
February
February is the height of calving season: over 8,000 wildebeest calves are born daily on the southern Serengeti plains, drawing dramatic predator action. Excellent weather across Tanzania and Kenya makes this a prime month.
March
The long rains typically begin in late March, transforming the plains into vivid green. Early March still offers good game viewing with low-season rates, dramatic skies and few vehicles.
April
April is the heart of the long rains in East Africa. Many lodges offer their best rates, landscapes are at their most lush, and resident wildlife remains. A favourite month for experienced safari-goers seeking solitude.
May
May marks the start of the dry season in Southern Africa: prime time for Botswana, Kruger and the Okavango. In East Africa the rains taper off and the migration begins moving toward the western Serengeti.
June
June opens the classic safari season. Grasses shorten, wildlife concentrates around water, and the migration pushes through the western corridor with dramatic Grumeti River crossings.
July
July is peak safari season across Africa. The Great Migration reaches the northern Serengeti and begins the famous Mara River crossings. Cool, dry weather and superb game viewing continent-wide.
August
August delivers the most dramatic river crossings as mega-herds plunge across the Mara River between Tanzania and Kenya. Book well ahead. This is the most requested month of the year.
September
September finds the migration spread across the Masai Mara and northern Serengeti, with continued river crossings. Water sources shrink further, concentrating wildlife and making game viewing exceptional.
October
October is the final full month of the dry season: hot, dusty and superb for game viewing as animals crowd the remaining water. The migration begins its return journey south toward the Serengeti.
November
The short rains refresh the landscape in November. The migration moves through the eastern Serengeti, birdlife explodes with migratory arrivals, and lodges offer attractive green-season rates.
December
December combines the festive season with excellent wildlife viewing. The herds settle on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti, and clear days between short rains offer wonderful photography.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Climate averages use 2019-2023 observations from the Serengeti region and are planning guidance, not a forecast.
When to visit Tanzania
The best time to visit Tanzania for a safari is the long dry season, June to October, when animals gather at water and the river crossings run in the northern Serengeti. January and February are the calving months in the south. Rain comes in two seasons: the long rains from March to May and the short rains in November and December.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Month | Season | Temperature | Rain | Where to be |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Green Season | 16 to 28°C | 82 mm, 11 days | Calving begins on the southern Serengeti plains and around Ndutu. Zanzibar is hot and dry. |
| February | Green Season | 17 to 29°C | 75 mm, 12 days | Peak calving at Ndutu, with lions and cheetahs close by. A good dry window for Kilimanjaro. |
| March | Long Rains Begin | 17 to 29°C | 82 mm, 14 days | Herds still graze the south. The long rains arrive late in the month and visitor numbers fall. |
| April | Long Rains | 17 to 28°C | 129 mm, 14 days | Long rains. The quietest month: some camps close for the season and others drop their rates. |
| May | Transition | 16 to 28°C | 42 mm, 6 days | Rains ease and the herds start moving north-west towards the Western Corridor. |
| June | Dry Season | 16 to 28°C | 15 mm, 4 days | Dry season starts. The herds gather in the Western Corridor around the Grumeti River. |
| July | Dry Season | 15 to 29°C | 4 mm, 2 days | Herds reach the northern Serengeti and the first Mara River crossings begin. Fine weather on Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. |
| August | Dry Season | 16 to 29°C | 10 mm, 2 days | Peak Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti. The busiest month in the northern parks. |
| September | Dry Season | 17 to 30°C | 25 mm, 5 days | Crossings continue in the north. Elephants crowd the Tarangire River. |
| October | Short Rains Begin | 17 to 31°C | 42 mm, 6 days | Herds turn south again. Dry-season game viewing is excellent in Tarangire, Ruaha and Nyerere. |
| November | Short Rains | 17 to 29°C | 146 mm, 16 days | Short rains green the plains as the herds return to the southern Serengeti. Fewer visitors. |
| December | Green Season | 16 to 28°C | 122 mm, 16 days | Herds settle on the southern plains before calving. The coast is busy over the festive season. |
Temperatures are the average daily low and high in the Serengeti; rain is the monthly total and the number of rainy days. Arusha and the crater highlands are cooler, the coast and Zanzibar hotter and more humid.
A month is only the beginning
Conditions can differ greatly between the Serengeti, Okavango, Kruger and Rwanda. Tell us what you hope to see and we will pair your dates with the strongest route.
