Travel guide
Best Time to Visit Tanzania
How the dry, short-rain and green seasons shape wildlife viewing, the migration and Zanzibar beach weather.
Dry season: June – October
The long dry season is the most popular time to visit. Vegetation thins out, animals gather around permanent water sources, and game viewing across the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire is at its most reliable. The Great Migration's dramatic river crossings typically happen from July through September in the northern and western Serengeti.
Short dry spell: December – February
A quieter, warmer window with good game viewing and lower rates than peak season. The southern Serengeti plains host the migration's calving season around January and February, drawing predators close behind — a rewarding time for those interested in predator behaviour.
Green season: March – May
The long rains bring lush landscapes, dramatic skies and excellent birdlife, with far fewer visitors and the lowest lodge rates of the year. April is the wettest month and some camps close for maintenance, so this period suits flexible travellers more than first-time visitors on a tight schedule.
Planning around Zanzibar
If you are combining a safari with time on the coast, Zanzibar is at its best from June to October and again from December to February. The April–May long rains affect the islands too, so we generally steer beach add-ons away from that window.
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