Visiting Tanzania

Zanzibar Holiday

The best time of year to visit Zanzibar is from January through February and from June through October.

Located close to the equator, Zanzibar has a climate that follows a tropical pattern of dry seasons and wet seasons.

January and February usually experience a dry season and tend to be pleasant times of year to visit Zanzibar. Skies are clear and the temperatures are hot but bearable.

The main wet season in Zanzibar generally lasts from March through May. The climate experiences high humidity and hot temperatures (in the 30′s C / 80′s F). During this time of year in Zanzibar there are heavy rains, usually in the afternoons and at night.

The main dry season in Zanzibar generally lasts from June through October. The humidity drops, the skies are generally clear, and the temperatures moderate. Depending on where you stay, these months are the best time of year to visit Zanzibar.

November and December experience a second short wet season, although the rains are not as heavy as they are during the main wet season earlier in the year.

Sunny Weather in Zanzibar

Because of its varied topography, the weather in Tanzania changes depending on where in the country you go.

In general, the weather in Tanzania’s coastal zones is hot and humid.

On the coast, the rainy season is from March to June.

The weather in Tanzania’s north is cool.

The rainy period in the north is from November to December and again from February to May.

In general, most people consider the weather in Tanzania to be at its best from mid-June to October.

However, these months can be dry and dusty in the central plateau and can be cold at high altitudes such as Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro Crater.

July to September is usually considered the best time of year for a safari in Tanzania, as the weather is temperate and the annual wildebeest migration takes place during these months.

The weather in Tanzania is at its worst from late March to May, which is the rainiest season in Tanzania.

Tanzania also experiences rain from late October to mid-December.

Late December to March is warm in Tanzania, and is a good time to visit if you want to go on safari or climb Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro at Dawn

The best time to climb Kilimanjaro is in January, February, or September.

January and February on Kilimanjaro are known for being warm and clear. There is relatively little rainfall during these months, which makes them an ideal time of year to climb.

Throughout the rest of the year one can still climb Kilimanjaro, but conditions are not as good. April and May can also be clear and somewhat warm, but often see heavy rain and snowfall. This is the rainiest season of the year on Kilimanjaro.

From mid-May to August, the weather on Kilimanjaro gets much colder.

In addition to January and February, September is the other best time to climb Kilimanjaro. While September tends to be cooler than the first two months of the year, there is still good visibility.

In October the weather on Kilimanjaro warms up somewhat and there is less rainfall.

From November to December Kilimanjaro gets a lot of rain. They are not ideal times to climb.