Tanzania is one of the best destinations you can choose to see wildlife. With this guide you will know what is the best time to visit the country to see the most animals and their migrations, have the best weather and even enjoy famous festivals.
Weather in Tanzania: season guide
If you want to know the best time to visit Tanzania, you have to take the weather into account. The ideal conditions are found between July to October, the Dry Season, that also has a little period in January and February. The wet season goes from the end of October to December and from the end of March to June.
Animal migrations: best time to see wildlife
If you are traveling to Tanzania, you surely want to see wildlife and as many animals as you can. Something lots of people wish to see is the Great Migration, when wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and other herbivores cross the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in search of fresh grazing and water.
Seeing the migration is one of the best things you can do in Tanzania. Here we tell you what you can expect depending on when you visit.
January through March:
- Wildebeest, antelope and zebra birthing in Southern Serengeti National Park
- Great time to see predator action
- Plenty of waterbirds in March
April and May
- The Great Migration is trekking from the southern Serengeti National Park to the western corridor
- Many lodges are closed in the Southern and Western circuit parks
June and July
- Best time for bird watchers, the parks are full of migratory birds, especially in the south
- The migration is in the Grumeti area of the Serengeti National Park (western corridor) heading north in June and in the north in July
- Grumeti river crossings
August and September
- The best time to see the Mara River crossing in Northern Serengeti National Park
- More chance to see animals because they gather around waterholes and rivers
- Tarangire National Park is a great scenery to encounter a large number of elephants
October
- Central Serengeti and Southern parks are very rewarding for seeing wildlife
- Best time for chimpanzee encounters in Gombe National Park
November and December
- Crossings can be seen in the north traveling south to Ndutu
- Start of the bird migrations
Best festivals and events in Tanzania
Apart from the safaris, the country is a great place to enjoy a variety of festivals. Because it has a lot of diversity and different traditions, anyone can find one to go to, it is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture. You can choose the best time to visist Tanzania depending on the event you want to see.
January
- Wanyambo festival: It is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture of Tanzania. It is celebrated in Makumbusho, a region in the northern area of Dar es Salaam and it consists of dancing, traditional music and costumes and typical food.
February
- Sauti za Busara: It is one of Africa’s top music festivals and it celebrates the diverse sound of African music, in particular from the Swahili Coast. It is set in Stone Town, in Zanzibar. It includes live performances from musicians across the continent.
March
- Nyama Choma Festival: This is a popular and vibrant food festival that celebrates one of the country’s culinary traditions: grilled meat, known locally as nyama choma. It is a social event where, apart from eating, you can listen to live music and take part in fun activities.
April
- Unification Day: This is the biggest festival of the country and it is celebrated nationwide on April 26th. It commemorates the country’s unity and independence and on that day you can see parades, cultural performances and political speeches. The major events take place in Dar es Salaam, the capital Doloma, and Zanzibar.
May and June
- Mzalendo Halisi Music Festival: It’s celebrated in May in the north of the city of Dar es Salaam, and lasts for two days. It offers acts by local artists who interpret traditional music, and there are also cultural exhibitions.
- Karibu travel and tourism fair: This fair is celebrated in Arusha in the months of May and June. It is the most important event of this type in East Africa. Here you can find exhibitions and sales of traditional items from the country like precious stones, crafts, furniture and more.
July and August
- Mwaka Kogwa Festival: The festival takes place in Zanzibar Island, the specific dates depend on the lunar calendar. It commemorates the heritage of the Shirazi (Persian) and there are a number of rituals that welcome the Persian New Year, there are traditional dances, songs and a large bonfire.
September and October
- Bagamoyo Arts Festival: It is held in Tanzania’s art capital, Bagamoyo. There are lots of different activities you can participate in, like poetry readings, acrobatics, or see sculptors and general artists.
December
- Christmas and New Year’s celebrations: They are celebrated across the country, you can find markets, church services and parties on the beach. Depending on how you want to celebrate, you will definitely find what you like.
