When to Visit Tanzania
Tanzania is an all-year safari destination — and it holds the greater share of the Great Migration. The herds spend roughly eight months of the year in its Serengeti plains, crossing into Kenya’s Masai Mara only from about July to October — so there is always a stage of the migration to witness here. The dry season, June to October, is the classic time: thinner bush, easy wildlife viewing and the dramatic river crossings in the northern Serengeti.
The green months bring the calving season in the south, dramatic light and far better value. Below is our month-by-month verdict, the Serengeti weather at a glance, and where we would send you in each season.
Serengeti Weather Through the Year
Average daytime highs (°C) and rainfall in the Serengeti · gold = prime months (dry-season crossings & the calving).
Tanzania, Month by Month
| Month | Weather | Wildlife highlight | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Hot, short dry spell | Calving in southern Serengeti / Ndutu; predators active | Excellent |
| February | Hot, dry | Peak calving; best predator action of the year | Excellent |
| March | Warm, rain building | Green shoulder, fewer people, good value | Good |
| April | Long rains | Low season, lush; some camps close; best rates | Fair |
| May | Long rains easing | Green and quiet; excellent value | Fair to Good |
| June | Drying out | Migration moving north and west; Grumeti builds | Good to Excellent |
| July | Dry, cool | Grumeti and northern Serengeti crossings begin | Excellent |
| August | Dry, cool | Mara River crossings; dramatic game viewing | Excellent (peak) |
| September | Dry | Northern Serengeti crossings continue | Excellent |
| October | Dry, warming | Migration in the north; thinning crowds | Excellent |
| November | Short rains | Migration turns south; green, good value | Good |
| December | Short rains easing | Herds returning south; festive season | Good to Excellent |
The Seasons at a Glance
Calving Season
Jan – early MarHot with a short dry spell. Millions of wildebeest calve in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, and predators are at their most active. Overcast skies, but superb game and great value.
Best for: Calving, predators, valueThe Long Rains
Mar – MayTanzania’s wettest months; grasses grow tall and some camps close. But it is the greenest, quietest and cheapest time — lush and wonderfully atmospheric.
Best for: Value, solitude, photographersDrying Out
JuneRains fade, the plains open up and the herds push north and west as the Grumeti builds. The start of the dry season, still relatively uncrowded.
Best for: Migration, fewer crowdsThe River Crossings
Jul – OctThe dramatic Grumeti and Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti. Dry, superb game viewing — and peak prices and crowds.
Best for: Crossings, predators, classic safarisThe Short Rains
NovemberBrief afternoon showers green the plains and the herds begin turning south. Lower rates, fewer visitors and excellent birdlife.
Best for: Value, birdingGreen Season
DecemberHerds returning to the southern Serengeti under clearing festive skies. Lush scenery and good game viewing before the calving begins.
Best for: Families, festive, green sceneryZanzibar & Coast
Aug–Oct / Dec–FebThe islands are at their best in the drier months and best avoided during the long rains — a perfect finish to a Serengeti safari.
Best for: Beach, safari + beachFollowing the Great Migration
Unlike Kenya, Tanzania offers the migration year-round: calving in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu from December to March, the herds pushing through the western Grumeti in June and July, and the famous Mara River crossings in the northern Serengeti from August to October. It follows the rains, not a calendar — so wherever the herds are, we place you in the right camp at the right time.
Peak season (July to October) affects both prices and crowds. While the Great Migration — especially the Mara River crossings — is a draw for serious wildlife buffs and photographers, if this is your first time in East Africa, consider travelling in green or shoulder season. My first trip to Tanzania was in March: overcast skies, the calving season, and herds of millions crossing the plains of Ndutu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Aside from the low prices, the best part was that it was just our vehicle and the wildlife. It felt really immersive — an extraordinary experience.
— Tanvi, Chalo AfricaBest Camps for the Migration, Month by Month
The herds never stop moving, so the best camp depends entirely on when you travel — and the camps shift with the seasons, from the calving grounds of Ndutu to the crossing points of the north. Here is where we would place you, stage by stage.
Calving Season
December – March · Ndutu & southern SerengetiOlakira Migration Camp
Asilia’s mobile camp sits in the southern Serengeti from December to March — right among the calving herds and the big cats that follow them.
View campLemala Ndutu
In the Ndutu region on the edge of the southern plains — a front-row seat for the newborns and predator action.
View campMwiba Lodge
A secluded stone-and-canvas lodge above the Arugusinyai gorge, superbly placed for the calving season.
View campLong Rains, Green Season
April – May · central & eastern SerengetiNamiri Plains
Big-cat country in the remote eastern Serengeti — a permanent camp that shines when the rains empty the plains.
View campFour Seasons Serengeti
A permanent lodge on raised walkways above a busy waterhole — comfort and resident game through the green months.
View campKubu Kubu Tented Lodge
Central Serengeti, within reach of every key area — open year-round and excellent value.
View campThe Western Corridor
June · Grumeti RiverandBeyond Grumeti
On the Grumeti River in the remote west — resident hippo pods and big lion prides as the herds push through.
View campSingita Sabora
1920s safari nostalgia on the Grumeti plains — exclusive, elegant and beautifully positioned.
View campSerengeti Migration Camp
Elewana’s camp beside the Grumeti — synonymous with low-impact, high-action game viewing.
View campThe River Crossings
July – October · northern SerengetiSayari Camp
Northern Serengeti, moments from the Mara River crossing points — award-winning and superbly placed.
View campLemala Kuria Hills
In the Wogakuria Hills near the Mara River, right inside the July–October crossing corridor.
View campLamai Serengeti
On a prime kopje a couple of kilometres from the Mara River — a spectacular vantage over the crossings.
View campBy October the herds turn south again — camps like andBeyond Klein’s Camp and Sayari catch the return — before the cycle begins anew with the calving. Not sure which window suits you? Our specialists will place you in the right camp at the right time.
Regional Notes
Northern Circuit
Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara and Arusha reward year-round; Tarangire is best in the dry season, June to October.
Southern & Western Circuits
Ruaha, Nyerere (Selous), Mahale and Katavi are best visited in the dry season, roughly June to October.
Zanzibar & the Coast
At their best in the drier months — August to October and December to February; avoid the long rains of March to May.
In Short
The best time to visit Tanzania depends on what you want to see. For the northern Serengeti river crossings, aim for July to October. For the calving season and peak predator action, January to early March in Ndutu is unmatched. For green landscapes, solitude and the best value, April, May and November reward. A Zanzibar beach finish is best in the drier months (August–October or December–February), and Kilimanjaro climbs are best when it rains least — June to October or January to March.
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