Weather & Climate – Tanzania

Tanzania enjoys a pleasant tropical climate, however there are significant regional climatic variations due to a variety of factors, including altitude. The seashore is the hottest and most humid section of the country. The western and southern parks, for example, are hot but not as humid. The rest of the interior is much cooler at night and is much warmer. Tanzania has two different seasons: dry and wet.

Arusha’s climate compared to Tanzania’s parks

Arusha has a warm temperature and is the town closest to the most prominent northern parks. In most parks, the peak quantity of rainfall at April is far less than in Arusha. Because of its great altitude (about 2,300m/7,545ft), the Ngorongoro Crater rim receives a lot of rain and is very cold in the afternoons and mornings. Manyara, Nyerere, Mikumi, Ruaha, Gombe, Mahale Mountains, and Katavi are lower lying parks that are slightly warmer than Arusha.

Dry season–June to October

During this time, there is very little rain and the humidity is very low. It gets cooler at night, so bring some warm clothes for morning game drives in open vehicles, especially in the northern parks.

June, July, August, September, and October — Afternoon temperatures range from 20°C (68°F) to 30°C (86°F), depending on height and location. The sky is usually clear and sunny on most days.

Wet season–November to May

During the Wet season, midday temperatures are typically warm (a few degrees above or below 30°C/86°F), but it is cooler above 1,300m/4,265ft. Because of the high altitude, most northern parks have chilly mornings.

November and December – ‘Short rains’ – A month-long period of light precipitation that occurs between November and December. It can happen at any time, and it can even happen in October in Northern Tanzania. Rain will only seldom disrupt your safari.

The rainy season tends to finish in January and February in the northern parks and coastal areas. The other parks are not affected by the drought.

‘Long rains’ – March, April, and May are the wettest months. It rains strongly virtually every day, but not always for the entire day. Humidity is high throughout the parks, particularly in the hotter southern and western areas.