When is the best time to visit Tanzania?

The best time to visit Tanzania is June to September: all 2 of the cities we cover are at their best then. By city: Zanzibar, June to September; Arusha, June to September. Cities marked weather data only have a pick based on temperature and rain alone, not yet checked against crowds or local seasons.

When is the hottest month in Tanzania?

It depends on the city. The hottest month is February in Zanzibar and Arusha (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).

When is the rainy season in Tanzania?

The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is April in Zanzibar and Arusha. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.

Is there a month that is good everywhere in Tanzania?

Yes: June to September, when all 2 cities we cover are at their best.

Best Time to Visit Tanzania: Month by Month, City by City

Best months by city

City	Best months	Hottest month	Wettest month
Zanzibar	June to September (weather data only)	February, 90°F (32°C)	April, about 27 rainy days
Arusha	June to September (weather data only)	February, 81°F (27°C)	April, about 26 rainy days

Each city name opens its own month-by-month table. Heat is the average daytime high; rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain. Cities marked "weather data only" have not yet been checked against crowds, closures or local seasons.

Every month at a glance

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Zanzibar	Okay	Okay	Okay	Avoid	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Avoid
Arusha	Okay	Okay	Okay	Avoid	Okay	Best	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Okay

Best = the city's best months. Avoid = very hot, very cold or among the wettest months. Okay = neither. Hover or tap a cell for the reason.

Tanzania month by month

January: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
February: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
March: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
April: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month. Worth avoiding: Zanzibar (among the wettest, 27 rainy days); Arusha (among the wettest, 26 rainy days).
May: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
June: At its best in Zanzibar and Arusha (2 of 2).
July: At its best in Zanzibar and Arusha (2 of 2).
August: At its best in Zanzibar and Arusha (2 of 2).
September: At its best in Zanzibar and Arusha (2 of 2).
October: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
November: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
December: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month. Worth avoiding: Zanzibar (among the wettest, 26 rainy days).

Plan your trip

Open a city guide for tours, hotels and what to do there:

See today's travel advisory for Tanzania (government warnings, checked every 2 minutes).

Tanzania: common questions

When is the best time to visit Tanzania?: The best time to visit Tanzania is June to September: all 2 of the cities we cover are at their best then. By city: Zanzibar, June to September; Arusha, June to September. Cities marked weather data only have a pick based on temperature and rain alone, not yet checked against crowds or local seasons.
When is the hottest month in Tanzania?: It depends on the city. The hottest month is February in Zanzibar and Arusha (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).
When is the rainy season in Tanzania?: The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is April in Zanzibar and Arusha. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.
Is there a month that is good everywhere in Tanzania?: Yes: June to September, when all 2 cities we cover are at their best.

How we worked this out

Temperatures and rainy days come from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024 for each city. Where a city's best months were checked by hand against crowds and local seasons, that is the pick shown; otherwise the pick is based on weather alone and is marked. Weather changes from year to year, so treat this as a planning guide, not a forecast.