Tanzania

The best time of year for safari in Tarangire

Tarangire is a classic dry season savanna safari reserve, where the wildlife migrates inwards to water during the Jun-Oct dry season and then disperses across a vast hinterland during the converse green season. However, that Nov-May season is quiet and pretty, so may still be worth considering.

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Tarangire

is most commonly visited

during the May-Nov dry season

a classic dry season reserve

The best time to visit Tarangire is generally considered to be during the Jun-Oct dry season, when the animals migrate in from a vast hinterland to the permanent sources of water in the park.

During the converse green season, Feb/May, the animals disperse and the grass grows high, making wildlife viewing a good deal more challenging. But the landscapes are very pretty, the light clear and visitor traffic low.

The Jun and Nov/Jan periods are periods of transition between the two main seasons, the actual timing of which varies according to the specific rainfall patterns each year.

enormous herds of elephants

gather along the river

January is generally considered to be a pretty good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.0
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 16C/61F
Rainfall : 75mm/3.0″ : medium

Weather conditions are generally pretty good, with plenty of clear skies and comfortable temperatures, but with chances of intermittent rain showers. The light should be nice and clear for photography.

Wildlife movements will depend on whether or not the early season rains have materialised. Most likely they have, in which case the animals should be widely dispersed away from central areas, making wildlife viewing considerably more challenging.

Visitor traffic during the first few days of January remains relatively high, meaning that traffic avoidance measures are recommended, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully. Following that the numbers tend to drop off precipitously to very low levels, building back slightly towards the end of the month.

unpredictable weather and wildlife

February is generally considered to be a slightly weaker month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 7.5
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 16C/61F
Rainfall : 75mm/3.0″ : medium

Visitor traffic is usually relatively low at this time of year, but sustained by the flow of visitors coming down from the migration calving events in Serengeti.

unpredictable weather and wildlife

March is generally considered to be a slightly less favourable month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 7.0
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 17C/63F
Rainfall : 110mm/4.5″ : high

Weather conditions are starting to become more adverse, still with comfortable temperatures, but with greater chances of prolonged rain showers and overcast conditions. The light should be nice and clear for photography.

Visitor traffic is usually relatively low during this period.

deteriorating conditions and dispersed wildlife

April is generally considered to be a less favourable month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 6.0
Average daily temperature : 27C/81F
Average nightly temperature : 17C/63F
Rainfall : 165mm/6.5″ : high

Weather conditions are now likely to be quite adverse, still with comfortable temperatures, but with much greater chances of prolonged or torrential rainfall and overcast conditions. The light should be nice and clear for photography.

Visitor traffic is usually relatively low during this period.

adverse weather and difficult wildlife

This is generally considered to be a slightly less favourable month to visit this area.

Rating : 7.0
Average daily temperature : 25C/77F
Average nightly temperature : 16C/61F
Rainfall : 57mm/2.2″ : medium

Weather conditions should start to improve considerably through this month, with plenty of clear skies and comfortable temperatures, but still with chances of intermittent rain showers. The light should still be nice and clear for photography.

Wildlife movements are likely to be adverse at this time, with the animals being widely dispersed away from central areas and across a vast hinterland, making wildlife viewing considerably more challenging. In drier years the animals may start to move back into central areas over the course of the month.

Visitor traffic is usually relatively low during this period, perhaps increasingly towards the end of the month.

improving conditions, but with wildlife still dispersed

June is generally considered to be a pretty good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.0
Average daily temperature : 25C/77F
Average nightly temperature : 14C/57F
Rainfall : 5mm/0.2″ : very low

Weather conditions should be really good as we now enter the main dry season, with predominantly clear skies, comfortable temperatures and virtually no chance of rain. The light should still be nice and clear for photography.

Wildlife movements are likely to be improving at this time, with the animals really starting to move back into central areas, starting to make wildlife viewing considerably easier.

Visitor traffic is rising throughout this month and traffic avoidance measures are starting to become more important, namely choosing your safari routes carefully.

wildlife starting to cluster along the main river

July is generally considered to be a good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.5
Average daily temperature : 24C/75F
Average nightly temperature : 13C/55F
Rainfall : 0mm/0.0″ : very low

Weather conditions should be really good as the main dry season progresses, with predominantly clear skies, comfortable temperatures and virtually no chance of rain. The light for photography may be starting to become a little more hazy.

very strong wildlife, but increasing visitor numbers

August is generally considered to be a good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.5
Average daily temperature : 25C/77F
Average nightly temperature : 13C/55F
Rainfall : 0mm/0.0″ : very low

Visitor traffic is usually at its highest during this month and traffic avoidance measures are recommended, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

strong wildlife, but high visitor numbers

September is generally considered to be one of the best months to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 9.0
Average daily temperature : 27C/81F
Average nightly temperature : 14C/57F
Rainfall : 5mm/0.2″ : very low

Weather conditions should be really good as the main dry season starts to reach a peak, with predominantly clear skies, comfortable temperatures and virtually no chance of rain. The light for photography may be a little more hazy as the dust rises.

Visitor traffic usually remains relatively high during this month and traffic avoidance measures are recommended, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.

very strong wildlife viewing along the river

October is generally considered to be one of the best months to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 9.0
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 15C/59F
Rainfall : 55mm/0.6″ : very low

Weather conditions should be really good as the main dry season reaches a peak, with predominantly clear skies, comfortable temperatures and very low chances of significant rain. The light for photography may be a little more hazy as the dust rises.

Wildlife movements are likely to be favourable at this time, with the animals having been drawn into the permanent water sources in the heart of the reserve, making wildlife viewing far more productive. Elephant sightings are likely to be frequent and often prodigious. There is a small chance that early rains may cause the animals to start dispersing.

Visitor traffic tends to fall during this month and traffic avoidance measures are starting to become less important, although it remains important to choose your safari routes carefully.

the height of the dry season

November is generally considered to be a good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.5
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 15C/59F
Rainfall : 75mm/3.0″ : medium

Weather conditions are starting to deteriorate slightly compared with the preceding months, still with predominantly clear skies and comfortable temperatures, but increasing chances of rain showers and overcast periods. The light for photography may continue to be hazy, unless there is sufficient rain to suppress the dust.

Wildlife movements are likely to be favourable at this time, with the animals having been drawn into the permanent water sources in the heart of the reserve, making wildlife viewing far more productive. Elephant sightings are likely to be frequent and often prodigious. However there is a reasonable chance that early rains may cause the animals to disperse considerably, making for much more challenging safari conditions.

Visitor traffic is usually relatively low during this period.

chances of rain showers, to freshen the dry bush

December is generally considered to be a pretty good month to visit Tarangire.

Rating : 8.0
Average daily temperature : 29C/84F
Average nightly temperature : 17C/63F
Rainfall : 110mm/4.3″ : high

Weather conditions are continuing to deteriorate slightly compared with the preceding months, still with predominantly clear skies and comfortable temperatures, but increasing chances of rain showers and overcast periods. The light for photography should be clearer, as the rain suppresses the dust.

Wildlife movements are likely to be on the turn by now, with early rains causing the animals to disperse away from central areas, making wildlife viewing considerably more challenging. However there is a reasonable chance that these usually light rains are not sufficient to have caused this event to take place yet, in which case the favourable dry season conditions of the previous months may prevail.

Visitor traffic is usually very low during the first half of December, but climbs towards a year round peak over the holiday season, meaning that traffic avoidance measures are highly recommended, namely booking well in advance to ensure rooms at the best lodges and choosing your safari routes carefully.