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Where is the country of Tanzania located? Tanzania is a country located in eastern Africa. The country is located on the Indian Ocean and is a major tourist destination within the continent. The Serengeti is very popular, a vast area best known for the annual migration of large numbers of herbivores. In October they migrate to the southern plains due to the drought, after which they return to the northern hills around April. The Serengeti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tanzania has for the most part a tropical savanna climate, with temperatures being high throughout the year and a markedly drier period. In the east of Tanzania there are even two rainy periods and two drier periods. The central part of Tanzania is drier and has a mix of a warm steppe climate, which changes into a warm desert climate centrally on the African Highlands. The Serengeti partly has a warm China climate.

Rainy season

The western part and the center of Tanzania have a rainy season, which starts between the end of October and the beginning of December and continues until mid-April. By far the largest part of the annual precipitation falls during this period. The period from May to October can be called extremely dry. In the east of Tanzania there is a short rainy season in November and December, after which it temporarily becomes drier. In March, the amount of precipitation suddenly increases considerably. This major rainy season lasts until mid-May.

Temperatures

Because Tanzania is practically close to the equator, it is warm throughout the country throughout the year. On average, the temperatures are between 23 and 32 degrees. Locally it can get a little warmer or colder. A striking detail in Tanzania is that the winter period is not by definition the coolest period. In the west, near Lake Tanganyika, the temperature is at its highest in spring (September-October). As soon as the rainy season sets in, the temperatures drop slightly.

Hurricanes

Tanzania is fairly safe when it comes to hurricanes and tropical storms. Most major depressions over the Indian Ocean fail to reach Tanzania. If it does happen, it is rarely a tropical storm. The chance of a hurricane is very small, although the southeast of Tanzania does have a chance of being hit by a hurricane. The hurricane season runs from November to May.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Tanzania

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Tanzania? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The United Republic of Tanzania is a country located in eastern Africa. Tanzania is especially popular as a safari destination. In addition, Tanzania offers plenty of opportunities for a sun holiday on the coast and especially on islands such as Zanzibar and Pemba. The hotels on the various sandy beaches of Zanzibar are especially popular as beach destinations. A number of tourists make a combination holiday. They first make a tour through Tanzania, with the focus mainly on the various national parks such as Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and then relax on the beach for a few days before flying home.

Best months

If you look at Tanzania as a whole, the period from July to September is the best time to travel. June is also fine in principle, but in June the northeast including Pemba is still quite wet. In September you notice that it can occasionally get warm in the lower areas with afternoon temperatures that can exceed thirty degrees.

Tanzania Safari

If you want to discover the amazing nature of Tanzania, the local winter is the most ideal travel period. This coincides with our summer, because Tanzania is located in the southern hemisphere. Because of this, the seasons are opposite. The period from June to September is the best time to travel for a safari in Tanzania. There is considerably less rain, the temperatures are usually around pleasant values ​​(18 to 28 degrees during the day) and the sun shows itself regularly. As the summer progresses, nature gets drier. This makes the wild animals more visible. As water resources become scarcer, the rangers find it easier to find the places where the animals dwell. The highlight for many safari tourists is when the Great Migration takes place. This is the phenomenon that sees huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and wildebeest cross the savannah to places where drinking water can be found. In June, the Great Trek is already clearly visible on the Serengeti. The climax occurs when the herds cross the Grumeti River. That happens in July or August. The exact period may vary slightly from year to year, as it depends on when the dry season begins and how intense the drought is.

Beach holiday

Do you want to fly to the island of Zanzibar to enjoy a wonderful beach holiday? Then there are two periods that are very suitable for a holiday in Zanzibar. Those are the two drier periods. In terms of temperature, it does not matter much when you travel to Zanzibar. During the day it is almost always somewhere between 28 and 34 degrees Celsius. The sea water is also wonderful all year round. The seawater temperature varies from 25 to 29 and sometimes as much as 30 degrees. The best time to travel to Zanzibar for a holiday is from mid-June to the end of September. This is the driest period and the temperatures are bearable. It is also the sunniest time of the year. Another option is the period from January to the end of February. Then there is a kind of pause in the rainy season. Due to the higher temperatures and relative humidity, it does feel a lot hotter in this winter sun season.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Some of the tourists (also) go to Tanzania to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world that you can walk. It is a considerable climb that will take you an average of seven to nine days, depending on the route. Whatever season you go, you are guaranteed to have to deal with large temperature differences. Taking into account the temperatures and precipitation, the months of January, February and September are the best time to visit Mount Kilimanjaro. In September you have to take into account seriously lower temperatures, because it is winter in Tanzania.