JournalBest times to visit Tanzania for a photo safari

When to go?

The most popular time to travel to Tanzania is July, August, and September. The reason is that the wildebeest migration is in the far northern Serengeti and Maasai Mara in Kenya. The Mara River separates these two countries and wildlife areas, however the animals move freely between the two crossing back and forth looking for good grazing. The migration in the northern Serengeti is a spectacle to behold, and one of the greatest wildlife shows on the planet, especially if a large herd of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River. Many predators take advantage of this time, and game viewing is often exceptional.

The second most popular time to visit Tanzania to see the migration is January, February, and March. At this period of year, female wildebeest congregate on the southern Serengeti’s short grass plains to give birth. About 500,000 calves are born during this time and gather their strength before migrating north.

The wildebeest migration does, without a doubt, attract the most guests to Tanzania but there some other very well know and not so well known areas you should consider for your next safari.

Tanzania has two rainfall seasons, and two dry seasons: we call these the short rains and the long rains, and the short dry season and long dry season respectively.

Wet season: March, April, May (long rains)
Dry season: June, July, August, September, October (Long dry season)
Wet season: November, December (Short rains)
Dry season: January, February (Short dry season)

Don’t let the rain keep you away. The wildlife viewing can be excellent at these times, especially for avid birders. Many species of birds migrate at the onset of the rains, the most notable are the vast flocks of flamingos. The Ngorongoro crater is well-known for being an excellent game-viewing destination at any time of the year, many of the animals are resident in the crater, and only a few of the animals move into the nearby Serengeti.

If looking for wildlife is your principal focus, then traveling during the dry seasons and on the shoulder seasons will be best for you. Tanzania can get arid, and wildlife will often migrate into areas where they can reach fresh water. The dry season also makes driving around a lot easier and makes some of the more remote camps easier to access. Camps in parks like the Selous, Katavi, and Ruaha, may close for a few months a year because of heavy rains.