Tanzania is the quintessential safari destination. Serengeti National Park in western Tanzania is its most famous park because of the great wildebeest migration and large populations of other plains game. Because of its popularity, we recommend the private wildlife reserves like Grumeti that surround the Serengeti for a less crowded game drive experience.
Visitors to Tanzania should also make time for some of its less touristed but equally spectacular destinations like the baobabs of Ruaha National Park or the chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains National Park. A Tanzanian safari is often finished with a relaxing stay in Zanzibar to unwind on the beach.
Go for the Great Migration and trekking Kilimanjaro or the Maasai Highlands.
Each dimension is rated 0–3: 0 = not offered / avoid, 1 = fair, 2 = good, 3 = excellent. For the monthly strip, a higher score means a better time to travel.
These are our own expert ratings, drawn from years of planning and operating safaris across Africa. They reflect first-hand experience and traveler feedback rather than measured statistics, and conditions vary year to year.
Source: Fauna Travel Safari Seasonality & Suitability Ratings, updated 2026-10-05 — https://faunatravel.com/destination/africa/tanzania
Monthly averages at Serengeti · 2021–2025. Bars show rainfall; lines show average daily high and low.
Source: historical daily reanalysis from Open-Meteo (ERA5), averaged over 2021–2025. Our month-by-month travel ratings are Fauna Travel's own, from first-hand experience.
Warmest around Sep and Oct (daily highs near 32°C / 90°F); coolest around Jan (28°C / 82°F); wettest in Apr and Dec (~119 mm); driest in Jun and Jul. Based on 2021–2025 averages at Serengeti.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°C / 82°F | 17°C / 63°F | 89 mm | 12 |
| Feb | 30°C / 86°F | 17°C / 63°F | 60 mm | 9 |
| Mar | 30°C / 86°F | 17°C / 63°F | 65 mm | 10 |
| Apr | 29°C / 84°F | 17°C / 63°F | 119 mm | 15 |
| May | 29°C / 84°F | 17°C / 63°F | 49 mm | 8 |
| Jun | 29°C / 84°F | 16°C / 61°F | 6 mm | 1 |
| Jul | 29°C / 84°F | 16°C / 61°F | 6 mm | 1 |
| Aug | 30°C / 86°F | 16°C / 61°F | 18 mm | 2 |
| Sep | 31°C / 88°F | 17°C / 63°F | 28 mm | 4 |
| Oct | 32°C / 90°F | 18°C / 64°F | 27 mm | 6 |
| Nov | 30°C / 86°F | 18°C / 64°F | 88 mm | 11 |
| Dec | 29°C / 84°F | 17°C / 63°F | 96 mm | 13 |
Visa — required. US passport holders need a visa, available on arrival or as an e-visa in advance. Volunteer work isn’t permitted on a tourist visa, and you should carry a round-trip ticket and be ready to show proof of sufficient funds for your stay.
Mandatory travel insurance. Tanzania now requires every visitor to buy the government’s local travel insurance to enter — it was Zanzibar-only, but now applies nationwide. This is in addition to your own travel insurance; purchase it online before you go.
Passport. Valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival date, with 1 blank page per entry stamp.
Vaccinations. A yellow-fever certificate is required if you’re arriving from a country where yellow fever is a risk. This applies to travel from Kenya if you have your passport stamped.
Currency. Up to US$10,000 may be brought in or taken out.
Good to know. Single-use plastic bags are banned nationwide — pack toiletries in a small, clear reusable zip-lock. Dress is conservative in public, especially on Zanzibar; keep beachwear to the resorts. And it’s illegal to photograph military sites, government buildings, bridges, airports, or police.
U.S. Embassy, Dar es Salaam: tz.usembassy.gov
Guidance is for U.S. passport holders and can change — always confirm with the official source before you travel. Confirm at travel.state.gov →
Lemala's Tarangire and northern Serengeti with a Zanzibar beach finale.
Tanzania Off the Beaten Path: Serengeti, Ruaha, and Nyerere
An adventurous safari combined with lakefront chimpanzee trekking.
Africa's Finest Lodges: Singita's private Serengeti reserve and then mountain gorillas in Rwanda
Chem Chem, the Serengeti & the Manta on Pemba — the Auberge (ex-Legendary) circuit
Arusha
Katavi
Ruaha / mobile
Serengeti (Sanjan / mobile)
Ugalla / mobile
Lake Manyara (Burunge WMA)
Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro
Grumeti
Mahale Mountains
Arusha (Kiligolf)
Nyerere / Selous
Ruaha National Park
Grumeti
Zanzibar
Tarangire
Serengeti (South)
Serengeti (Lamai / North)
Serengeti (Lamai / North)
Arusha
Serengeti (Seronera)
Serengeti (North / Wogakuria)
Serengeti (North / Kogatende)
Tarangire
Serengeti (Central)
Ndutu (Ngorongoro Conservation Area)
Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro (Crater rim)
Tarangire (Burunge WMA)
Lamai
Serengeti West
Grumeti
Serengeti (Lamai / North)
Mwiba Wildlife Reserve
Serengeti North
Serengeti (mobile)
Grumeti
Nyerere / Selous
Grumeti
Central Serengeti
Grumeti
Serengeti (North / mobile)
Serengeti (North / mobile)
Serengeti (Lamai / North)
Serengeti (Kusini / mobile)
Serengeti (North / Kogatende)
Serengeti (South / Ndutu)
Pemba Island (Zanzibar Archipelago)
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