Best time to travel to Tanzania

Hi All,

My sister-in-law is planning a vacation to Tanzania and asked me what the best time would be to go there. I've only been to South Africa a couple of times and have never visited Tanzania so I don't have a clue when to go there. Can anybody recommend a period to go there? She will, among others, be visiting Ngorogoro krater, Serengeti and Lake Manyare.

I guess that the best time to go to the Serengeti is dependent on the migration pattern of the wildebeast. I've once seen a bitmap somewhere on the Internet on which the migratory pattern of the wildebeast was depicted, but I can't find it anymore. If anybody can help me find that bitmap I would be gratefull.

Thanks in advance,

Dear Arnoud,

February is considered by most to be the best time to travel in Tanzania. Better later than earlier in the month. Not only are the bulk of the wildebeest migration in the lower Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands, but it is calving time and chances are excellent to witness a new wildebeest come into the world.

Naturally there are some bad aspects to this. As it is prime game viewing time, it is also very crowded. Hotels are in peak season prices and if you are the type of person that likes travel in Africa for the remote 'get away from it all' experience, Feb may not be the best month.

The migration remains in Tanzania moving west and then north and then back north east through the end of August. You might also consider June when the migration is in the western Serengeti and prices are lower in most hotels.

I hope this is of help.

Have a great trip,

Gary http://www.safari.cc For the latest information on East Africa

On Tue, 15 Jan 2002 11:43:02 +0100, 'Arnoud Quanjer'

Look at the following page: http://www.intotanzania.com/safari/tanzania/north/ parks/serengeti/ser...

This is an animated gif for showing the migration

Hi Michael,

Thanks, that was exactly what I was looking for!

I guess it's not an exact science

The thing I've learned is that the month that my sister-in-law is planning to go (September/October) is probably not the best time to go. She plans to also climb the Kilimanjaro and from what I've read on the Internet these two months are not the best months to climb. I'll advise her to go in either January of February.

Thanks for the input!

You'll receive a variety of recommendations, most of which will ask what sort of experience you want. I highly recommend February. In a normal year, the short rains will have brought out grass, which will freshen up the country but will not be so high to hide the animals. Also, there will be less dust than the dry months. I took groups to Tanzania in February 1998 and again in 2000. See http://www.softadventure.net/ tanzania_wildlife_safari.htm and http://www.softadventure.net/tanzania2000.htm.