Roughly double the size of California, Tanzania has an area of close to 370,000 square miles, surprising many by being one of the largest nations on Earth. Within this huge expanse of land, Tanzania includes vastly different weather conditions, from sultry Indian Ocean islands to Africa’s highest peak, by way of its famed grassland savannahs. As such, its important to plan your Tanzania vacation carefully, to make the most of its alternative climates.
Dividing the country into three approximately equal thirds vertically, Tanzania’s western third is broadly defined as tropical savannah, meaning midday temperatures rarely fall below the high 60s at any time of year. That said, it can feel much hotter on the shadeless plains of the Serengeti, Nyerere, and Ngorongoro Crater, so it’s worth packing accordingly. The west sees most rain between October and April, prior to the arrival of the Great Wildebeest Migration.
On paper, the eastern third of Tanzania shares a similar weather to the west. However, it experiences a much shorter period of rain, running from just October to December, followed by another short period of rainfall from March to May. Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coastline, including Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, and the Zanzibar Archipelago, also see greater humidity, giving these destinations a much more tropical feel, especially from November to April.
The middle third of the country, where travelers will find Arusha, Dodoma, and Mount Kilimanjaro, instead enjoys a more arid and temperate weather as a result of an inland plateau. As an example, visitors should expect temperatures in Arusha to lie in the 70s throughout the year. Kilimanjaro, meanwhile, spans almost all of Tanzania’s main climatic conditions, with grassland at its base, and freezing temperatures near its summit.
Tanzania Weather by Month
Average monthly temperatures (°F) and rainfall (inches) for select locations in Tanzania are shown below.
Dar Es Salaam
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| High | 93.6 | 94.8 | 94.2 | 91.4 | 89.6 | 88.6 | 87.8 | 88.8 | 90.6 | 91.8 | 92.8 | 93.2 |
| Low | 77.0 | 76.6 | 75.6 | 74.8 | 72.6 | 68.4 | 66.4 | 66.2 | 66.8 | 69.4 | 72.6 | 75.6 |
| Rain | 3.0 | 2.2 | 5.4 | 10.0 | 7.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 4.6 |
Dodoma
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| High | 88.8 | 88.8 | 88.0 | 87.4 | 86.0 | 84.2 | 83.0 | 84.6 | 88.0 | 91.0 | 90.2 | 90.8 |
| Low | 67.2 | 67.2 | 66.6 | 65.8 | 63.0 | 58.8 | 57.2 | 58.4 | 60.6 | 63.8 | 66.6 | 67.6 |
| Rain | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 4.9 |
Mwanza
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| High | 85.2 | 85.8 | 87.0 | 85.6 | 86.2 | 86.8 | 86.6 | 87.4 | 88.0 | 87.0 | 85.0 | 84.6 |
| Low | 65.4 | 65.6 | 66.0 | 66.4 | 65.4 | 62.4 | 60.8 | 62.8 | 64.6 | 66.2 | 66.2 | 65.8 |
| Rain | 4.1 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 6.2 | 5.5 |
Zanzibar
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| High | 94.2 | 95.6 | 94.0 | 90.6 | 88.8 | 88.0 | 87.2 | 88.2 | 90.2 | 91.8 | 91.6 | 92.8 |
| Low | 76.6 | 76.4 | 76.4 | 77.2 | 75.8 | 73.6 | 72.0 | 70.0 | 69.4 | 71.2 | 73.8 | 75.8 |
| Rain | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
Source: World Meteorological Organization
Tanzania Travel Guide
Tanzania Tours & Safaris / Tanzania FAQ / Tanzania Accommodations
Top Tanzania Travel Destinations
Arusha / Gombe Stream National Park / Lake Manyara National Park / Mahale Mountains National Park / Mount Kilimanjaro / Ngorongoro Conservation Area / Nyerere National Park / Serengeti National Park / Tarangire National Park / Zanzibar
The Big Five
African Elephant / Cape Buffalo / Leopard / Lion / Rhino
Weather for Other African Countries
Botswana Weather / Kenya Weather / Namibia / South Africa Weather / Zimbabwe Weather
