"When should I go?" depends entirely on what you want to see. Here's the honest month-by-month breakdown.
- January-February: Calving season begins in Ndutu/southern Serengeti. Dry, warm, excellent game viewing, and one of the best value windows of the year.
- March-May: The long rains. Lush green landscapes, fewer tourists, lower lodge rates - but some roads become difficult and a few camps close seasonally.
- June: Transitional month. Rains ease, grass is still green, and the migration herds start moving north through central Serengeti.
- July-August: The classic "peak season" - dry, reliable weather, and the migration herds pushing into the northern Serengeti toward the Mara River. Also Tanzania's busiest and most expensive months; book 10-12+ months out.
- September-October: Migration crossings continue with noticeably lighter crowds than August. Excellent value-to-experience ratio.
- November: The short rains arrive. Herds begin drifting back south. Quieter parks, greener scenery.
- December: Dry spells return, herds continue toward the southern plains, and calving season begins again toward the end of the month - the cycle restarts.
The simple version
Want the river crossing? July-October. Want calving-season predator action with fewer vehicles? January-February. Want the lowest prices and don't mind some rain? April-May. There's genuinely no bad month to visit Tanzania - only different shows depending on when you show up.
