Tanzania holds some of Africa's best-known names in one country: the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro and the spice island of Zanzibar. Most trips combine a safari in the north with a few days on the coast, and the seasons are set by the rains, which arrive at different times in different regions. The whole country shares one clock that never changes.
Tanzania for visitors
The capital, Dodoma, is an administrative city in the centre of the country, and few visitors go there. The real gateways are Arusha and Kilimanjaro airport in the north, and Dar es Salaam, the largest city and main port, on the coast.
The northern safari circuit
From Arusha, the classic route runs west through Tarangire, known for elephants and baobabs, and Lake Manyara to the Ngorongoro Crater, a huge collapsed volcano whose floor holds a dense population of animals. Beyond it lie the open plains of the Serengeti, where the herds of wildebeest and zebra of the Great Migration move in a loop through the year, crossing into Kenya's Maasai Mara for part of it.
Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro, near the Kenyan border, is the highest point in Africa, at 5,895 m ([1]). Climbing it needs no technical skills, but it takes several days with a guide and a crew, and the altitude is the main challenge: routes that allow more days to acclimatise have better summit rates. Mount Meru, near Arusha, is a shorter alternative.
Zanzibar and the coast
Zanzibar, off the coast, mixes beaches on the north and east of the main island with the old trading town of Stone Town, a maze of narrow lanes, carved doors and markets. Ferries and short flights link it with Dar es Salaam. Pemba and Mafia islands are quieter, with diving and snorkelling on coral reefs.
The south and west
The big southern parks, Nyerere and Ruaha, are remote and much less visited, usually reached by light aircraft. In the far west, Gombe and Mahale on Lake Tanganyika are known for chimpanzee trekking.
Distances are long and roads in the parks are rough, so most visitors travel on an organised safari with a driver-guide and use domestic flights between regions.
Time in Tanzania
Tanzania has one time zone, East Africa Time (EAT); its IANA identifier, Africa/Dar_es_Salaam, is named after Dar es Salaam rather than the capital. It is UTC+3 all year: there is no daylight saving time, so the clocks never change.
Right now Dodoma is the same time as Nairobi, 3 hours ahead of London and 1 hour behind Dubai. Because Tanzania is close to the equator, day length is almost the same all year: in Dodoma the sun sets at about 18:31 in June and 18:49 in December.
As in Kenya, Swahili speakers often count the hours from sunrise, so "saa mbili", hour two, means eight in the morning. When a guide or driver gives you a time in Swahili, check which system they mean. Flights from Europe usually cross only a few time zones, so jet lag is mild; plan an easy first day if you come from further away.
Climate and weather
Tanzania is a big country, and the capital's weather is a poor guide to where visitors go. The table above shows Dodoma, on the dry central plateau: one rainy season around the turn of the year, with January the wettest month in Dodoma, and a long dry season in the middle of the year when almost no rain falls. Average highs there range from 27°C in July to 32°C in November.
The coast and Zanzibar are tropical, hot and humid all year, with two rainy seasons: the long rains, roughly from March to May, which are the heavier, and the shorter rains around November and December. The northern safari region follows a similar two-season pattern but is cooler because of the altitude. The rim of the Ngorongoro Crater is cold at night, and Kilimanjaro has every climate from warm forest at its foot to freezing nights and glaciers near the summit.
- Dodoma
- Nairobi
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodoma | 152 | 124 | 106 | 47 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 28 | 150 |
| Nairobi | 61 | 39 | 75 | 126 | 103 | 27 | 11 | 18 | 19 | 48 | 128 | 86 |
Nairobi, a few hours north of Arusha, shows the two-season rain typical of the northern highlands, while Dodoma has a single wet season.
The weather varies a lot from one year to the next, and the timing of the rains can shift by weeks. Rain usually comes in afternoon storms rather than all day, but heavy downpours make unpaved park roads hard going.
Best time to visit Tanzania
For a safari in the north, the long dry season from about June to October is the classic time: animals gather near water, the grass is short and roads are good. It is also when the migrating herds move through the northern and western Serengeti, with dramatic river crossings, so it is the busiest season. Early in the year, between the two rainy seasons, the herds are in the southern Serengeti, where the calving season draws predators and far fewer vehicles than in high season.
Kilimanjaro is usually climbed in the dry seasons, early in the year and from mid-year into the autumn, when the trails are drier and the summit views clearer. The long rains make the climb wetter and colder, and some camps and lodges close.
For Zanzibar and the coast, the dry months are best, outside the long rains. The southern parks are best late in the dry season, when water is scarce and wildlife easy to find. Zanzibar is mostly Muslim, and during Ramadan many restaurants in Stone Town close during the day; dress modestly away from the beach.
Practical facts
- Capital: Dodoma.
- Population: about 67 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS). Cards are accepted in larger hotels, lodges and safari companies, but carry cash in shillings for small shops, markets and tips.
- Languages: Swahili, English. Swahili is spoken almost everywhere and English is common in tourism. Learn a few words: jambo or mambo (hello), asante (thank you), pole pole (slowly), a phrase you will hear often on Kilimanjaro.
- Calling code: +255.
- Tipping: customary for safari guides, Kilimanjaro guides and porters, and lodge staff.
- Driving: on the left.
- Emergency number: 112 for fire, ambulance and police ([2]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- The live weather and the month-by-month climate table for Dodoma are on this page. Many safaris combine Tanzania with Kenya: the Nairobi city guide covers the highland climate north of the border.
- World Clock: Tanzania's time next to your own and other cities.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Arusha, Zanzibar or any other town in Tanzania.
- Africa: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Before you fly: how to pack for any weather.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Tanzania in?
Tanzania uses East Africa Time, UTC+3, all year, with the IANA identifier Africa/Dar_es_Salaam.
Does Tanzania have daylight saving time?
No. The clocks stay the same all year.
When is the rainy season in Tanzania?
It depends on the region. The coast, Zanzibar and the north have long rains roughly from March to May and shorter rains around November and December. The centre and south, including Dodoma, have one rainy season around the turn of the year.
When is the best time to see the Great Migration?
The herds are in the southern Serengeti early in the year for the calving season and move north through the middle of the year, reaching the river crossings in the dry season. The exact timing changes with the rains.
What languages are spoken in Tanzania?
Swahili and English. Swahili is the everyday language almost everywhere; English is widely used in tourism and business.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Kilimanjaro National Park: Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 m, is the highest point in Africa.
- Australian Government Smartraveller: Tanzania: call 112 for fire and rescue, medical help and police.