What To Expect On Tanzania Safari During Dry Season

What to expect on Tanzania safari in the dry season varies with your intention for visiting the country. Note that the great Wildebeest Migration with a genesis from Serengeti National Park is in high gear during the dry season. The dry season in Tanzania is normally June to October and December to February. Most of the game safari destinations in Tanzania experience dry conditions and animals move throughout the park searching for better feeding grounds especially for herbivores.

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The great wildebeest migration is one of the 8 natural wonders in the world where millions of animals embark on the voyage from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania towards Masai Mara National Reserve in Tanzania. Some state that the animals move in search for better pasture even though this theory is watered down by those who say then why do carnivores have to move too.

Expect the demand for logistics that support tourism in Tanzania to be high too including transport, accommodations, hiring professional and experienced driver guides and others.

The cost of safaris in Tanzania during the dry season are high because this is the peak tourism season in the country across all safari packages. There are more tourists expected to visit Tanzania for safaris in the dry season. This means in the game parks expect more vehicles on game tracks in most Tanzanian destinations so the environment may appear dusty as the tyres lift the dry soil.

Where To Do Tanzania Safari in The Season

Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is the game safari haven in Tanzania and the dry season is exceptional with more chances of seeing multitudes of animals in the park. The Great Wildebeest migration in Tanzania is best viewed in the dry season even though it is expected to start as early as April.

The Great wildebeest migration is a natural phenomena where millions of wild animals start there exodus from Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve moments whose starting time is not easy to determine.

During the dry season, the grass in Serengeti National Park is lower permitting better visibility of the wild animals and other occupants that roam the park. Even if the presence of wild animals in Serengeti National Park during the dry season gets minimal with time because of the great wildebeest migration but those animals that don’t participate can be seen roaming the park.  

Expect the tracks of Serengeti National Park to be busy in the dry season with more vehicles driving to search find the animals. The environment is normally dusty as soil is lifted by the tyres of the vehicles.

During the game drive in Serengeti National Park, you may find lions, cheetahs, Rhinos, herds of elephants, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, gazelles, impalas, zebras, klipspringer, dik dik, leopards, giraffes, warthogs and so many others.

Chances of enjoying the hot air balloon drive are more available in the dry season when you get to watch wildlife from at a more elevated point which may be hard to watch when on ground.

Ngorongoro National Park        

Ngorongoro National Park islocated in the caldera which is the largest in the world. During the dry season, you can take a game drive on the tracks of this park where you may get chance to find wildebeest, herds of elephants, waterbucks, bushbucks, leopards, zebras and many others.

The Olduvai gorge in Ngorongoro National Park is a significant spot in this park where the skull of early man was discovered. A museum containing some of the items collected and unearthed by archeologists in Tanzania is present.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park is one of the game rich destinations in Tanzania. Some call it the mini Serengeti National Park since it experiences a mini wildebeest migration. During the dry season the grassland plains of Tarangire National Park provide better space where you can identify from a number of wild animals.

While on game drive in Tarangire National Park, you may find herds of elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, impalas, warthogs, Oribi, buffaloes,

Watch out for the several birds that roam the park searching for comfort.

Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a great game park in Tanzania. Visiting this park in the dry season to do game drives may give you chance to see animals including lions, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, wildebeest, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and others.

A number of birds are confirmed residents of Lake Manyara National Park but there presence is supported by the varied vegetation zones in the park.

Mahale National Park and Gombe National Park

Both Mahale National Park and Gombe National Park are homes to the chimpanzees which are endangered primates in the world. Tanzania has population of about 700 chimpanzees that are residents of Mahale National Park and Gombe National Park.

While doing chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania, the dry season is a better timing where the chimpanzees and other forest dwellers spend most of the time closer to the ground. The trails in these forest are drier even though the canopy is dense and have several streams and rivers flowing in it.

Expect the vegetation in Mahale National Park and Gombe National Park especially that along the trails not to protrude through. More sunlight in the forests allows better environment to take photos of the chimpanzees and other forest inhabitants.

Mahale and Gombe forests are great birding destinations especially forest birds in Tanzania especially during the dry season when the birds roam the park.

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is a great game viewing destination in Tanzania home to a variety of wild animals. During the game drives in Ruaha National Park, you may get the chance to see animals including zebras, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, Kudus, leopards, warthogs and others. Over 517 bird species are residents of Ruaha National Park in Tanzania, which you can spot in case you are a keen birder.

Nyerere National Park

The Nyerere National Park in Tanzania is home to a number of wild animals that freely move in its environment. The dry season provides chance to see a number of animals that freely move in it premises. While on game drive in Nyerere National Park, you may get the opportunity to find hippos, crocodiles, wildebeests, waterbucks, bushbucks and much more.

Mountain Kilimanjaro

The dry season provides better time to hike Mountain Kilimanjaro. Mountain Kilimanjaro is the heights mountain in Africa on the bucket list of most adventure seekers. This mountain has Uhuru as its highest peak at 5895 meters above sea level. The top of Mountain Kilimanjaro, is glacier topped all year no matter the season.

The trails on Mountain Kilimanjaro are quicker to navigate in the dry season and since there is camping along the way, it is best when the environment is dry. Chances of finding other hikers on the same safari up mountain Kilimanjaro because the more the merrier.

Zanzibar Island Visit

Zanzibar Island is part of Tanzania and deciding to spend holiday time here during the dry season is fantastic time to engage in a number of activities. During holiday at Zanzibar Island in the dry season, you may be part of activities including snorkeling, scuba diving, sand beach walks, cruise shipping, horseback riding, sun bathing and many others.

Visit where slaves where exchanged from, prison Island, tour the community at Zanzibar, visit the spice Market and many other spots.

Is A Safari In Tanzania During The Dry Season Worth The Money And Time

Doing a safari in Tanzania during the dry season is very interesting especially if you are destined for the game parks. Most of the game drives in the National Parks of Tanzania are more rewarding in the dry season when the grass is lower and animals roam the park searching for better feeding grounds.

The tracks in the game parks of Tanzania are dry too permitting quicker chances to explore different locations of the park. Most of the animals in the Tanzania National Parks tend to converge towards the water sources within the parks.

The great wildebeest migration of Serengeti National Park is in high gear during the dry season which gives you chance to find millions of wild animals on there journey towards Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

By taking the Tanzania safari, you get to support the continuous conservation program in Tanzania by the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority and other conservation bodied both domestic and international. World over finding natural luxurious destinations are minimal and so more conservation needs to be done. Part of the money collected from the fees tourists pay during Tanzania safaris are given to the communities around there parks to run there projects.        

What is the cost of Tanzania Safari in The Dry Season

Note that the dry season is normally the peak tourism season in Tanzania so the costs are quite high. The demand for Tanzanian safaris is overwhelmingly high including the logistics that support these tours. Every tourist is expected to pay park entrance fees nor matter the package. Tanzania safaris are packed into Luxury, mid-range and basic.

It is best to book the Tanzania safari in advance in order to avoid last minute disappointments when options of tour logistics sell out. Ensure to reserve accommodation, transport to use while on safari in Tanzania early.

Having a professional and knowledgeable driver guide while on safari in Tanzania gives you chance to more information about the destination and beyond. Most of the best guides are overbooked in the dry season so late comers may end up getting disappointed.

How Safe Are Tanzania safari Destinations in the Dry season

Tanzanian safari destinations are safe no matter the season with professional and well trained ranger guides from Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority. They work closely with other Tanzanian security agencies to maintain law and order around the parks. These security bodies at the destinations in Tanzanian often carry out routine patrol to ensure the boundaries and in habitats are well protected.

Every Tanzania safari destination has guidelines that tourists are expected to abide by. While on game drive, there is speed limit that every tourist vehicle is expected to follow.

Tourists on ground are expected to be their first security by not moving out of your lodge especially in the night those in or on the outskirts of the game park. Safe guard your belongings from possible theft by not leaving your room open while on safari.

Why Book Tanzania Safari with Encounter Africa Safaris

Encounter Africa safaris is a professional African safari company with experience of over 10 years of organizing different safaris in Africa. We have a professional safari team who have acquired skills in organizing Tours and offering advise about the destinations where we operate. We have created business friendships with several service providers which us helping us provide great service to our clients.

We aim to turning our clients’ dreams into a reality while providing value for money.

Necessary Notes To Take For A Safari In Tanzania During The Dry Season

• Do not expect a smooth ride while on safari in Tanzania because the roads in the countryside are marram and dusty during the dry season. In case you have road sickness, swallow some pills where need be.
• Carry just what is necessary for your time on Tanzania holiday so that you are not inconvenienced by the limited legs room in case you are sharing the vehicle with others.
• When in the park, donot hoot or make noise because you may scare the wild animals and push them into hiding yet others would like to see them too.
• In case you have children on safari do not let them out of sight as the parks have savages that may pounce on them.
• Drive a speed that is recommended by the Park authorities so as not to cause any accident to the animals or yourself.
• Do not dangle your limbs or get out of the car during the game drive because you do not know what awaits you in the bushes.
• Take some anti-malarial before travelling for a safari in Tanzania because this is a tropical country
• No feeding the wild animals while on safari because they are wild animals that must search for there own food and not depend on human provision.
• Never dump garbage like wraps, cans, foil in the wilderness because this alters the nature of the environment where wild animals thrive.
• During the walking safaris, wait for the ranger guides to lead the way because you may easily be terrified by the wild animals.
• Never drive off track as this may calls for a penalty and if you have to do so, seek permission from the authority.
• Do not leave your engine on when you locate the wild animals because you may scare them.
• Respect others while on a game drive so that you can all have the chance to enjoy the wild.

Contact our team for more information.