Tanzania Weather, climate and geography

Tanzania Weather & climate

Best time to visit Tanzania:

The climate is tropical and coastal areas are hot and humid, while the northwestern highlands are cool and temperate. There are two rainy seasons the short rains are generally from October to December, while the long rains last from March to June. The central plateau tends to be dry and arid throughout the year.

Tanzania can be visited year-round, although the best time for travelling is outside of the rainy season between June and October, when temperatures stay well below their summer peaks. Beach side locations like Zanzibar can be fine to visit during the hotter months of December to January, when ocean breezes make the high temperatures bearable (though humidity can still be high). However, this is also the time popular for typical beach holidays, especially for those travelling from Europe wanting some winter sunshine, and hotels can book up early especially for the Christmas and New Year period.

Required clothing:

Tropical clothing is worn throughout the year, but in the cooler season, from June to September, jackets and sweaters may be needed, especially in the evenings. Clothing appropriate to temperatures below zero is required on the higher slopes of Kilimanjaro and Meru. Also note that it can get very cold at night on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and early morning game drives may be chilly before the sun comes up.

Geography

The United Republic of Tanzania lies on the east coast of Africa and is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north by Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west; by the Indian Ocean to the east; and by Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The Tanzanian mainland is divided into several clearly defined regions: the coastal plains, which vary in width from 16 to 64km (10 to 39 miles) and have lush, tropical vegetation; the Masai Steppe in the north, 213 to 1,067m (698 to 3,500ft) above sea level, which gives rise to two prominent mountains, Kilimanjaro, 5,895m (19,341ft) above sea level and Africa’s highest peak, and Mount Meru, 4,565m (14,973ft); and there’s a high plateau known as the Southern Highlands in the southern area towards Zambia and Lake Malawi.

Savannah and bush cover over half the country, and semi-desert accounts for the remaining land area, with the exception of the coastal plains. Over 53,000 sq km (20,463 sq miles) is inland water, mostly lakes formed in the Rift Valley and Tanzania’s share of Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, both on its western border. Lake Victoria covers 69,490 sq km (26,832 sq miles), which is Africa’s largest lake and 49% of it lies in Tanzania. With maximum depths of 1,470m (4,821ft), Lake Tanganyika is estimated to be the deepest lake in Africa and is 673km (420 miles) long and averages 50km (31 miles) across; 41% of its area lies in Tanzania. The United Republic of Tanzania includes the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, about 45km (28 miles) off the coast to the northeast of the country.

Source: World Travel Guide
View Live Tanzania Weather: wunderground

Planning a Travel to Tanzania Efficiently

This world is full of beauty and thus, one can find lots of amazing places to make one’s vacations memorable. Among many travel destinations in the world, Tanzania safari tour is one of the best options that one can avail. Whether you want to visit Tanzania safari with family members or friends, this place has a lot to offer to its tourists.
Moreover, Travel in Tanzania can provide you an opportunity to explore lots of things including natural beauty, Kilimanjaro climbing, wildlife park named The Serengeti, and much more. However, if you are also planning a tour to Tanzania, then here are a few points, which you should keep in mind to make your holidays memorable:

Select the right time to visit Tanzania

Selecting the right time for enjoying vacations in any part of the world is quite an important thing. Do you know why? It is because how will you enjoy the holidays if the weather conditions will not be favorable at your holiday destination. For example, in Tanzania, it rains from November to December as well as from April to June. Hence, planning a holiday trip to Tanzania in these months will not be worthy, as due to rainfall, you will not be able to explore the place properly especially Tanzania safari.

Get Tanzania safari package within your budget

Another important step is to find a Tanzania safari package within your budget. Do not worry, as these days, you can find countless Tanzania safari packages online. Explore them one by one and get the best one after making sure that you are getting quality accommodation and other amenities at reasonable rates there. Many hotels also charge extra money on certain activities. Make sure that you are aware of those activities. Last but not the least; do not forget to check the repute of the hotel, as staying in any hotel with bad market repute is not recommended in any case.
Once you know that any certain hotel is best for your accommodation, book hotel rooms at least 15 days in advance to avoid any future hassle. In case, you find it difficult to manage your travel tour to Tanzania, the best approach would be consulting any reliable and professional tour operator. Keep in mind that professional tour operators not only reserve hotel rooms but also book airline tickets for your travel to your desired destination.

Pack your luggage accordingly

To enjoy your travel safari to its fullest, pack your luggage after considering the weather of your travel destination and your activities there. For example, if you are planning to enjoy your summer holidays at Tanzanian safari, then packing fancy warm clothes will not make sense. Hence, search internet and pack your luggage accordingly to enjoy your holidays at best.
These are the few major points, which you should keep in mind in order to enjoy your travel to Tanzania. You just need to understand that this world offers a lot of beauty to explore, but we can do so only if we will adopt the right approach.

Two Lioness Killed Wildebeest - Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Top 10 Tanzania Safari Destinations

Top 10 Tanzania Safari Destinations:

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park is a Tanzanian national park in the Serengeti ecosystem in the Mara and Simiyu regions

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a conservation place and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 180 km west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands place of Tanzania.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, taking into account its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcanic mountain in Kilimanjaro National Park, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous allocation of Tanzania, in East Africa. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 2550 kilometres off the coast of the mainland, and consists

Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is a shallow lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift in Manyara Region in Tanzania

Mafia Island

Mafia Island is share of the Tanzanian Zanzibar Archipelago, together behind Unguja, Pemba and Latham Island

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania after Ruaha, Serengeti, Mikumi, Katavi and Mkomazi. The national park is located in Manyara Region

Pemba Island

Pemba Island, known as The Green Island in Arabic, is an island forming share of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean

Selous Game Reserve

The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania.

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania. It covers an area of approximately 13,000 square kilometres. It is located in the center of Tanzania roughly 130 kilometres from Iringa.

Where To Go in February 2014

Zanzibar is part of the East African republic of Tanzania. The island covers area of 1465 sq. Kms , 35 Kms off the coast of Dar es Salaam

Best known for

• Once the capital city of Oman in the early 19^th Century under the Sultanate of Sultan Seyyid
• Popularly known as “The Spice Island” due to the farming of vital spices on the island i.e. cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, etc
• Was once, one of the main hub of the slave trade
• The famous Stone Town of Zanzibar – a Unesco World Heritage Site
• Pristine beaches and sandy coastline
• Vibrant historical and cultural presence, historical monuments showcasing Portuguese, Arab, European culture. Some can be dated back to the 12^th century AD.

Activities

• One of the best spots for Whale Shark watching
• Catch glimpses of migrating Humpback and Sperm Whales off Zanzibar from July-December.
• Abundance of excursions available i.e. Dolphin tour, Spice Island tour, Prison Island Tour, Chumbe Environmental Island tour, Jozani Forest, City Walking tour, Stone Town tour, historical tour etc.
• Lunch on numerous sand bars during low tide
• Sunset dhow cruises for sundowners and light music
• Very good locations for scuba diving and snorkeling
• Beautiful, pristine beaches with azure blue waters for swimming, sun bathing and relaxation
• Sea sports i.e. deep sea fishing, jet skis, dhow trips, wake boarding, wind surfing, kayaking etc.
• Experience the local Swahili culture
• Indulge into local Swahili cuisine every evening at the Forodhani Area in Stone Town.

 

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