April in Tanzania | A Month of Opportunity
Tanzania Safari in April marks the end of the green season and the beginning of the low season in Tanzania. The weather is ideal and the occasional thundershower rarely impedes game viewing. There is hardly anyone around in the parks, wildlife concentrations are at their highest and the landscape is lush green (great for photography). It’s a little industry secret that April is arguably the best time in Tanzania for the safari enthusiast. It’s a great time to get ‘off the beaten path’ and explore the remote corners of the parks.
Northern Tanzania: It rains most days, but seldom all day at the famous northern attractions. There are warm to hot temperatures and heavy rainfall. Tanzania is said to have the greatest concentration of large wild animals in the world. Conditions are not good for spotting the most wildlife, but with a good guide, you still can see many amid beautiful scenery.
Southern Tanzania: In April, there is moderate to high rainfall. Generally, it is not a good month to tour the south because the popular southern natural preserves such as Nyerere are warm or hot, humid, and very rainy with occasional flooding. Mosquitoes are a problem.
Tanzania Weather in April:
There is a chance of heavy rain during April and lighter showers can be expected for a few hours every day or every other day. However, when it does rain, it will usually clear in 1-2 hours and more then likely the rain will be localized. It is rare that rain clouds will settle over a large area for an extended period of time. The highest amounts of precipitation are historically seen in April for most parts of East Africa though not in the Southern Serengeti. The greatest amounts of precipitation are historically recorded in March in the Southern Serengeti. This is the season of the so-called ‘long rains’, which simply does not mean much of anything in the Serengeti and is more applicable to other areas in East Area. There is a risk that the heavier rains will pose an inconvenience on game drives. This risk is mitigated by the fact that it tends to rain less on the Serengeti plains where the best wildlife viewing is located during April. Additionally, we believe the month April offers the finest game viewing opportunities out of the entire year. We strongly recommend longer duration safaris during April. We view the extra night or two as insurance against the potential of sour weather having a negative impact on any one day.
Temperatures are pleasant with an average high of 83 degrees and an average low of 60 degrees. However, the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater can get quite cold at night and in the early morning. Visitor numbers drop off dramatically at the beginning of March and by April the parks are completely empty of tourists. April and May see the fewest visitors of any month and lodging costs are substantially reduced. There is hardly anyone around in the parks, wildlife concentrations are at their highest in the Southern Serengeti, and the landscape is a lush green. April is certainly one of our favorite times to take a safari!
The Best Places to Visit in Tanzania in April
Top things to do in April include enjoying the urban highlights and seeing wildlife.
Dar Es Salaam — Tour the Highlights
Dar Es Salaam, the capital city with 6 million people, has the largest airport in Tanzania and national museums. Many tourists arrive in Tanzania through it. The rainfall is very high with possible flooding.
Places to go in Dar Es Salaam: The Botanical Gardens and local street markets such as Kariakoo. The National Museum explains Tanzanian history and culture.
Natural highlights near Dar Es Salaam: Pugu Hills Forest Reserve (1 hour’s drive). Bongoyo Island is a protected island offshore offering a natural get away.
Ngorongoro Crater — Safari
Of all the famous safari areas of Tanzania, Ngorongoro is where we recommend you go for best weather conditions and animal sightings because there is a lot of wildlife in the biggest volcanic crater in the world, and conditions for driving and sightseeing are usually fine.
The conditions at the bottom of the crater are drier and milder because the rim shelters it. The floor is about a mile high, about 1,700 meters (5,577 feet), and has a drier micro-climate. Expect freezing temperatures at night on the rim that is about 2,300 meters (8,530 feet) high.
An advantage of going in April is that there are thinner crowds and lower costs. Tanzania is green, lush and beautiful. At times though, the roads are muddy. You can see trumpeting elephants in the 260 square kilometer (100 square mile) crater. Driving from Arusha takes 3 hours.
The Serengeti — Watch the Wildlife
In April, the Great Wildebeest Migration, the movement of herds of wildebeest, antelope and other grazing animals, leaves Ndutu and the southern Serengeti. They travel northwest through the central region of the Serengeti. The drier weather there makes a safari enjoyable even in April.
Though the rainfall is moderate at 16 cm (6 inches), there is actually much less precipitation than at many of the other wildlife reserves, and relatively little compared to Arusha. Temperatures are mild or warm. The big migratory herds feeding their young are the main attraction.
Transport to the Serengeti: Driving from Nairobi takes 7 hours, from Arusha 8 hours, from Arusha airport 9 hours, and from Maasai Mara 3½ hours plus additional time at the border. There are airfields for direct flights.
Arusha National Park — A Variety of Things to Do
With the weather so rainy in April, you would ideally need a great natural park with a variety of things to do close to a good tourist town for short excursions. Arusha is a big wilderness park only about an hour from the town of Arusha with beautiful green scenery and opportunities to hike, safari, kayak, and fish.
Most mornings are dry, so you could plan morning excursions there and have tea and dinner in town. Roads might be muddy or difficult to navigate in April, and the average temperatures range from 25°C (77°F) to lows of 13°C (55°F). Hiking on Mount Meru might be dangerous due to slippery trails.
Transport: By vehicle, Arusha Park is a little more than an hour from Arusha. It is an hour and a half from Kilimanjaro International Airport and 5 hours from Nairobi.
Arusha — Resting, Food, and Excursions
The little city of Arusha is a good place to stay during inclement weather since gourmet dining, shopping, spas, and places to go designed for international tourists are at hand. It called the Safari Capital because people going on wilderness excursions use it as a base. There are luxurious lodges and hotels and a domestic airport.
The weather is warm, and it rains twice as much in April than any other month. It rains about 15 days of the month. You could visit the Natural History Museum or go to the Snake Park. Arusha Park is about an hour away and Ngorongoro is a little more than 3 hours away.
Transport: Driving from Nairobi takes 5 hours and driving from Kilimanjaro International Airport takes an hour.
Recommended Tours for Tanzania Safari in April
A private tour is recommended. Our expert trip planners know the local conditions and are good at optimizing your trip for comfort, enjoyment, safety and speed of travel, as are our local guides and private drivers. We recommend you tour northern Tanzania in April for better weather conditions, better nature preserves, and more things to do. Budget-friendly accommodations come with limited availability due to closures. It’s a unique time for the adventurous seeking tranquility amid the challenges of the low season. Check out our Tanzania safari itinerary of different durations during the month of April
