Most people have heard of the Serengeti, but not everyone knows that it is in Tanzania. This remarkable wildlife reserve is, however, just one of the reasons to come to this great African country. Wildlife is certainly one of the main attractions for visitors to Tanzania, but there are also the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, unique cultures and stunning scenery. Here is our top 12 list of things to do.
April is the rainiest month of the year in Tanzania and marks the beginning of the wet season. However, you shouldn’t picture April as a monochrome, dreary month of endless rainfall – most of the rain comes from early afternoon thunderstorms that dissipate relatively quickly.
Outside of the thunderstorms, you can expect relatively warm daytime temperatures ranging from 16°C to 28°C (and up to 30°C on the islands). While only half of the days in April can expect rain, you should be careful when travelling during the rainy season. Roads, particularly dirt ones, can become muddy and difficult to pass through.
Around every cloud there is a silver lining, and while there may be many clouds in the April Tanzanian skies, the silver lining is that April is comparatively cheap when it comes to accommodation. April is the low season when it comes to tourism, so many lodges will have slashed prices.
April can also be positive due to there being fewer crowds and visitors – you may be able to get beautiful accommodations at half price and then have a monopoly on it when you are one of the only ones there! While April may be wet, you can certainly save money when travelling.
The Great Migration of the Serengeti is still in full force in April, albeit in a different location. Because the Serengeti is so massive, month-by-month observers and scientists have picked out the most likely locations that the Migration will go past – April’s being the Seronera region of Serengeti National Park.
April’s rain brings plentiful food for the herds to graze on – making this month, at the end of the initial migratory period, the perfect time for the herd to indulge. While January to March presents the best opportunity to see predators at work, April will still have the occasional attack.
With April being the wet season, only the hardiest of climbers should attempt to summit Africa’s highest peak. Rainy season begins in April and continues through to May, meaning that the well-trod trails up Kilimanjaro can become muddy and water-logged. The summit becomes capped with snow and ice, making a beautifully iconic view of the peak.
April makes Kilimanjaro tough, but that also means that it is a bigger challenge for a potential climber to overcome. A definite positive in attempting Kilimanjaro in April is that you are less likely to stumble over crowds of tourists or slow climbers – only serious mountaineers are likely to test Kilimanjaro in April.
While rain may be an obscuring factor when dealing with game drives and safaris, it also brings out the wildlife. Wet season means that nature comes alive – not just plants, but this time of year brings a bounty of young animals to the plains of the southern Serengeti – meaning high chances of a predator attack.
Experiencing Tanzania in April can be very rewarding if you don’t mind some rain. Ngorongoro Crater in April, for instance, is potentially at its most beautiful. The lack of other tourists can lead to having more intimate and profound experiences – the feeling of being one with nature is at its finest.
April in Tanzania is a month of changes – a shift from the sweltering summer months into the cooler rainy season. While some may be uncomfortable with Zanzibar in April, downpours are often quick – afternoon thunderstorms that swiftly dissipate to beautifully clear evenings and rich sunsets.
April is often Zanzibar’s quietest month, meaning there will be no crowded beaches, leading to a more intimate experience. Due to the relative quiet, April is a perfect time as well to digest the rich history on display throughout the island, especially in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
April is right in the middle of Tanzania’s rainy season, so when visiting Mafia in April, you are likely to experience some rain. While the storms are often quick, the weather aside from the showers is beautiful. On rainy days, there is always the option of exploring the historical sites on the island itself.
While the temperatures and sunshine hours in Pemba make it a year-round excellent destination, it’s important to remember that April is a rainy month all over Tanzania. If you visit Pemba in April, the rainstorms are usually short-lived thundershowers in the afternoon, allowing the plant life on the Green Island to flourish!
Experiencing wildlife in southern Tanzania in April can sometimes prove challenging, but there are definitely positives. While the rain and cloud cover can often make seeing the animals difficult, the rainstorms in Tanzania are typically short, and leave the air very clear once they dissipate which is ideal for viewing.
The southern circuit of Tanzania is typically quite quiet in April with many tourists instead deciding to visit during the dry season. This lack of activity in the parks can bring animals out into the open and allow for more individual experiences with nature for a tourist in April.
April is known far and wide as being right in the middle of the rainy season in Tanzania. However, the news is not all bad – when there are seasonal rains, this will mean a significant drop in crowds and prices for accommodation. The rainy season also plays host to one of the country’s biggest bird migrations.
The old adage of April bringing showers is fully true when it comes to Nyerere and the other Southern Circuit parks of Tanzania. April’s rainy days may not seem pleasant, but they have a cleansing effect on the land, leaving clear air and vibrantly colourful vegetation in their wake.
The green season of January is a lovely time to visit Mahale Mountain National Park. The spectacular slopes are home to a massive chimpanzee population, along with a myriad of ape families. The sunsets in this region are exquisite, and the clouds that accompany rainfall in January makes it even more beautiful.
April can be a delightful time to visit western Tanzania. Katavi National Park, one of the more secluded parks, is teeming with brilliant, colourful life. The lush scenery makes you truly feel as if you are stepping back in time before human civilization (apart from your game drive vehicle, of course!)
Asili Explorer is a sustainable travel agency that offers authentic and unforgettable adventures for curious travelers seeking meaningful experiences around the world.
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