Arusha (Kilimanjaro) weather in March

March in Arusha: hot, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Arusha🇹🇿 Tanzania · East Africa · Trekking72
  1. 77Jan
  2. 80Feb
  3. 72Mar
  4. 73Apr
  5. 87May
  6. 92Jun
  7. 94Jul
  8. 92Aug
  9. 90Sep
  10. 85Oct
  11. 78Nov
  12. 79Dec

#12 of 12 months in Arusha · #833 of 1413 destinations to visit in March · comfort 72/100 (tier B)

Days
28°C
Nights
17°C
Wet days
15
Sun
10.3 h
Humidity
68%
Daylight
12 h
Arusha, Tanzania
Photo: mn str · Pexels

Traveller notes on Arusha in March

Arusha-forum threads on March weather describe conditions as genuinely warm, posters calling showers a real possibility though not the day-after-day monsoonal pattern some travelers expect. Regulars call the migration positioned in the Ndutu area of the southern Serengeti this month, a real factor for anyone planning a March safari through an Arusha-based operator. Posters recommend Arusha primarily as a safari staging point rather than a standalone destination, several regulars describing limited standalone attractions in the town itself. Regulars recommend confirming guide and driver credentials directly before booking, multiple threads specifically discussing reputable operator recommendations. Posters recommend real insect protection regardless of the season, mosquitoes flagged repeatedly as a standing concern in and around town. The record: 27.7C days feeling like 30C, 17.2C nights, an extraordinarily high 144.7mm across nearly 15 days and 71 percent humidity.
ArushaMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Arusha

Arusha-forum threads on an April visit describe nights as genuinely cool, posters naming a range of thirteen to eighteen degrees with the Ngorongoro Crater rim dropping as low as eleven. Regulars call daytime genuinely comfortable by contrast, several posters naming twenty-five to twenty-eight degrees as standard and recommending shorts and sandals with a fleece for evenings. Posters call April genuinely peak long-rains season, several regulars naming rain most days but rarely lasting all day, with animals still visible and storm-cloud light making for vivid photography. Regulars call a lightweight quick-drying rain poncho genuinely handy, several threads naming this as most lodges only supply umbrellas. Posters recommend long trousers and sleeves in the evening, several regulars calling this standard given real mosquito activity after dark. The record: 24.8C days, 17.7C nights, an extraordinarily high 156mm across nearly 24 days and 82 percent humidity.
ArushaAprilRegular · April · 1 month ago · Read more on tripadvisor.co.nz ↗
Arusha-forum threads on February weather describe mornings and late evenings as genuinely cool, posters calling a fleece or light jacket standing advice for early safari departures even though afternoons warm up considerably. Regulars call this generally still a strong month for wildlife viewing and calving season further into the Serengeti and Ndutu, though Tarangire specifically gets more consistent rain and is sometimes recommended against this time of year. Posters describe conditions as a real mix of sun and passing showers, nothing that should derail a planned day. Regulars call Ngorongoro and the Serengeti the more consistently recommended options over Tarangire. Posters recommend a lightweight rain jacket alongside warmer layers for chilly mornings, both genuinely useful across a single day. Regulars call Arusha a comfortable, practical base for onward logistics. The record: 28C days feeling like 30C, 16.5C nights, 67.6mm across over 8 days and 63 percent humidity.
ArushaFebruaryRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Arusha-forum threads on views of Kilimanjaro from town are candid a clear sighting is genuinely rare, the mountain usually shrouded in cloud even on an otherwise sunny day. Posters describe October conditions in Arusha as comfortably warm, the wetter pattern building through the second half of the month still mostly holding off in the first couple weeks. Regulars call October a real transition, the short rains typically arriving mid-month on the mountain and pushing anyone climbing toward real rain gear regardless of a favorable forecast at sea level. Posters recommend layering for the safari drives, mornings noticeably cooler than the warm midday sun suggests. Regulars call Arusha's role as the gateway town the genuine draw, most visitors passing through en route to the parks or a Kilimanjaro attempt. Posters recommend an early-October trip over late for the better odds. The record: 26.6C days feeling like 27C, 16.2C nights, 65 percent humidity and 10.8 hours of sun.
ArushaOctoberRegular · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Arusha-forum threads on September safari planning are consistent this is one of the strongest months of the year, cool mornings and evenings giving way to warm, sunny days across the northern circuit Arusha serves as the main gateway town for. Posters call the thinning vegetation a real advantage for wildlife viewing, animals concentrating around remaining water sources rather than scattered through dense growth. Regulars are direct this overlaps with the tail end of the river-crossing season further north in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, real crowds and higher rates the tradeoff for what posters call practically ideal conditions. Arusha itself is a comfortable, walkable base for organizing gear and permits before heading out, with a wide range of tour operators clustered around the town center. Regulars call booking well ahead essential given how popular this stretch runs. The record: 25C days feeling like 25C, 15.2C nights, a very low 64 percent humidity and 9 hours of sun.
ArushaSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Arusha climate normals — March

Daytime high28°C / 82°F🥵 hot
Nighttime low17°C / 63°F
Feels like (high)30°C / 86°F
Rainfall145 mm / 5.7 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days15 days
Humidity68%💧 humid
Dew point16°C / 61°F
Sunshine10.3 h/day
Daylight12.1 h
Wind8 km/h / 5 mph
Air quality (US AQI)40🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Arusha in March

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyApril short break in Tanzania, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Arusha's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherArusha's weather peaks June–August, best around July.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Arusha in March

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Nature

    Wildebeest calving season

    20 Jan – 15 Mar · usuallyWildlife seasonBook early

    The short grass plains around Ndutu and the southern Serengeti, reached on safari from Arusha, fill with newborn wildebeest calves and the predators that follow them; camps here book out well before the February peak. Source ↗

  • Season

    The long rains

    15 Mar – 31 May · usuallyMonsoon

    The masika rains close a good part of the northern circuit and the town goes quiet with them. Operators discount hard, and Arusha itself stays perfectly workable; it is the parks that turn to mud.

What's on around the world in March →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Arusha — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Arusha?

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Arusha in March — FAQ

Is March a good time to visit Arusha?
March in Arusha: hot, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Arusha on SeasonMap's comfort score (72/100).
What is the weather like in Arusha in March?
In March, Arusha averages a daily high of 27.7°C and a low of 17.2°C, with about 144.7 mm of rain over roughly 14.8 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Arusha in March?
Arusha has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 40 in March.

Within 300 km: Amboseli's Migrants on Lake Amboseli around 15 Nov – 31 Mar, and Ngorongoro's Calving on the Ndutu plains around 1 Jan – 15 Mar.