SeasonMapNgorongoro (Ngorongoro Crater) weather by month
Tanzania
The best time to visit Ngorongoro (Ngorongoro Crater) is June to August — 98/100 in August, 20°C and 1 rainy day. The best season is the dry season, May to October (93/100 on average).
The worst month is March at 65/100 — warm, soaked, clean air. See March →
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Planning the wider trip? Best time to visit Tanzania →
Ngorongoro, month by month
Comfort score out of 100 for the kind of trip Ngorongoro is best for, the average high, rainy days and hours of sun a day from the climate normals, and how busy it tends to be.
| Month | Score | Tier | High | Rain | Sun | Crowds | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanJanuary | 70 | B | 20°C | 24 d | 11 h | Peak | 3 |
| FebFebruary | 66 | C | 22°C | 18 d | 11 h | Quiet | 2 |
| MarMarch | 65 | C | 21°C | 22 d | 11 h | Busy | 3 |
| AprApril | 67 | C | 20°C | 25 d | 10 h | Busy | 3 |
| MayMay | 89 | A | 19°C | 12 d | 11 h | Shoulder | 3 |
| JunJune | 96 | S | 19°C | 2 d | 11 h | Peak | 3 |
| JulJuly | 95 | S | 19°C | 2 d | 11 h | Peak | 3 |
| AugAugust | 98 | S | 20°C | 1 d | 11 h | Busy | 3 |
| SepSeptember | 93 | S | 21°C | 3 d | 11 h | Peak | 2 |
| OctOctober | 88 | A | 22°C | 9 d | 11 h | Busy | 2 |
| NovNovember | 74 | B | 21°C | 18 d | 11 h | Shoulder | 2 |
| DecDecember | 69 | C | 21°C | 24 d | 11 h | Peak | 3 |
What's on in Ngorongoro through the year
Festivals, natural spectacles, holidays and the seasons to watch out for — curated and sourced. The month pages carry the detail.
- January
- Calving on the Ndutu plains1 Jan – 15 Mar (usually)Nature
- Six hours on the crater floor1 Jan – 31 Dec (usually)Rule
- March
- The long rains20 Mar – 20 May (usually)Season
- April
- Cloud on the crater rim1 Apr – 31 Aug (usually)Season
- June
- Dry season on the floor15 Jun – 15 Oct (usually)Season
- November
- The short rains1 Nov – 15 Dec (usually)Season
- December
- Festive season peak18 Dec – 5 Jan (usually)Holiday
Crowds in Ngorongoro in August
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.
BusyDry season on the floor, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet