SeasonMapNgorongoro (Ngorongoro Crater) weather in December
Tanzania
December in Ngorongoro: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 24 rainy days.
#9 of 12 months in Ngorongoro · #742 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 69/100 (tier C)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Ngorongoro in December
Other months in Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro's forum calls August one of the coolest months, sunny and dry on the crater floor by day but genuinely cold on the rim at dawn and dusk — regulars cite lows near freezing, sometimes with frost, on early-morning game drives. Regulars' standard advice is real warm layers for the drives despite the pleasant afternoon, and note the dry conditions thin out vegetation, making wildlife easier to spot.
Add your own note from Ngorongoro's card on the map.
Ngorongoro climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 21°C / 69°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 11°C / 52°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 22°C / 72°F | |
| Rainfall | 902 mm / 35.5 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 24 days | |
| Humidity | 82% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 12°C / 53°F | |
| Sunshine | 10.6 h/day | |
| Daylight | 12.3 h | |
| Wind | 8 km/h / 5 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 27 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Ngorongoro in December
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.
Peak crowdsFestive season peak, December–January long break in Tanzania, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Ngorongoro'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).
Fair weatherNgorongoro's weather peaks June–August.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Ngorongoro in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Six hours on the crater floor
1 Jan – 31 Dec · usuallyClosuresThe descent fee is charged per vehicle and buys a single six-hour visit, so the whole day gets planned backwards from it. Gates run dawn to dusk and the Seneto descent closes in the middle of the afternoon. Source ↗
- Season
The short rains
1 Nov – 15 Dec · usuallyMonsoonAfternoon storms and new grass on the rim. Roads stay usable, camps are cheaper than either peak and the light in the crater after a storm is the best of the year.
- Holiday
Festive season peak
18 Dec – 5 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyRim lodges charge festive rates and the descent queue at Seneto is at its longest. It overlaps the start of the calving at Ndutu, which is the good reason to be here anyway. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk24 rainy days and about 902 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Ngorongoro — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Ngorongoro?
Ngorongoro in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Ngorongoro?
- December in Ngorongoro: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 24 rainy days. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Ngorongoro on SeasonMap's comfort score (69/100).
- What is the weather like in Ngorongoro in December?
- In December, Ngorongoro averages a daily high of 20.5°C and a low of 11°C, with about 902.3 mm of rain over roughly 23.7 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Ngorongoro in December?
- Ngorongoro has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 27 in December.
Other months in Ngorongoro
Compare Ngorongoro in December
Warmer or cooler than Ngorongoro in December
Similar destinations in East Africa — December
Within 300 km: Serengeti's Migrant birding season around 15 Nov – 15 Apr, and Amboseli's Migrants on Lake Amboseli around 15 Nov – 31 Mar.