The island of Zanzibar is known for being a popular holiday destination all year round. However, some seasonality of the weather is also expressed here. In particular, in Zanzibar, the seasons include two rainy and two dry periods of different monthly duration. And the rest on the island is good absolutely in any month, it remains only to choose the right one for the weather. After all, the island is located under the equator, so the conditions are favorable for recreation all year round, and even in the season of the heaviest precipitation, the rains begin in the first half of the day, which does not spoil the impression of the weather of the African summer.
The rainiest months (from March to May inclusive) have a low season, and from June to October – a high one. Each of them has its own advantages, depending on the preferences of vacationers. During the rainy season, the air warms up closer to 30°C during the day, and the cost of staying in hotels is much lower. In dry weather-sunny weather and almost cloudless sky. Therefore, we can safely say that on the island of Zanzibar, the holiday season lasts throughout the year, but in different months it looks a little different.
Features of holidays in Nungwi — what you need to know
High season holidays in Zanzibar
If your choice of vacation destination is Tanzania, namely the island of Zanzibar, then a season of five full-fledged southern summer months is the first thing to consider more closely. The real African beach season in Zanzibar is almost six months long, from the beginning of June to the end of October. There is another small tourist summer on the island, it captures January and February in time – the same dry season, a small respite before a long rainy period.
The main weather parameters in Zanzibar are the degree of warming of the air and water temperature by month. At the present time of global climate change, small climate shifts are being felt even here. Usually, during the dry season, the air temperature is constant during all the months of winter in the southern hemisphere (we have this calendar summer): during the day about +27…+30°C, at night +24…+26°C. But there are small changes. For example, during the dry season, it may suddenly rain and even drag on for a week. For more information about the weather, please contact Altezza Travel, a tour operator based in Tanzania.
Zanzibar high season by month
Consider the weather in Zanzibar by month. In the small dry season (January-February), showers appear a couple of days a month, but otherwise-a typical African summer, the heat can reach up to 33°C, and the sea warms up to +28…+30°C. February is considered particularly dry.
Overall, the beginning of the high season (June) it may still be marked by a couple of rains, but the sunny weather is set finally and for a long time. In July and August, there may be no precipitation at all, the thermometer columns rarely reach +30°C, but in September and October it is hot in summer, the sea is warmer and more comfortable for swimming, and it rains only for a few days. These months are most visited by tourists during the popular season, as the conditions are most favorable for the beach and swimming. Many people like the high season in Zanzibar, when it is best to relax on the ocean coast.
The choice of summer months is more suitable for those who find it difficult to adapt to new climatic conditions at an unusual calendar time. But in January and February, rest is good for lovers of hot temperatures, and this time in Zanzibar is appreciated by divers as a season of deep-sea fishing, as well as sea turtle watching.
The water temperature in high season can drop to +26°C, which is considered quite cool for resorts in Zanzibar. However, closer to October and November, the average sea temperature rises to +28°C and more, the bathing season is at its peak.
The presence and intensity of falling moisture in the dry season can be predicted almost always: these are just a few days for the whole month, and then not necessarily torrential, but only a few hours. However, as indicated, rare phenomena are not excluded-showers for a week. However, they can’t be guaranteed either.
Kendwa-recreation and beaches, prices and entertainment at the resort
What else to expect in the dry season
Wind and waves in this season for skiing can be caught in July and in the first two months of the year. The tides on Zanzibar do not just occur, but often have a big impact on the nature of recreation on the island’s beaches. The depth of water withdrawal can reach almost a kilometer, and the coast opens up to the horizon. On some beaches, the sea almost does not move from its place-depending on the phase of the moon.
Humidity in the dry season is low, and sea breezes are constantly present, which somewhat mitigate the heat. Therefore, it is transferred much milder than away from the coast. It should be noted that continental Tanzania does not have such an advantage, and the heat there can reach extreme equatorial values.
Since the season is quite long (about five months), the weather conditions will differ at the beginning, middle, and end. So, the beginning of the season is June-usually with rare and already disappearing rains, falling temperatures (calendar winter begins here), decreasing humidity and the onset of drought. And at the end of the season – November-the temperature rises again, humidity arrives, and the sea warms up perfectly.
Due to the changing seasons, there is a similar frequency in the influx of tourists to the Tanzanian resort. The highest prices on the coasts are kept from November to February, when the arrivals of tourists are associated not only with the weather, but also with festive winter traditions.
Low season: Zanzibar is still a resort
The low wet season in Tanzania, on the island of Zanzibar, begins in March, and the weather for months within the African autumn is almost unchanged. Zanzibar is located in the monsoon climate zone, their seasonality and high humidity in the archipelago are pronounced, as well as a lot of solar activity. Hot temperatures and constant downpours are not necessarily an attribute of the low season. So, in the rainy season, too, a sudden drought can occur.
Rain begins to fall from the last decade of March. That is, the first month of spring (and here it is the opposite, the beginning of autumn) it can also be considered half typically beachy. But the air gradually cools down to the average daily values of +27°C and below. The month of April is very rich in rain – during 3.5 weeks there may be showers, and in the remaining days just cloudy weather, but with a real summer temperature (up to 30). May is almost as rainy and windy. By the end of the month, the sun begins to show through, the showers stop, and the air and water warm up more and more.
During the big rainy season, although rare, heavy rainfall is so severe that recreation and service in Zanzibar are suspended. During this time, hotels and even entire islands are closed for security reasons. But mostly precipitation is moderate and regular. So you can safely plan active and sightseeing leisure-in the low season, bad weather can not spoil the holiday mood. Moreover, the temperatures at this time here (as never before in the year) are summer.
In November and December, Zanzibar is once again in the rainy season. This period is shorter than the longest, and there may be precipitation for the entire season, as during March. In particular, in November, precipitation can take a total of just a decade, and then short-term. December is traditionally the hottest month of the year. The air temperature does not fall below 30°C all day long, the humidity is high, the sea is warm and pleasant for swimming. In addition, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations contribute to the tourist influx this month.
Stone Town-the main thing about the “Stone City” on the island
Temperature and other low season records
The air temperature in the rainy season in Zanzibar during the day is +30…+33°Day and night +26…+27°C. The sea is still warm, up to +28°C, the wind and waves are small, but the humidity is at peak levels. Tides in the low season do not differ from high, their features are better studied for a specific location in Zanzibar.
The highest temperatures occur just at the typically rainy time-the end of the calendar year and the beginning of March, during the midday peak it is often hot in the sun to extreme +40. When preparing to leave for Zanzibar, you should take into account the UV index indicators and stock up on protective equipment. And if the heat at the beginning of large rains is still smoothed out by replenishing moisture, then by the end of May, when the showers dry up, and the dryness is getting closer, staying in the sun is very dangerous.
During the rainy season, discounts on accommodation can reach up to 50-70%, so at this time there is an opportunity to spend more vacation days here. And they will also be a real summer vacation: the beach or excursions in the morning, and then an afternoon break before evening entertainment. In Tanzania, on Zanzibar, the holiday season can be divided into any month, here it is constant summer, with all the summer attributes, including torrential warm rains.
The resort island is very popular precisely because of its climatic and geographical features, ocean landscapes and rich color of the equatorial territories. The quality of recreation, service and natural beauty have long been overgrown with various reviews. Choose your Zanzibar: at the time that is convenient for you, and in the season that is preferable for you. The weather of the coast always favors recreation and entertainment, but it can also change its usual mood. It’s still an island, and it’s affected by the ocean.
Therefore, if you choose the right season for your vacation in Zanzibar by month, you should definitely study the forecast reports before booking a tour. The climate is changeable, and the weather is even more so. Although the Zanzibar Archipelago is part of the State of Tanzania, the weather conditions on the islands can be very different from the mainland, and this should also be taken into account when choosing your season in Zanzibar.
