For most of the year Tarangire is warm and dry. Average daytime temperature is around 30°C (86°F), cooling off at night to around 10°C (50°F).

There are two rainy seasons, the ‘short rains’ which generally occur in November and December, and the ‘long rains’, from mid March to the end of May. Although many visitors are anxious about the rains this can be a great time to visit the park. Dramatic skies and fabulous sunsets are not uncommon. Rain showers are usually heavy but short, allowing plenty of time to get out and see animals indulging on the flush of verdant grass.

The ‘best’ time to visit Tarangire is towards the end of the dry season (September to November), when animals from the surrounding ecosystem concentrate in large numbers near the Tarangire River, which is the only permanent water source in the area.

‘Tarangire is second only to the Ngorongoro Crater as a dry season home for many migratory mammals.’
Watching Wildlife East Africa' Edition 1 2001© Lonely Planet Publications