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When is the best time to go to Zanzibar

When is the best time to go to Zanzibar, depending on the weather and climate.
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When is the best time to visit Zanzibar?

In general the best time to visit Zanzibar is probably December, when the weather is usually great. The hottest months are February, March, December, while the coldest months are June, July, August.
The best time to visit may differ depending on what you are looking for:
  • The best time for a sunbathing holiday is February, March, December. Average maximum temperatures are up to +29°C in December and it has 4 sunny days on average.
  • In general, it’s pleasant to walk and do outdoor activities during January - December.
  • If you want to avoid wet weather, then your choice is April, May, November with the lowest chance of rain.

Average weather in Zanzibar in different months

This is the average weather in Zanzibar for each month based on historic data:

February, June, July, August, September, October usually has good weather. Average maximum temperature reaches +29°C during February.

In January, March, April, May, November, December the weather is average. Expect around 76 rainy days, and the precipitation amounts to approximately 189 mm in April.

Climate in Zanzibar

Here is the detailed breakdown of the climate in Zanzibar for each month:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Maximum Temperature
+32°C+32°C+33°C+32°C+30°C+30°C+29°C+29°C+29°C+30°C+31°C+31°C
Average Maximum Temperature
+29°C+29°C+29°C+28°C+28°C+27°C+27°C+27°C+27°C+28°C+28°C+29°C
Minimum Temperature
+24°C+25°C+24°C+24°C+23°C+22°C+21°C+22°C+22°C+22°C+24°C+24°C
Humidity, %
787880838278777877788180
Rain, mm
5239118189141382832275886111
Snow, mm
000000000000
Average wind speed, m/s
322233332222
Sunny Days
3332566510854
Cloud Days
23211381320232418181514
Rainy Days
54152013422251013
Snowy Days
000000000000

Average Temperature

Here are the average maximum and minimum temperatures in Zanzibar during the whole year:
The hottest month in Zanzibar is December with average maximum temperature going up to +29°C. The coldest month is June with the lowest temperatures of +24°C.

Humidity

The temperature feels different depending on humidity. Here is how humidity in Zanzibar looks throughout the year, in %:
The most humid month in Zanzibar is April with average humidity going up to 83%. The least humid month is July with an average humidity of 77%.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm. in Zanzibar during the whole year based on historical data:
The sunniest and driest month is September with approximately 10 sunny days and a total precipitation of around 27 mm. The rainiest and wettest month is April with approximately 20 rainy days and 189 mm of total precipitation.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Zanzibar:

What is the hottest month in Zanzibar?

The hottest month in Zanzibar is December with average maximum temperature of +29°C.

What is the coldest month in Zanzibar?

The coldest month in Zanzibar is June with minimum temperatures of +24°C.

Is Zanzibar worth visiting in winter?

Winter in Zanzibar could be a good time to visit, as the weather is generally ok.

When does it rain the least in Zanzibar?

if you're looking to visit Zanzibar when it rains the least, you should plan your trip for April, May, March. During this time, rainfall is rare with the driest month being September with only 27 mm of rain.

Other cities in Tanzania

Check out the weather for other cities in Tanzania.

Monthly weather in Zanzibar

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Zanzibar, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.