Nyerere National Park weather and best time to go
Game drives are what most tourists look forward to when a safari is mentioned and the best time for one to go for a game drive is during the dry season which is also considered to be the peak season. The weather in Nyerere can determine the best time for one to go for a safari and just like any other part of Tanzania, the Park has two seasons : the dry and wet season. Below is a detailed explanation on when to go and what to expect of the weather in Nyerere National Park.
Nyerere weather
The Nyerere Game has three seasons with the mains being the dry season and the wet season. The dry season is experienced from June to October and the wet season is experienced from November to April. The shoulder season is experienced during the months of January and February.
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The Dry season
The Nyerere National Park experiences the dry season from June to October and during this time the National Park receives little or no rainfall at all. The absence of rain forces the animals to move from their natural habitats in search of food and water and they can be found at the different waterholes, especially the Rufiji River.
The vegetation is very thin and scarce and the animals migrate from one part of the National Park to the next in search of pasture making it the perfect time for tourists to go for a game drive in Selous.
You can either drive to Nyerere which will take you about 6 to 7 hours from Dar es Salaam or take a flight from Dar es Salaam and this will take about 45 minutes. Even though the park is not visited by many tourists like those that are found in the southern circuit Tanzania, during the dry season it has a large crowd of its own and you will find many tourists crowding around the Rufiji river to get a closer look at the animals.
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The shoulder season
The shoulder season is experienced during the wet season from January to February. This is not the best time for one to go game viewing because the animals are extremely hard to spot due to the abundance of pasture and water. It is, however a good time for birding.
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The wet season
The wet season in Nyerere is experienced between November and April and this is considered to be the best time for ardent birders. During this period many of the accommodation facilities close down due to floods and the crowds are less as compared to the dry season. The safari costs during this period are reduced and it is considered as the best time for tourists who are on a budget to travel to Nyerere for a safari and it is sometimes hard to get where to stay during this time especially in the months of March, April and May due to the closure of most facilities.
The roads both leading to the National Park and those that are found within the park are sometimes inaccessible due to the floods and mud but with a powerful 4×4 van, you can still enjoy a trip through Nyerere.
Best time to go to Nyerere
Nyerere National Park can be visited all throughout the year. The best time for a safari to Nyerere depends on the activities that you decide to carry out while there. The different seasons that Nyerere experiences have different activities that are carried out within them and have been listed below:
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The dry season
The dry season is considered to be the best time for one to enjoy a safari within Nyerere especially if you love game drives. Some of the activities that you can engage in while in Nyerere in the dry season include game drives, walking safaris, fishing along River Rufiji, photo safaris and many more others.
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The wet season
The wet season is considered to be the best time for a safari for those that love birding. During the wet season, migratory birds fly from the different parts of the world and converge in the game Reserve joining the rest of the indigenous birds in the Park. You will also be able to see some animals during the wet season although it is a little bit hard.