Tanzania in March
Green season. Quiet parks. Calving's final chapter. Exceptional value.
March is the month most safari guidebooks gloss over — and that is precisely why it is one of our favourites. The long rains begin, the Serengeti transforms from gold to green, wildebeest calves are still being born in the south, and the parks are almost empty. Prices drop by 30–40% from peak season. The trade-off? Afternoon thunderstorms, greener (less dramatic) landscapes, and some roads becoming temporarily impassable.
If you are the kind of traveller who packs Gore-Tex over packing anxiety, who finds beauty in green landscapes and quiet game drives, and who wants to experience Tanzania without the convoy of safari vehicles at every lion sighting — March is your month. If you want guaranteed dry weather and are set on witnessing the Mara River crossings, come back in July.
What wildlife you will see in March
Wildebeest Calving — Final Days
Early March still sees the tail end of the calving season in the Ndutu region and southern Serengeti. Some calves are still being born; the predators who have been following the herds are still active. By mid-March the herds are beginning their annual migration north. If you visit in the first two weeks of March, you can still witness new life in the southern Serengeti — and the predator activity that comes with it.
Green Season Predator Action
March is one of the best months for predator sightings in the central Serengeti. The short green grass makes animals easier to spot. Lions are highly visible on the open plains. Leopards are more active as prey is abundant. Cheetah benefit from the same clear visibility. The predator density around Seronera and the Moru Kopjes in March is genuinely exceptional — and the lack of other vehicles means you can watch them for as long as you want.
Elephant Herds — Tarangire
Tarangire is one of Tanzania's best elephant parks year-round, but March is particularly special. The park's permanent river becomes a magnet for large herds as other water sources dry up. Herds of 80–100 elephants are common. The baobab trees look magnificent against dramatic March skies. Tarangire is quieter than the Serengeti in March and makes an excellent counterpoint — fewer vehicles, excellent sightings, beautiful landscapes.
Birding Season — Migratory Birds
March is the peak of the European migrant bird season in Tanzania. Yellow wagtails,Steppe eagles, and Eurasian rollers are among the dozens of Palearctic migrants passing through or overwintering. The birding at Lake Manyara and in the highlands of the Crater Highlands is exceptional. For serious birders, March is one of the most rewarding months to visit Tanzania.
Weather, roads & getting around in March
Daytime High
Warm but not hot. The cloud cover from afternoon rain keeps temperatures pleasant. Expect 26–30°C in the Serengeti and on the coast.
Morning Low
Mild mornings. No need for heavy layers as you would in July. A light fleece is sufficient for pre-dawn game drives.
Rainfall
The long rains arrive in March — but they come as afternoon storms, not all-day drizzle. Mornings are typically clear. Roads in some areas are affected.
Road conditions in March
This is the key practical consideration for March. The long rains — which begin in March — can make some secondary roads in the western Serengeti and southern circuit temporarily impassable for standard vehicles. Your operator needs to use proper 4WD vehicles with high clearance in March. The main northern circuit roads (Serengeti central, Ngorongoro, Tarangire) remain passable year-round.
Fly-in safaris are particularly well-suited to March: flights bypass road conditions entirely and get you directly to camp. We strongly recommend fly-in combinations for March travel — it removes the weather variable from your safari experience.
The March advantage: shoulder season value
Price
March delivers the best safari value of any month in Tanzania. Peak season lodge markups of 20–40% disappear. Last-minute bookings are often possible at properties that would be sold out in July. A 7-day northern circuit starts from from $3,200 per person — compared to $4,500+ in peak season.
This is the month to splurge on that luxury lodge you have been looking at — the pricing gap between premium and standard properties narrows significantly in March.
Crowds
March is genuinely quiet. You will share Ngorongoro Crater with a fraction of the vehicles you would see in July. The central Serengeti has very low vehicle counts. Your guide can take you to exceptional sighting locations without competing with other safari vehicles.
For photographers and travellers who value solitude over spectacle, March delivers experiences that are simply impossible in peak season.
A recommended 7-day March safari
Arrive in Arusha, transfer to Tarangire. The park is excellent in March — large elephant herds, quiet by comparison to peak months, beautiful baobab landscapes against dramatic skies. Stay at a quality camp on the park's edge. Two full days here builds your safari confidence before heading to the Serengeti.
Fly or drive to the central Serengeti. March predator activity here is exceptional — lion, leopard, and cheetah sightings are frequent. The green grass makes wildlife easier to spot. Your guide can position you at excellent sighting points with no competition from other vehicles.
Drive south to the Ndutu region for one night. In early March you may still see wildebeest calving activity — the final chapter of the season's drama. The landscape is green and beautiful, a dramatic contrast to the gold plains of peak season.
Transfer to the crater rim. The crater is quieter in March but the wildlife viewing remains exceptional — lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, and a good chance of black rhino. The flamingos on Lake Magadi are present year-round. Fly out from Kilimanjaro on day 7.
This itinerary is available from from $3,200 per person. Speak to our Arusha team to tailor it to your travel dates and preferences.
April in Zanzibar — extend your safari to the coast
March flows straight into April — and April is one of the best months to be on the Zanzibar coast. Water clarity is at its peak, the turtles are active around Mnemba Atoll, and the dhow sails at sunset are at their most dramatic. If your safari timing allows, adding a Zanzibar extension to your March trip turns a great safari into a complete East African experience.
April Zanzibar travel means fewer crowds than December/January, better weather than the June–October dry season in some respects (water clarity is exceptional), and rates that are significantly lower than peak season. Our team can arrange a seamless safari-plus-beach itinerary starting from Arusha.
Frequently asked questions — Tanzania in March
Is March a good time for a safari in Tanzania?
Is March a rainy month in Tanzania?
Can you see the Great Migration in March?
What does a Tanzania safari cost in March?
What should I pack for Tanzania in March?
Is the Ngorongoro Crater worth visiting in March?
Start Planning Your March Safari
Personal itinerary, zero obligation — just ask Kassim.