Best Time To Visit Mahale Mountains (Month by Month)

January: Fair
February: Fair
March: Fair
April: Fair
May: Fair
June: Good
July: Good
August: Excellent
September: Excellent
October: Excellent
November: Good
December: Fair

Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor

It is possible to track chimpanzees all year in Mahale Mountains National Park. However, the chances of finding chimps improve toward the end of the Dry season (especially from August to October) when they tend to favor the lower slopes close to the lakeshore lodges and bandas. If you have two or three days, your chance of seeing them is reasonable at any time of the year.

Mahale Mountains Chimp Tours

Best Time: August to October (Chimp trekking is easiest)
High Season: August to October (Mahale is never crowded)
Low Season: November to mid-December and March to May (Most lodges are closed from March to May)
Best Weather: May to October (Almost no rainfall)
Worst Weather: November to April (Wet season)

May to October Dry Season

Chimpanzees can be found easily on the low mountain slopes from August to October
Sunshine with little chance of rain
Malaria is less of a concern since there are few mosquitoes present
You might see other safari-goers while tracking chimps, but otherwise the park is never crowded

November to April Wet Season

The air is clean and clear
Waterfalls are in full flow
Migratory birds are present, so birding is at its peak
Butterflies are plentiful
Forest trails may be slippery and hard to travel on
Chimpanzees move to higher ground and are harder to track
It gets hot and humid

Wildlife Photos

+12 Photos

Best Time To Go by Major Park

Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor

Gombe National Park
1. January: Fair
2. February: Fair
3. March: Fair
4. April: Poor
5. May: Fair
6. June: Good
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Good
12. December: Fair
Katavi National Park
1. January: Fair
2. February: Fair
3. March: Poor
4. April: Poor
5. May: Poor
6. June: Good
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Fair
12. December: Fair
Lake Manyara National Park
1. January: Good
2. February: Good
3. March: Fair
4. April: Fair
5. May: Good
6. June: Excellent
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Good
12. December: Good
Ngorongoro Crater
1. January: Excellent
2. February: Excellent
3. March: Good
4. April: Good
5. May: Excellent
6. June: Excellent
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Excellent
12. December: Excellent
Nyerere National Park
1. January: Fair
2. February: Fair
3. March: Poor
4. April: Poor
5. May: Fair
6. June: Excellent
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Good
12. December: Good
Ruaha National Park
1. January: Fair
2. February: Fair
3. March: Poor
4. April: Poor
5. May: Fair
6. June: Excellent
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Good
12. December: Good
Serengeti National Park
1. January: Excellent
2. February: Excellent
3. March: Fair
4. April: Fair
5. May: Fair
6. June: Excellent
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Good
12. December: Good
Tarangire National Park
1. January: Fair
2. February: Fair
3. March: Fair
4. April: Fair
5. May: Fair
6. June: Good
7. July: Excellent
8. August: Excellent
9. September: Excellent
10. October: Excellent
11. November: Excellent
12. December: Good

Want To Visit Mahale Mountains NP?