What can you see on safari in Tanzania in June?

hi, We’re thinking of traveling to Tanzania in June (more specifically the first half) and would love to hear about your experiences, especially regarding the Serengeti safari. Is it a good time to see the animals? Would it be better to go later? For those who’ve been there during this period, do you recommend it? thanks in advance

Hello,

A trip/safari is inherently unpredictable, no matter the location or time of year. You have to accept that upfront, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Luck is the key factor in safaris. Two vehicles traveling the exact same route, just 30 minutes apart, won’t encounter the same animals.... On top of that, the weather/climate has also become unpredictable these days.

Over the past 8 years, I’ve been twice to the Selous and Ruaha reserves in southern Tanzania, EXACTLY at the same time (late October): The first trip was amazing, the second quite "disappointing" by comparison.

If you’re a real wildlife enthusiast, you should know this and accept whatever nature decides to show you. Otherwise... if you’re asking the kind of questions I read in your post, I’m afraid you might end up disappointed or frustrated.

I was back in southern Tanzania in JUNE 2024 in the Mikumi and Selous reserves, for 12 days. If you’d like to know how it went during that period, check it out here:

https://voyageforum.com/forum/mikumi-selous-dans-sud-tanzanien-juin-2024-d10707408/

This is just my opinion, based on my experience with safaris (over 40 years). Happy thinking.

Cheers,

Puma2A.

(We went to Kenya in October 2025, and honestly, I didn’t expect to see everything we encountered in 4 reserves there. This time, I can say luck was on our side!! Yet, we met people who were disappointed with their trip!?)

Hello, Thank you for taking the time to reply and for sharing your experience. I know luck plays a big role in this kind of trip, but I was wondering if we could also maximize it in some way—that’s why I posted. Either way, you’re right that it’s best to go without expectations to avoid disappointment, though that’s easier said than done! :) Have a great day, thanks again,

Hi Cecile,

From a purely theoretical standpoint, June comes after the rainy season (April, May). The grass is tall and the vegetation dense. Animals are "less" visible and more scattered because they can find water more easily. In contrast, in October (or even September), the grass is dry and flattened. It's easier to spot animals near water sources or watering holes that haven't dried up. However, the ambient temperature is higher and can be tough to handle. But keep in mind, all of this is theoretical and can vary significantly. (I’ve seen this firsthand in the southern reserves.)

We also need to factor in the issue of the "Migration," which is quite noticeable in the Serengeti. I’m not knowledgeable enough about this specific phenomenon to discuss it. (I visited the Serengeti in 2008 and 2009—it’s been a while...)

This is just my personal opinion. I hope others will chime in with more advice for you. What does your travel agent or provider say?

Best regards,

Puma2A

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Hi Cécile,

The English have a term I really like for safaris—they call it a "game drive." And that’s exactly what it is when you set off: you never know what you’ll encounter. It’s a game between you and the wildlife. As others on the forum have mentioned, two cars following the same route just minutes apart won’t see the same things. I remember spotting a brown hyena (rare and hard to see) simply because our vehicle had fallen behind the rest of the group—others didn’t see it. Beyond the luck factor, which you’ve already grasped, there are other things to consider: the season (tall green grass after the rains or scorched, low vegetation), the reserves (some are more interesting than others), and something that’s often overlooked—the guide. Most are passionate and fascinating, but in 15 years of safaris, I’ve come across one or two who were particularly careless, and that’s a disaster! Have a great trip.

Loïc

My YouTube channel, mostly about safaris: https://www.youtube.com/@lolodetoul54

Most of them are passionate and fascinating, but in 15 years of safaris, I’ve come across 1 or 2 who were particularly lackadaisical—total disasters! Loïc

Good evening, I know it can happen, but it’s rare—thankfully. We’ve been lucky enough to never run into that kind of situation, in Tanzania or anywhere else.

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Hi Alain,

I once met a guide-driver in Kenya who’d miss his wake-up call in the morning and needed someone to wake him up, and a guide in Botswana who’d walk right past wildlife without really seeing it. But those cases are super rare.

Hi Loic, Thanks so much for sharing and congrats on your YouTube channel. I took a quick look at your Tanzania video and it really looks amazing! What month were you there? I get the feeling it was the start of the dry season... and one last question, do you organize the safaris from France or do you find your guides once you're there? Thanks, and best wishes :) Cecile

Thanks for the theoretical reminders! :) Both periods—the end of the rainy season and the dry season—appeal to me and, on paper, have their pros and cons. I now understand better why most people go "in the middle" in July/August.

I don’t have any providers yet, and I’m wondering what’s best to do. I’m used to organizing everything myself and booking excursions once I’m there, but in the case of Africa, I’m not sure if that’s the right approach. How do you usually organize your safaris? How do you find your guides? Through recommendations, online? Thanks so much, and best wishes too! :)

How do you generally organize your safaris? How do you find your guides? Through recommendations, online? Thanks a lot,

Hi Cécile,

First, an important clarification: "We’re all different—our approach to travel, and to safaris in particular, reflects who we are. So there are plenty of ways to experience a safari."

My answer will reflect my way of doing things, which, by the way, is how many people proceed. So nothing original here.

For our first time in Tanzania, back in 2008 I think, I went through a French travel agency specializing in safaris: Vie Sauvage in Paris. We chose a package from their catalog and visited the northern reserves. I initially wondered if a trip combined with Zanzibar—like many people do—would suit us, and we concluded it wouldn’t!

In fact, over seven safari trips to Tanzania, we’ve never been to Zanzibar. We’re after wildlife and nature, far from the crowds. I realized that the catalog-style package, which had us rushing from reserve to reserve, wasn’t the right fit (for us). The next year, I went back to Vie Sauvage to put together a custom itinerary: 3 reserves in 12/13 days.

I’d learned that visiting lots of reserves doesn’t mean seeing more animals or more incredible moments. In my opinion, you should pick your reserves carefully and spend time in each. Do FEWER (reserves) but do them BETTER. (That’s become my approach.)

On this kind of safari in the north, you’re taken care of from the airport until your return. You have a vehicle and a driver-guide. No worries about driving in Tanzania (or Kenya). No stress if there’s a vehicle issue—it’s handled by the provider, who also manages the reserve entry and exit times (there are rules to follow). No worries about getting lost in the reserves. Day to day, you can decide with the driver to revisit a spot you liked the day before or tweak the program however you want. The driver communicates with colleagues they meet, who keep them updated on their best sightings. You get the most out of the landscape and encounters. You can observe in front, behind, or to the sides without having to watch the track...

Then I heard about the southern reserves and a local provider in Dar es Salaam run by a Belgian woman, whom I contacted: "Asanterra". So we did five safari trips in three reserves (only two reserves per 15-day trip) in the south, and it was pure bliss. The southern reserves, especially Selous (Nyerere National Park) and Ruaha, are wilder and less crowded. The lodges are smaller, more intimate camps, with a different vibe than in the north. You usually reach the reserves by bush plane, and upon landing on the airstrip, you’re picked up by a driver from your chosen camp, who’ll be your guide for the entire stay.

This setup is a bit pricier, but what a joy. No crowds in the camps—you’re truly in the heart of nature. That’s what WE love.

But again, let’s not forget that WE’re ALL different.

Here’s another example of a southern safari in 2022 to Ruaha and Selous: https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t15265-safari-photo-en-tanzanie-du-sud-nov-dec-2022

Happy thinking! If you have specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask—but I don’t know everything, far from it!!

Cheers, Puma2A

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Hi there,

If it's your first safari, you won't be disappointed. It's amazing. Yeah, you might go an hour without seeing anything, and then suddenly—herds of elephants, lionesses on the hunt, an antelope darting in front of the car, an ostrich strolling down the track, giraffes bending down to drink, a breathtaking savanna panorama, a flock of birds taking flight...

What I mean is, don’t stress about what you *should* see, what you *might* miss, or the seasons—just enjoy the moment.

For reference, I went to Tarangire and Ngorongoro in mid-July. And wow, it was incredible 🙂 (Just a heads-up: it wasn’t warm in the crater in the mornings!)

Hi, For all our trips to Southern Africa, we’ve done them ourselves. We don’t see every animal, but the ones we do see are the ones we’ve found ourselves 😎. In Tanzania, quite a few tourists envied our way of traveling. Here’s a little preview: here !

Thanks a million for sharing—this is exactly what I was looking for, and it’s helping me refine the plan little by little!

Thanks for your reply—you really make me want to go there! :) I think you're right, there will always be something to discover, and probably mostly the unexpected, so it's not worth overthinking it. I’ll mostly try to avoid the period when the roads are muddy and aim to go outside of school holiday times, for example.

Thanks for sharing your site! The photos look amazing and give a great preview of possible itineraries—super interesting! We won’t be traveling independently like you; we’re planning to hire a guide/driver, so our question is whether to book through a provider from France or wait until we’re there to organize the safaris with a local agency.

Hello, If you'd like to organize part of your trip yourself, I recommend Mikumi National Park, which is now easily accessible from Dar es Salaam and at a very reasonable price: a 2-hour fast train to Morogoro, then a 2-hour drive. I’ve been to this park several times and have never been disappointed because what’s important is having a guide who knows the park well and spends a lot of time there. You don’t need to visit multiple parks to see lots of animals—it’s better to spend more time in one park. If you’d like, I can put you in touch with the guide I know very well in Mikumi, who can also organize your transfer from Morogoro to Mikumi. (Contact via PM). In Morogoro, you can also take a nice walk to the Choma waterfalls. Tanzania is a beautiful country, and Tanzanians are very welcoming. And to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the Indian Ocean, you don’t have to go to Zanzibar. There are stunning spots south of Dar es Salaam with few tourists, where you can experience local life. Wishing you a great trip!

Hi Cécile,

Sorry for only getting back to you now. We were there in October, so it was the dry season. We’re heading to Tanzania again in a few weeks, but this time to the southern parks (Nyerere, which is the former Selous, and Ruaha). In February, it’ll be a wetter season, so the wildlife sightings will be different. Have a great day! Loïc

We're heading to Tanzania in a few weeks, but this time to the southern parks (Nyerere, which is the former Selous, and Ruaha). In February, it will be a wetter season, so wildlife sightings will be different.

Hello,

We made the same choice of timing in 2020 to see "Africa in Green." In principle, it’s a good period to spot Painted Dogs (African wild dogs) and lots of baby giraffes.

Good luck, and have a great trip! Best regards,

Puma2A

https://spottingaviation.forumactif.com/t14678-safari-photo-in-southern-tanzania-february-2020

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Have a great trip Loic, I hope you have a fantastic time!