Climate · Africa
Zanzibar climate, year-round
Tanzania · Tropical maritime · Updated May 2026
Best months
Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Jan · Feb
Best for: Indian-Ocean island nomads who plan around the long rains (April) and short rains (November).
Year at a glance
Cells coloured by typical daytime average temperature. ★ = best months for nomads.
Jan
28°C
78%
2mm
Feb
28°C
75%
2mm
Mar
28°C
78%
5mm
Apr
27°C
82%
12mm
May
26°C
82%
8mm
Jun
26°C
80%
2mm
Jul
25°C
78%
1mm
Aug
25°C
78%
1mm
Sep
26°C
78%
2mm
Oct
27°C
78%
4mm
Nov
28°C
78%
5mm
Dec
28°C
78%
4mm
Summer peak
28°C
January · 78% humidity
Winter low
25°C
July · 78% humidity
Climate type
Tropical maritime
Humid summers, Humid winters
Field notes
Hot humid year-round (25–28°C). Two rainy seasons — heavy long rains (April) and lighter short rains (November) — both can shut down beach travel. Dry seasons (June–October main and January–February shorter) are the headline windows. Sea breeze keeps the heat workable.
Visa for nomads
Medium nomad-friendlyPathway
Extendable tourist
Program
—
Typical max stay
3 months
Tanzania single-entry 90-day tourist visa for most passports; Zanzibar uses the same visa.
Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.
Cost of living in Zanzibar: ~$1,480/mo
Mid-tier monthly across rent, food, transport, utilities, and coworking.
Cities with a similar climate
Editorial estimates aggregated from public climatological summaries — typical monthly averages, not forecasts. Treat as order-of-magnitude. Microclimate, altitude, and recent extreme weather can swing these values significantly.