Many Travellers Skip the Serengeti in December. The ‘Oscars of Travel’ Didn’t

Ask most people when to see the Serengeti and they will say July to October. Dry plains, river crossings, peak season. December barely gets a mention. It sounds wet, muddy and a little too close to Christmas.

Yet on 12 December 2026, the travel industry’s biggest night is being held right there. The World Travel Awards, often called the Oscars of travel, will stage their Grand Final Gala inside Serengeti National Park. The organisers announced it in London on 5 November. Tanzanian officials say it is the first time in the awards’ 30-plus years that the final has been held inside a national park, and they expect more than 500 guests.

So is December really a month to write off? Not quite. Here is what the month is actually like, and how to plan it well.

Why>Why so many people rule out December

he fear is rain. December falls in Tanzania’s short rains, which usually start around November. Think tropical showers, not grey weeks that never end. Rain often comes as a short afternoon burst, and then the sky clears again. That is the usual pattern, but no month comes with a weather promise.

The other worry is the herds. Many people think the great migration is a summer show. In fact the wildebeest and zebra move all year. As the rains return, they usually head south towards the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area, where calving builds in the new year.

What >What December gives you instead

i>Green plains. The dust settles and the grass comes back fast. Skies turn dramatic and photos look fresh and bright.

Herds on the move. December is a travelling month for the herds, so where you see them depends on where the rain falls. A good guide follows the latest reports rather than a fixed script.

Calmer early weeks. The first half of the month tends to be quieter, before the holiday rush arrives.

The m>The mistake to avoid: treating December as one month

e is where many plans go wrong. The first and second halves of December are almost two different trips. Early December is usually quieter and often better value. In the last two weeks, Christmas and New Year demand fills camps quickly and rates go up. Book late for the festive week and the best-placed camps may already be full.

The fix is simple. If your dates are flexible, aim for the first two weeks. If you must travel at Christmas, book many months ahead. Ask for a camp that suits where the herds usually are at that time of year, rather than the most famous name.

Where>Where the awards comparison breaks down

course, a gala guest list is not a holiday plan. The awards do say a lot about how the travel world sees Tanzania. At this year’s World Travel Awards Africa gala in Zanzibar, Tanzania was named Africa’s Leading Destination and the Serengeti won Africa’s Leading National Park. But a trophy cannot tell you how your own days will feel.

December is also not for everyone. If you dream of the big Mara River crossings, plan for the dry season instead. If losing a game drive to a downpour would spoil your trip, a drier month may suit you better. Our guide to Tanzania’s rainy season, region by region shows when and where the rain tends to fall. If your only holiday falls in a quieter month, read whether a safari outside peak season is still worth it.

For many travellers, though, December offers green plains, moving herds and calmer early weeks, at the same moment the travel world turns its eyes to the Serengeti. Costs can change a lot from one week to the next, and our line-by-line Tanzania safari cost breakdown shows where the money goes. When you know your dates, tell us and we will help you personalise your safari around them.