AI-generated

Kariba weather & best time to visit

City break

Best time: May – Jul
Warmest month: Oct · 36°
Sunshine a year: 2,660 h
Rain a year: 1,035 mm
Climate: Tropical
Time zone: UTC+2
Elevation: 679 m

Climate in Kariba

Kariba has a tropical climate: it is warm all year round, and the seasons differ mainly in how much rain falls. October is the warmest month with average highs of 36 °C, while June is the coolest at 27 °C. With around 2,660 hours of sunshine a year, Kariba is sunny; September is the sunniest month with 9.3 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Kariba

The best time to visit Kariba is from May to July. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to July. From September to November it can get very hot, with highs of up to 36 °C. The rainy season is from December to March; the wettest month is January with 296 mm.

Kariba through the seasons

How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.

Kariba in the dry season

Apr – Nov

Good

27–36 °C by day
8.0 h of sun a day
23 rainy days in all

Kariba in the rainy season

Dec – Mar

Fair

30–31 °C by day
5.9 h of sun a day
82 rainy days in all

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No sea nearby

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

Jun – Jul

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Peak heat

Sep – Nov

Highs of 33 °C or more

Rainy months

Dec – Mar

Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Kariba for you.

Preferred daytime temperature 23 °C

Sunshine

Little rain

Avoid muggy heat

Your best months: June – July

Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Holiday weather in October

Fair

Best time to visit: May – July

Where to go in October

Keep in mindPeak heat

Air temperature36°CNight 22°All months

Sea temperature–no sea nearby

Sunshine9.1h / dayof 12.4 h daylightAll months Rainy days2days / month13 mmAll months

A typical day in October

Morning, 08:00: about 28°
Midday, 13:00: about 36°
Afternoon, 16:00: about 35°
Evening, 20:00: about 28°
Night, 23:00: about 25°

05:3718:04

Warm enough for a T-shirt in the evening.

Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.

Light for photos in October

Golden hour: Morning 05:24–06:06 · evening 17:35–18:17
Blue hour: Morning 05:15–05:24 · evening 18:17–18:26

Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.

October in Kariba compared with home

Home:

Loading the climate at home …

Early or late October?

In October, daytime highs stay at about 35° from start to end. The days get 0.4 h longer.

Early or late October?
October	1 Oct	31 Oct
Daytime high	35°	35°
Night-time low	20°	22°
Daylight	12.2 h	12.7 h

What is the weather like in Kariba in October?

In October, Kariba is very hot: daytime highs average 36 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. With around 9.1 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 2 days bring 13 mm in total. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Kariba.

More details for October

Daylight: 12 h 27 min05:37 – 18:04
UV index: 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days: 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind: 20 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover: 25 %on averageAll months
Hot days: 30 days30 °C or moreAll months
Time zone: UTC+2offset from UTC

How the score comes together

Temperatureweight 50 %0 %
Sunshineweight 20 %100 %
Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.

What to pack in October

Sunscreen
Sunglasses & sun hat
Light, breathable clothes
Water bottle – drink plenty

Compare two months in Kariba

Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.

June has the better holiday weather in Kariba: score 95 against 50. In June, days are 9 °C cooler than in October. June has 2 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 2 hours less a day in June.

October vs June, Kariba
Month	October	June
Holiday weather score	50	95better
Daytime high	36°	27°
Night-time low	22°	13°
Sunshine	9.1 hbetter	7.4 h
Rainy days	2	0better
Rainfall	13 mm	2 mmbetter

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Kariba month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

42January30° · 5.2 h

In January, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. Expect around 5.2 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 24 days, totalling 296 mm. On about 11 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is a so-so month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in January

44February30° · 5.9 h

In February, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 21 °C. Expect around 5.9 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 21 days, totalling 213 mm. On about 10 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, February is a so-so month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in February

46March30° · 6.4 h

In March, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 21 °C. Expect around 6.4 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 16 days, totalling 140 mm. On about 15 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, March is a so-so month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in March

70April30° · 7.0 h

In April, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun shines for around 7.0 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 42 mm. On about 14 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, April is a good month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in April

83May29° · 7.7 h

In May, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sun shines for around 7.7 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 9 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in May

95June27° · 7.4 h

In June, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 7.4 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in June

92July27° · 7.4 h

In July, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 7.4 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in July

76August31° · 8.5 h

In August, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sun shines for around 8.5 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in August

55September34° · 9.3 h

In September, Kariba is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and nights cool down to about 18 °C. With around 9.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 28 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in September

50October36° · 9.1 h

Kariba in October

30November35° · 7.4 h

In November, Kariba is very hot: daytime highs average 35 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 23 °C. The sun shines for around 7.4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 93 mm in total. On about 26 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in November

34December31° · 5.9 h

In December, Kariba is hot: daytime highs average 31 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 22 °C. Expect around 5.9 hours of sunshine a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 21 days, totalling 229 mm. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kariba.

Kariba in December

Climate in detail

Year & climate table

Climate through the year

Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Kariba

How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.

Cool 8–15°
Pleasant 15–20°
Warm 20–24°
muggy month (15+ muggy days)

WarmOctober: nights around 22°. Tropical nights: a fan or air conditioning helps.

The coolest nights are in July (13°), the warmest in November (23°). Tropical nights of 20 °C and more are the rule from October to March; then air conditioning or a fan helps you sleep. Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from April to May and from August to September. It is muggy (dew point 18 °C or more) on about 124 days a year, mostly from December to March.

Temperatures through the year

Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.

OctoberDay 36°Night 22°

DayNight

Month	Score	Day	Night	Sun	Rain days	Rain mm
JanuaryJan	42	30°	22°	5.2 h	24	296
FebruaryFeb	44	30°	21°	5.9 h	21	213
MarchMar	46	30°	21°	6.4 h	16	140
AprilApr	70	30°	19°	7.0 h	6	42
MayMay	83	29°	16°	7.7 h	1	4
JuneJun	95	27°	13°	7.4 h	0	2
JulyJul	92	27°	13°	7.4 h	0	1
AugustAug	76	31°	15°	8.5 h	0	0
SeptemberSep	55	34°	18°	9.3 h	1	2
OctoberOct	50	36°	22°	9.1 h	2	13
NovemberNov	30	35°	23°	7.4 h	12	93
DecemberDec	34	31°	22°	5.9 h	21	229

Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences

16.52° S, 28.80° E · 679 m · Africa/Harare

Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Kariba

Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.

OctoberSunshine 9.1 hDaylight 12.4 hShare of daylight 73 %

SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 9.1 of 12.4 hours of daylight in Kariba, 73 % of the daylight hours.

Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.

Rain

Rain in Kariba: rainy days and rainfall

A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.

OctoberRainy days 2Rainfall 13 mm

In October, Kariba has about 2 rainy days with 13 mm of rain in total.

UV index

Sun protection

UV index in Kariba

How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.

Clear-sky UV in October: 13 · extremeAvoid the midday sun; SPF 50+, covering clothes, hat and sunglasses.

The sun is strongest in November (UV 13).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin: about 10 min
Fair skin: about 15 min
Light brown skin: about 20 min
Olive skin: about 25 min

Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.

Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Kariba

How breezy and how cloudy Kariba is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.

Wind

Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.

OctoberWind 20 km/hBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Kariba typically peaks at 20 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.

Clouds

Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.

OctoberCloud cover 25 %Sunshine 9.1 h

In October, cloud covers on average 25 % of the sky over Kariba: mostly sunny, with about 9.1 hours of sunshine a day.

Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.

Heat & humidity

Heat and humidity in Kariba

How often the day gets hot in Kariba (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.

Heat calendar

pleasant
some hot or muggy days
often muggy
often hot
hot and muggy

OctoberHot days (30 °C+) 30Daytime high 36 °C

In October, Kariba has about 30 hot days, with an average daytime high of 36 °C: often hot. Avoid the midday sun, look for shade and drink plenty.

Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year

Planning a trip to Kariba

Weather for your travel dates

Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.

ArrivalNights

Kariba in the school holidays

How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.

Kariba has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 85) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 38).

Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
63
Good
- 30 °C by day
- 6.8 h of sun a day
- 9 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
May half-term
May – Jun
85
ExcellentBest holidays
- 29 °C by day
- 7.6 h of sun a day
- 1 rainy day a month
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
82
Excellent
- 29 °C by day
- 8.1 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
October half-term
Oct
50
Fair
- 36 °C by day
- 9.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
38
Poor
- 30 °C by day
- 5.6 h of sun a day
- 23 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight: about 10 h 15 min
Distance: 8,080 km
Time zone: UTC+2
Jet lag: Hardly any (under 3 h)

Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.

Good to know: Zimbabwe

Currency: Zimbabwean Gold (ZWG)
Languages: English, Shona, North Ndebele
Sockets: Type D, G · 220 V
Traffic: Drives on the left
Dialling code: +263
Emergency number: 999

UK plugs fit

Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.

Compare & alternatives

Compare with another place

Compare

Kariba compared

Put Kariba side by side with another destination.

Nearby:

Compare with home:

Kariba vs Lusaka

In October Lusaka has the better holiday weather (score 71 vs 50). During the day Lusaka is 4 °C cooler than Kariba.

Kariba vs Lusaka, in October
in October	Kariba	Lusaka
Holiday weather score	50	71
Daytime high	36°	32°
Sunshine	9 h	9 h
Rainy days	2	2
Best time	May – Jul	Apr – Aug

Through the year

OctoberKariba 36°Lusaka 32°

KaribaLusaka

Go to Lusaka

Best places in the country

Ranking

Zimbabwe in October: the best places

In October, Kariba ranks 4 of 5 destinations in this country.

Mutare28°85
2Harare29°81
3Bulawayo31°68
4KaribaThis page36°50
5Victoria Falls36°49

All destinations: Zimbabwe

Places nearby

Near Kariba

Other destinations close by.

Places with a similar climate

Places with a climate like Kariba

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Kariba's – good alternatives.

Frequently asked questions about Kariba

When is the best time to visit Kariba?

The best time to visit Kariba is from May to July. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

What is the warmest month in Kariba?

October is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C and nights around 22 °C. June is the coolest month at 27 °C.

When does it rain most in Kariba?

The rainy season is from December to March; the wettest month is January with 296 mm. The driest month is August with 0 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Kariba get?

Kariba gets around 2,660 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is September with 9.3 hours a day; in January there are 5.2 hours a day.

What time zone is Kariba in?

Kariba is on UTC+2 all year.

How long is the flight from London to Kariba?

A nonstop flight from London to Kariba takes about 10 h 15 min, for a straight-line distance of about 8,080 km.

Which school holidays are best for Kariba?

Kariba has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 85) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 38). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 63, May half-term 85, summer holidays 82, October half-term 50, Christmas holidays 38.