Zanzibar weather in January
Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in January
Excellent
Best time to visit: January – February, June – October
What is the weather like in Zanzibar in January?
In January, Zanzibar is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. The sea averages 28.4 °C – lovely and warm for swimming. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 54 mm in total. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Zanzibar.
January compared
How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.
| DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | FebruaryFeb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 79 | 86 | 90 |
| Day | 30° | 30° | 31° |
| Night | 26° | 26° | 26° |
| Sea | 29° | 28° | 29° |
| Sun | 9 h | 9 h | 8 h |
| Rain days | 21 | 12 | 10 |
More details for January
- Daylight
- 12 h 26 min06:19 – 18:45
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 19 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 60 %on average
- Hot days
- 18 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+3Africa/Dar_es_Salaam
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %92 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %40 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in January
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Water bottle – drink plenty
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Zanzibar in January: quick answers
Is Zanzibar hot in January?
Yes. In January, Zanzibar is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C and nights stay around 26 °C. On about 18 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Zanzibar in January?
Yes. In January the sea averages 28.4 °C – lovely and warm for swimming.
Does it rain much in Zanzibar in January?
Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 54 mm in total.
Zanzibar month by month
The whole year in ZanzibarAll destinations: Tanzania
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)