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What is the best time to visit Kenya?
June to October and December to March are the best times to visit Kenya. Both are dry; the first carries the Great Migration and the second is cheaper and quieter.
The wildebeest are in the Masai Mara only from about August to October. They spend the other nine months in Tanzania, and the calving happens there, not here. If the migration is the trip, those three months are the answer.
Kenya has two rainy seasons, not one. The long rains run March to May and peak in April; the short rains run October to December and peak in November. April and November are the two wettest months of the year.
Nairobi sits at 1,795 metres and is cooler than people expect. July is its coldest and cloudiest month, with nights near 12°C. Pack a fleece for the peak safari season.
Kenya Travel Packages
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Lake Nakuru & Masai Mara Adventure Safari Package
Lake Nakuru National Park(1N) → Masai Mara National Reserve(2N)
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Wild Portraits Sa...(5.0
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6 Nights Kenyan 4x4 Landcruiser Safari Package
Amboseli National Park(2N) → Lake Naivasha(1N) → Lake Nakuru Nati...
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9-Day Unforgettable Kenya's Grand Wildlife Circuit
Amboseli National Park(2N) → Lake Naivasha(1N) → Lake Nakuru Nati...
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Wild Portraits Sa...(5.0
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6 Days Magical Kenya Safari Package
Amboseli National Park(2N) → Lake Nakuru National Park(1N) → Masa...
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Wild Portraits Sa...(5.0
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6 Nights Safari Package to Untamed Kenya
Amboseli National Park(2N) → Lake Nakuru National Park(1N) → Lake...
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Wild Portraits Sa...(5.0
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Mid-Range Classic Kenya Safari Package
Lake Nakuru National Park(1N) → Lake Naivasha(1N) → Masai Mara Na...
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More about Best Time to Travel to Kenya
Peak Dry Season in Kenya: June to October
June to October is dry, cool and the best game viewing of the year. July is the driest month of all. Days run 20°C to 30°C on the plains.
Vegetation thins and water sources shrink, so animals concentrate and are easy to find. Dust replaces mud. It is also the most expensive and most booked stretch: for the Mara in August and September, book close to a year out.
The Great Migration: Which Country, Which Month
The herds are in Kenya for about three months a year and in Tanzania for the other nine. That single fact decides which country to book.
January to March: calving in the southern Serengeti, about half a million calves in two to three weeks, peaking February. Tanzania.
May to June: moving northwest, Grumeti river crossings. Tanzania.
Late July to August: the Mara River crossings, herds arriving in the Masai Mara.
August to October: in the Masai Mara. This is the only window they are in Kenya.
November to December: back south into Tanzania.
Short Dry Season in Kenya: December to March
December to March is the second dry season, and the better value one. Days run 22°C to 32°C, the light is good and the crowds are thinner than in August.
No migration, but resident game in the Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo is as good as ever, and this is the best window for the coast at Diani and Watamu. January and February are also the season for climbing Mount Kenya. Rates spike over Christmas and New Year only.
Long Rains: March to May
The long rains run March to May and peak in April, Nairobi's wettest month alongside November. This is the one stretch to avoid for a first safari.
The Mara's black-cotton soil turns greasy, some tracks become hard going and a number of camps close or discount heavily. Grass grows tall, which hides the animals. The upside is birdlife, green landscapes and the lowest prices of the year.
Short Rains: October to November
The short rains run October to December and peak in November. They come as afternoon storms rather than all-day rain, so safaris still run.
Migratory birds arrive, so this is the best birdwatching of the year, and lodge rates drop outside the holidays. The Lamu Cultural Festival is in November.
Nairobi Is Colder and Greyer Than You Expect
Nairobi sits at 1,795 metres, so it is not an equatorial city in the way the map suggests. July is its coldest month with nights near 12°C and days around 24°C.
July and August are also its cloudiest, with a fraction of January's sunshine, so peak safari season in the capital means grey mornings and a persistent drizzle locals call the Nairobi winter. Carry a fleece even in a July heading for the Mara.
Best Time to Visit Kenya by Interest
- Great Migration in the Masai Mara: August to October
- Calving season: January to March, but in Tanzania, not Kenya
- Resident game in Amboseli and Tsavo: June to October, December to March
- Kilimanjaro views from Amboseli: June to October, at dawn
- Diani and Watamu beaches: December to March, and July to October
- Climbing Mount Kenya: January to February, August to September
- Birdwatching: October to November, and April to May
- Lowest prices: April and May
Highest: August and September
