The best time to go on safari in Kenya is anytime between June to October.
Travel in early September and you can almost guarantee that your trip will coincide with the famous wildebeest migration across the Masai Mara.
That said, Kenya is brimming with wildlife throughout the year, so it’s tough to go wrong. Visit at another time of year and you’ll avoid peak season and get more of a wilderness experience. Visit Kenya in winter, from October to May, to see birds in full breeding colours.
The weather in Kenya is extremely variable owing to the altitude of the country, which ranges from the 5,199m peak of Mount Kenya down to sea level. Coastal areas are generally hotter and more humid than the interior, which tends to cool off at night.
January and February are normally hot in Kenya, with little rainfall. March to May is known as “the long rains”, and is hot and rainy, with an average of 211mm of rainfall in April in Nairobi, compared to just 38mm in January and 28mm in August. June to August is a little cooler, but dry, and November and December are warm and rainy, with Nairboi averaging 109mm in November.
As a result, the main tourist seasons are December to January and July to August, to avoid the rainfall – but safari fans tend to mark September in their diaries due to that great migration, which is truly a sight to behold.
