Seasonality?
Always
Visting Kenya
Any month you can travel, you find many things to do!
January
Key events: Nairobi Restaurant Week
Hot and dry, the high season beckons as the new year begins. January is a popular and busy time for everything: safari, hiking, city exploring, diving, snorkeling and beach stays. The capital’s food scene is popping, and Nairobi Restaurant Week is a chance to get your fill. Dry season is particularly good (and safe) for climbing Mt Kenya and other peaks and for hiking in places such as Hell’s Gate National Park. You can usually benefit from low season prices at Masai Mara because its big migration season comes in the summer (July-August), and migratory birds are flying into the Mara instead.
February
Key events: Nairobi International Jazz Festival
February sees both the high and dry seasons in Kenya. The lack of rain makes it a popular choice for safari, with minimal muddy terrain and plenty of wildlife to see. It’s also a top time for climbing and hiking, although it being peak season, crowds and prices can both increase especially in popular areas. Temperatures are more than pleasant, and for a spot of culture in the capital, book tickets in advance for the Nairobi International Jazz Festival.
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March
Key events: Easter, Mount Kenya Festival
It’s getting hotter and more humid as the rainy season beckons, but March remains a particularly enjoyable time to be in Kenya. Prices can be in the traveler’s favor, and often the rains arrive later in the month, so you should be fine in the earlier half. Diving and snorkeling is rewarding in March, with clear water and good visibility, and beach parties, a year-round event, are especially welcome on these balmy evenings as the hot, dry season begins to give way to the rains. For walkers, climbers and outdoors types, the Mount Kenya Festival is a walking, climbing, running, cycling celebration of the country’s highest peak.
April
The “green” season is well underway in April as the rains fall on Kenya’s plateaus. It’s wetter and lusher, but the coast around Mombasa and Malindi can feel extremely hot and muggy with lots of mosquitoes. Wildlife viewing can be more challenging because of thick vegetation and fewer animals congregating at water sources, but the landscape looks spectacular, and accommodations are cheaper. Rain can be torrential in April and May, but it usually comes in the afternoons, so mornings are often clear. Nairobi is cooler (bring layers for the evening), so it’s a wonderful time to enjoy the capital’s cultural and food scene.
May
Don’t dismiss May for safari or wildlife viewings. Yes, the grasses are longer, and sightings are trickier, but the light and colors can be extraordinary for photography. Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya is a good choice as wildlife gathers on the riverbanks of the Ewaso Ngiro River. Along the coast, visibility is not at its best for diving and snorkeling, but it’s a fun time of year to make the most of deals and enjoy some of Mombasa, Malindi and Diani beaches’ top restaurants and bars if you’re after a relaxing stay.
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June
Key events: Rhino Charge, Lewa Safari Marathon, Madaraka Day, Lake Turkana Festival
As the rains move on, cooler and cloudier weather wanders in ahead of high season. June is a wonderful time to experience Kenya’s highlands, and with low humidity, walking and climbing become a little easier. This shoulder season month is a lovely time for wildlife viewing, especially in northern Kenya after the long rains, and it’s also the start of the migration. The coast is mostly dry, and prices are a little lower before high season kicks off in July.
One of Kenya’s biggest cultural festivals takes place in June, and the Lake Turkana Festival in the Rift Valley, celebrates the heritage of the communities who live here. If you’re into off-road racing or want to watch, the Rhino Charge, an off-road race that raises funds to conserve Aberdares Forest, is quite the spectacle.
July
Key events: start of the Great Migration
July marks the start of the high (and cooler) season, with near-perfect temperatures everywhere. The coast, city and parks are all at their finest, and more crowds have arrived as a result. July is when wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and other animals start to migrate in vast numbers from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara as the Great Migration begins, the holy grail for many travelers. July is also a good time to spot huge flocks of pink flamingos at Lake Nakuru.
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August
Key events: Maralal Camel Derby
Much like July, August is one of the best all-around months to visit Kenya, but it’s a busy time. The Great Migration is well and truly underway, and wildebeest are filling the Mara plains. If you’re not in the Mara, August is an excellent time to visit other national parks and conservancies around Kenya. The coast is a tempting prospect with beautiful breezes wafting in as you sip that cocktail. You can also visit Nairobi without the humid stickiness that makes urban exploring harder work. For a hyper-local experience in northern Kenya, the one-day Maralal Camel Derby is a colorful display of camels, costumes and culture.
September
September offers the best of July and August in terms of weather and wildlife, but with slightly fewer crowds, especially in the latter part of the month. You can still catch the migration as hot, dry weather sets in, and there’s almost no chance of rain. It’s also a winning experience by the coast and in the capital. Although crowds have dropped off, prices are mostly the same, but restaurants often offer good deals after peak high season. September is also when the East African Community Arts Festival JAMAFEST takes place. It’s every two years and rotates between East African nations.
October
Key events: Tusker Safari Sevens, Mashujaa Day, Lamu Yoga Festival
If you’re intent on catching the Great Migration, arrive in the first half of October to catch the straggler animals on the move. Crowds are smaller, and it’s warm and dry. Nairobi hosts the Tusker Safari Sevens in October, an annual Rugby Sevens tournament open to international teams, creating a buzz in the city. October 20 is Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes Day, it honors those involved in Kenya’s independence movement. It’s a public holiday, Nairobi and coastal areas are buzzing as Kenyans head to the beaches and parks.
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November
November is a fun month for festival lovers, with both Mombasa Carnival and Lamu Cultural Festival celebrating the rich heritage of Kenya’s ethnic groups and communities. Floats, music and dance epitomize Mombasa’s street party while on the archipelago of Lamu off the northern coast, Lamu Cultural Festival includes traditional dancing called ngoma and centuries-old skills such as dhow (sailboat) building, fish-trap making and dhow regattas.
For Kenya’s South Asian population, Diwali/New Year celebrations take place (sometimes in October), so the temples are buzzing, decorations are up and there’s an above-average production of Indian mithai(sweets). Weather is mixed with sun and rain, but November remains a good bet for safari.
December
Key events: Jamhuri Day, Rusinga Cultural Festival, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Beneath the Baobabs Festival
If you like your landscapes lush and abundant, December in Kenya is magical. The rains tend to stop around the middle of the month, and Kenya’s parks take on a gorgeous green hue ahead of the upcoming second “high season” of January and February. December 12 marks Jamhuri Day. Jamhuri means republic in Swahili, and this day is when Kenya marks its 1963 independence from Britain and its constitution as a republic a year later, with cultural events, dances and music.
The two-day Rusinga Cultural Festival on Lake Victoria celebrates the variety of Kenya’s communities, while the Beneath the Baobabs Festival in Kilifi is one of the coast’s best music festivals, with East African and international performers, giant art and cool costumes.