About Kenya

Sara and John say...

Kenya straddles the equator, so one thing is for sure - the sun is strong year-round. Prepare accordingly! Weatherwise, it’s a country of variation, with three broad regions.

The coastal southeast is typically hot and humid, the north and east are drier and quite arid, while the higher lands to the southwest, where Lake Victoria, many of the protected wildlife reserves, together with the capital Nairobi, are situated, are more temperate.

The two wettest seasons are from March to May, and again from October to December, although downpours do occur outside of these periods, especially across the highlands.

One of the best times to visit Kenya is from July to September, during the country’s dry season, which also coincides with the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. But December to January is another good time for wildlife-watching, when the vegetation is lush from earlier rains.

For a beach holiday, August and September may be most comfortable, as temperatures are cooler than at other times of year, and the weather is mostly sunny. And, similarly for visitors to the arid northeast, July and August are most comfortable as the heat is marginally less intense at this time of year.

Be mindful that nights can get deceptively chilly across the higher plateaus and mountainous areas, particularly in winter. Indeed, trekkers to Mount Kenya can expect freezing temperatures at night, especially near the summit.