WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO KENYA IN 2022?
When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022 : Kenya is one of the best safari destinations in the world often nicknamed the “home of safari”, Kenya is a balanced destination for an African safari with an enormous variety and abundance of wildlife protected in array of national parks, reserve and conservancies. Kenya wildlife safari destinations are categorized as northern circuit parks such as Samburu national reserve and southern circuit parks such as Maasai Mara national reserve, Amboseli national park, Lake Nakuru national park among others.
Kenya is classic safari destination offering breathtaking natural beauty in one of the world’s most pristine environments allowing you to get up close and personal with some of Africa’s famous animals such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, leopards among others.
Kenya also experiences the annual great migration where millions of wildebeests and thousands of zebras and gazelles move between Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve and Tanzania’s Serengeti national park. The annual great migration can be witnessed between late July and late October.
Though Kenya is a great safari destination, knowing the best time to visit this classic safari destination is paramount. This article explains Kenya throughout the 12 months of the year.
KENYA IN JANUARY
In January, Kenya experiences a wet season which runs from November to May. January lies outside of the two notable long and short rain periods which means that less rain is experience and you should expect stunning landscapes, in this month rain is unpredictable at times. Potential rains are generally quite short and usually occur in the afternoon meaning it will not affect your safari in Kenya.
The month of January experiences one of the driest spells in Kenya with only around 5 days of rain and 8 hours of sunlight every day.
Nairobi and the central highlands of Kenya are hot by day, cool by night and receive a moderate amount of rain. On the other hand, Mombasa and the Coast of Kenya is very hot by day, rather hot at night and receives little rain.
The Rift Valley and Western region of Kenya are hot by day, cool at night and receive less rainfall as compared to other regions of Kenya.
January is good time to travel to Kenya for beach holidays on the Kenyan coast though it experiences very high daytime temperature, this month is also an excellent time to visit Maasai Mara national reserve for a Kenya game viewing experience.
January is a good time to travel to Kenya for game viewing in most Kenya safari destinations, bird watching is also good as a variety of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants are present in Kenya destinations. January is also a good time for divers and snorkelers to visit Kenya, this month is the best time to see larger marine creatures such as whale sharks, manta ray, sharks, dolphins and turtles among others. This month is one of the best months for a mountain climbing safari to Mount Kenya, this is because this month is relatively warm and dry.
KENYA IN FEBRUARY
In February, various regions of Kenya receive slightly varying climatic conditions. Nairobi and central highlands are hot by day, cool by night and receive moderate amounts of rain. Mombasa and the coast of Kenya are very hot by day, hot at night and receive very little rain.
The Rift Valley and the interior of the western region are hot by day, cool at night and receive very little amount of rainfall.
February is a good time to travel to Kenya’s coast for beach holidays, though daily temperatures received can get very high. Game viewing and bird watching in most of Kenya safari destination is good, this period boosts a variety of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants.
February experiences the lowest levels of precipitation in Masai Mara national reserve when compared to rest of the year with 3 days of rain, this increases the chances of spotting wildlife easily seen at watering holes.
February is a good time for divers and snorkelers to travel to Kenya for diving and snorkeling experience, this month is good time to see larger marine creatures such as whale, shark, manta ray, dolphins, turtles and sharks among others.
February is a relatively warm and dry month and because of it, it is one of the best months for climbing Mount Kenya. .
KENYA IN MARCH
March in Kenya marks the start of the long rains in most areas and Kenya safari destinations, Nairobi and central highlands are hot by day, comfortable at night and receive a moderate to high rainfall. Mombasa and the Kenya Coast are very hot by day, hot at night and receive occasional rain. The Rift Valley and interior of the western region are hot by day, cool at night and receive occasional rain.
At the Kenyan coast, March is the hottest month but if you are tolerate to the heat, March is a good time for beach holidays. Since March marks the start of the long rain season, game viewing can be relatively challenging as animals disperse away from the watering holes and hide in the thick vegetation reducing the chances of spotting them. Some of the minor tracks in the wildlife destinations used for game viewing may be inaccessible and muddy.
At the coastal areas of Kenya, clear sea visibilities is at its best thus being the best time for diving and get excellent views of the marine life.
KENYA IN APRIL
April is a wet season in Kenya with moody backdrops for wildlife and landscape perfect for photography.
, the North and Central highlands are hot by day, comfortable at night and receive plenty of rain. Mombasa and Kenya coast is very hot during day and hot at night and receives little amounts of rain.
The Rift Valley and the interior of the western region is hot during day, cool at night and receives high amounts of rain. April is one of the wettest months at the Kenyan coast thus being not good for beach holidays or underwater activities such as diving and snorkeling, in this month game viewing in most of Kenya wildlife destinations tends to be challenging due to thick vegetation and presence of water holes which reduces the chances of viewing animals. Tracks used for game viewing also get to be muddy and near to impassable as When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022.
In April most intra-African and Palearctic migrant birds have flown north.
KENYA IN MAY
May is an extension of long wet season in Kenya and its most safari destinations, Nairobi and the Central highlands of Kenya are hot during day, comfortable at night and very wet. Mombasa and the coast are very hot during day and hot at night with little rainfall.
The Rift Valley and the interior of the western are hot by day, cool at night and receive high rainfall, May is the wettest month of the year on the coast with an average monthly rainfall of greater than 300mm. Because of the too much rainfall, this month is not recommended for traveling to Kenya for beach holidays and under water activities such as diving and snorkeling.
May is also not recommended for game viewing which is challenging due to thick vegetation cover and the animals disperse away from water sources, also tracks used during game viewing may be inaccessible.
KENYA IN JUNE
In June, Nairobi and Central highlands are warm during day, cool at night and receive little rainfall. Mombasa and Kenya coast are hot by day, relatively cool at night and receive a fair amount of rainfall as When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022.
The Rift Valley and the western interior are hot during day, cool at night and receive occasional rainfall, some of the rainfall received in June is brought in by the Kusi monsoon occurring in this month. However as the month progresses, it gets to be cooler and drier weather develops.
The climatic conditions in June become much more comfortable when compared to the preceding months most particularly in the highlands, June is drier though it is likely to remain cloudy keeping the sun and higher temperatures at bay.
June is a great time to travel to Kenya most especially with Kids as you do not have to worry about humidity and a constant need to use sun cream, at the coast June is one of the wettest months and is not recommended for beach holidays or underwater activities such as diving and snorkeling.
In this month, game viewing is good in most Kenya safari destinations. In June, the annual Lake Turkana Festival is held, this festival is a colourful showcase for 14 traditional ethnic communities associated with the northern deserts. The Turkana Festival takes place at the small town of Loiyangalani.
KENYA IN JULY
July is a dry season in Kenya with fair amounts or no rain in various areas of the country, Nairobi and the Central highlands are warm during day, cool at night and receive no rainfall. Mombasa and the Coast are hot by day, relatively cool at night and receive fair amount of rain as When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022.
The Rift Valley and western interior are hot by day, cool at night and receive moderate to high amounts of rainfall, if you are planning on traveling to Kenya in this month come with warm clothing for chilly morning and night game drives. This also applies to individuals visiting higher altitude safari destinations (parks and conservancies) such as Maasai Mara national reserve and Laikipia.
Being the coolest month, July is an ideal time to travel to Kenya for beach holidays on the Kenyan coast. This month is also an ideal time for game viewing in most safari destinations in Kenya, the wildebeest migration arrives in Maasai Mara national reserve making July the best to witness the incredible Mara River crossing.
KENYA IN AUGUST
August is a continuation of a dry season in Kenya, Nairobi and the Central Highlands are warm by day, cool at night and receive practically no rain. Mombasa and the Kenyan Coast is hot by day, relatively cool at night and receive a fair amount of rain. The Rift Valley and the western interior are hot by day, cool at night and receive high rainfall.
Being the second-coldest month and relatively dry, August is an ideal time to travel to Kenya for beach holidays on the Kenyan Coast. This month is also ideal for game viewing in most of the safari destinations in Kenya, usually in August millions of wildebeests and thousands of zebras and gazelles participating in the Great migration migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti national park to Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve. August is the prime wildlife viewing season in Maasai Mara national reserve.
This month is the ideal time to see the Humpback Whales which are often seen off the coast in the period of August – September.
In August most of the safari destinations in Kenya are crowded by a huge number of tourists, if you are interested in a less crowded experience then consider traveling to Kenya in different time of the year.
In August, the International Camel Derby Festival is held lasting for 3 days and usually held on the second weekend in August, this festival is held in Maralal.
KENYA IN SEPTEMBER
In September is an extension of dry season in Kenya, in this month – Nairobi and the Central highlands are hot by day, cool at night and receive practically no rain. Mombasa and the Coast are hot by day, relatively cool at night and receives a fair amount of rain. The Rift Valley and the western interior are hot by day, cool at night and receive a moderate rainfall.
September is a good time to travel to Kenya for beach holidays on the Kenyan Coast, game viewing is also good in most safari destinations making it the best time of the year to visit Kenya’s national parks and reserves including Maasai Mara national reserve the popular safari destination in Kenya.
September is an ideal time to travel to the coast of Kenya to see Humpback whales often seen off the coast in the period of August – September. Since September is relatively dry most especially in the highland areas, it makes it to be one of the best months for climbing Mount Kenya.
KENYA IN OCTOBER
Still, October is a dry season in Kenya, Nairobi and the Central highlands are hot by day, cold during night and receive occasional rain. Mombasa and the Coast are very hot during day, cool at night and receive moderate to high rain fall. The Rift Valley and Western interior are hot by day, cool at night and receive a moderate rainfall.
October being relatively cool and not too wet, it is a fair time of the year to travel to Kenya’s coast for beach holidays. Game viewing is good in Kenya’s safari destinations, in this month the wildebeest migration is usually still in Maasai Mara national reserve and large herds of animals can be seen in the plains of the reserve offering great photographic opportunities. For tourists who do not like crowd, October is your perfect time.
KENYA IN NOVEMBER
In November, Nairobi and the Central highlands are hot by day, cool by night and high amounts of rainfall are received. Mombasa and the coast are very hot by day, hot at night and moderate rainfall is received. The Rift Valley and Western interior are hot during day, cool at night and moderate rainfall is received as When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022.
November is quiet wet and daytime temperatures are high which make it a good time to travel to Kenya for game viewing in Kenya’s safari destinations, however this month is not the best time for beach holidays on the Kenyan coast. During game viewing experience, expect to be interrupted by storms during short rains, November is a transitional month and usually large numbers of intra-African and Palaearctic migrant birds arrive in Kenya.
November is a good month for water activities such as diving and snorkeling to see larger marine creatures such as whale shark, manta ray, sharks, dolphins and turtles among others.
In November, the multicultural Mombasa Carnival – Kenya’s most colourful street festival is held in the port city.
KENYA IN DECEMBER
In December, Nairobi and the Central highlands are hot during day, cool by night and receive a moderate to high amount of rain. Mombasa and the Coast are very hot during day, hot at night and occasional rainfall is received.
From December onwards, Tsavo west and East national parks experience an increase in humidity and it can get intense some times. December is a good time to visit the coastal regions, the ocean breeze helps to alleviate the heat and the warm water is a pleasure as When is the Best Time to Travel to Kenya in 2022.
Game viewing in Kenya’s safari destinations is good in December, bird watching is also great as birdlife is boosted by a variety of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants arriving in Kenya. This month is also good to travel to Kenya for divers and snorkelers for viewing of larger marine creatures such as whale shark, manta ray, sharks, dolphins and turtles. (December is a great time of the year to spot the whale sharks off the coast).
