The Best Time To Visit Kenya

The Best Time To Visit Kenya

Kenya is among the East African countries, and it has a coastline on the Indian Ocean. The best time to visit Kenya is from June to October. During this time, there’s virtually no rain and daytime temperatures are not too hot. However, Kenya has a diverse geography and a moderate climate so it’s considered a great all year-round safari location and beach holiday destinations.

And one of the best times to visit Kenya is from July to September, during it’s dry seasons and also coincides with the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra.

Season when to visit Kenya

• December

This month in particular is a great time to travel to Kenya since the rains are short and and you have the chance to see newborn animals and migratory bird species. December is part of the traditional summer season but temperatures are generally hot all year in Kenya.

During this month activities like trekking Mount Kenya, booking a city tour in Nairobi, visiting Nairobi National Park which is home to numerous endangered species, visiting Amboseli National Park to catch the captivating views of Mount Kilimanjaro and going to an excursion to Lake Nakuru to see pink flamingos make December a best time to visit Kenya.

• March

In march, the weather transitions quickly from hot and dry to wet and rainy. During this month, the climate is mild and mostly dry and game viewing is fantastic making it a best time to visit Kenya. Even when expecting some rain, there are still more opportunities for snorkeling, swimming, scuba driving and lounging by the pool.

When it’ a clear day in Mombasa, there are opportunities for dolphin-watching tours and Mombasa Marine National Park offers stunning natural beauty.

• June

The best time to visit Kenya is from June when there’s virtually no rain and daytime temperatures are not too hot. Activities done in June include; Snorkeling, scuba driving, surfing and other sea -based activities making it the best time to visit Kenyan beaches such as Diani Beach and Mombasa Beach.

Game viewing in most safari destinations in Kenya is good in this month. Other activities include; visiting the Great Rift Valley View Point, Giraffe Center, and many more.

• October

In October, the first couple of weeks are dry with warm and pleasant temperatures. While herds of wildebeests migrate across the Mara River, along with giraffes, zebras, and some other savannah creatures making it a best time to visit Kenya.

Activities done during this month in Kenya include; Watching the Great Migration at Masai Mara, Heading for the beach at Dian, enjoying an amazing airplane safari through the picturesque landscape of Kenya, experiencing the Kenyan nightlife in Nairobi and visiting Great Nakuru Lake. And this is the best time to visit kenya masai mara.

• July

In July, Kenya has perfect weather for all kinds of activities such as beach-bumming and safaris to urban exploration making it a best time to visit Kenya. Booking an adventure safari through Maasai Mara to see the wildebeests migrating, or take a hot air balloon ride over the vast national park Maasai Mara National Reserve.

And the best time to visit Kenya and Tanzania is from mid- June through to the late October.

Tourist attractions in Kenya

Kenya has got many tourist attractions that catch people’s attention both home and abroad and these are some of their examples;

• Nairobi National park

This was the first  park to be gazetted in Kenya on December 16th 1946. It covers an area of 45.26 square miles (117.2 sq km).  This is a national park in Kenya that was established in 1946 about 7 km south of Nairobi. Herbivores gather in the park during the dry season.

This park is fenced on three sides and the open southern boundary allows migration wildlife to move between the park and the adjacent Kitengela plains. Animals in the park include; Lions, cheetah, Maasai giraffe, buffalo and many more.

• Karen Blixen Museum

This museum is located 10km outside of Nairobi Kenya, ”at the foot of the Ngong Hills” is the former African home of Danish author Karen Blixen, famous for her 1937 book Out of Africa which chronicles life at the estate. Karen Blixen Museum is a very interesting place and worthwhile tour.

The museum is open to the public everyday including weekends and public holidays. A wide selection of souvenirs like handicrafts, posters and postcards, the movie ‘Out of Africa’, books and other mementos are to be found in the Karen Blixen Museum.

• The Giraffe Center

This is located in Lang’ata, approximately 20 kilometers from the center of Nairobi Kenya. And this was established in order to protect the vulnerable giraffe that is found only in the grasslands of East Africa. About an hour or two can be spent watching and interacting with the giraffe. Here you can touch, feed and even kiss these gentle animals.

The best time to visit the giraffe center is between 9 and 10 am. The most active hours of the day for the giraffes is during early and late hours of the day especially in warmer climates.

• The Bomas of Kenya and Nairobi National park

This is a tourist village in Langata, Nairobi. It is located approximately 10km from the Central Business District. This displays traditional villages belonging to the several Kenya tribes. It is home of the several Kenyan tribes and a home to one of the largest  auditoriums in Africa.

This was established to preserve, maintain and promote the rich and diverse cultural values of the various ethnic groups of Kenya. Activities done there include; Unique Kenya Wild Safari, Bomas of Kenya and Kibera Slum Nairobi Guided Day Tour, Half Day Cultural Tour to Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi. Nairobi National Game drive.

• Maasai Mara National Reserve

This national park is also sometimes spelt as The Mara. This is an area of preserved savannah wilder in southwestern Kenya along the Tanzanian border. Animals in the park include; lions, cheetahs, elephants, hippos and zebras .

This park and its neighboring conservation form Kenya’s flagship conservation area and one of the top safari destinations in Africa. It is known worldwide for its abundance of cats and portrayed by numerous wildlife documentaries.

Those are some of tourist attractions in Kenya and others include; Lake Nakuru National Park, Kigio Wildlife Conservancy, Amboseli National Park, the Aberdares and many more.

The game parks in Kenya are best visited in the dry season for proper game viewing because at this time, animals gather around water bodies in search for water and the vegetation becomes thin making it easy to spot the animals hence making it the dry season a best season to visit Kenya.

 Tourism activities to do in Kenya

Tourists would enjoy several activities on their trips or visits in Kenya and some of the activities include;

• Wildlife viewing

This is the major tourist attraction in Kenya. Tourism has offered  a more sustainable economic activity since elephants and rhinos almost  died out in the 1980’s due to poaching and hunting. The largest national park in Kenya is Tsavo good for wildlife viewing . This is best done in the dry season hence making it a best time to visit Kenya

The famous wildlife sanctuary in Kenya is Maasai Mara National Reserve, some other places nice for wild life viewing are; Aberdare National Park, Amboseli National Park, Sambura National Park and many others. Animals to do include; lions, hippos, elephants, buffalo, zebras and giraffes.

• Visiting Fort Jesus

This was built by the Portuguese in 1593 for their protection and would go on to change hands several times over the centuries. It is most imposing from the seaward side where the walls rise 16m/52ft above the old harbor.

• Climbing Majestic Mt Kenya

Kenya shares its name with second highest mountain and its an extinct volcano whose equator-straddling glacial peaks rise to 5199m/17057ft. The ascent passes through mountain forests alive with elephants and monkeys and a chilly-alpine moorland zone dotted with otherworldly giant lobelias. You summit at point Lenana, the highest non-technical peak at 4,985m/16,355ft.

• Enjoying Flamingos and other dazzling birds at the Rift Valley Lakes

These are the beautiful lakes that stud the Rift Valley northwest of Nairobi are renowned for their impressive birdlife. There are more than a million flamingos sometimes that congregate on lakes such as Nakuru and Bogoria, that tint the shallows pink. Even when flamingos are scarce, one can expect to see an impressive range 0f other tropical birds from heavyweight pelicans and storks to colorful lovebirds and bee-eaters.

• Taking an Exclusive Private Safari in Laikipia Plateau

Laikipia comprises a mosaic of like-minded private reserves and community conservancies therefor it differs from most other major safari destinations. And most lodges here operate on an all-inclusive basis depending on which you visit. Guided activities might include; standard game drives, night drives, bush walks and camelback safaris.

Wildlife viewing is interesting and includes all the Big Five as well as the African wild dog. It is an important stronghold for the localized Grevy’s zebra that is larger and has narrower stripes than other zebras.

Animals to see on a safari in Kenya

There are various animal species in Kenya and the two subspecies found among its wildlife are the common plains zebra and Grevy’s zebra. The male East Lion is considered the king of all Kenyan animals. Description of some animals is below;

• Lions

These are part of the Bid Five, their gestation period is 110 days.  The estimated number of lions in Kenya according to its first ever national wildlife national wildlife census conducted in 2023 is 2500 lions. It is estimated that there are close to 850 to 900 lions in the Masai Mara National Reserve and the surrounding conservation.

Lions in Kenya can be seen on the following parks through a game drive especially in the morning, Tsavo National Park, Nairobi National Park, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Meru National Park and more others.

• Elephant

An elephant is the animal with the longest gestation period of all mammals and normally  gives birth at almost tow years. Kenya’s elephant population is increasing by 5% annually, it has over 36,280 elephants and 15,989 located in the Tsavo-Mkomazi Landscape.

The elephant’s species in Kenya is the African elephant known as tembo or ndovu by the Kenyan locals. The best places to see Kenya’s elephants are; Amboseli National Park, the Chyulu Hills, Samburu National Park and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Rhino

The gestation period of a rhino is 15-16 m0nths, it gives birth to a single calf which can weigh over 100 pounds. There over 600 black rhinos in Kenya and are part of Kenya’s heritage adding to the scenic beauty of wildlife in Kenya. There are between 35-50 black rhino in the Masai Mara at any one time.

Rhinos in Kenya are found in the Laikipia region and its a stronghold for black rhinos and home to more than half of Kenya’s total number. Lake Nakuru National Park is Kenya’s first rhinos sanctuary and surrounded by woody and busy meadows.

Buffalo

The gestation period of a rhino is 305 to 320 days for the river buffalo and from 320 to 340 days for the swamp buffalo. These animals are mostly found throughout sub-Saharan Africa within humid savannahs, grasslands and dense forests.

There over 830,000 estimated buffalos remaining today in Kenya mostly in parks and other protected areas. Kenya’s places with impressive buffalo population include; Tsavo East and West, Buffalo Spring National Reserve, Masai Mara National park, Amboseli national park, Naboisho camp and many more.

Those are some of the animals in Kenya and many more.

How to access Kenya

If you want to access Kenya, visas are exclusively issued electronically and passengers required to obtain their e-visa before departure. And most of the Caribbean and a few African nations don’t require one and one needs at least tow pages free in your passport for this.

If you need a Kenya IP Address with a VPN, register or log in. Head to Express VPN’s official website and create an account. Kenya’s top picks for the best free VPN is TunnelBear VPN, Beginners’s choice with Kenyan servers, Proton VPN, Overall best free VPN without a data limit and Privado VPN.

Accommodations in Kenya

You can book a hotel in Kenya online. Hotels range from budget to mid-range and luxury.

Luxury Accommodation in Kenya; These offer exceptional services and are expensive. They offer amenities that are desired by some tourists and these include; private lounging area, en-suite bathrooms, gym and spa, 24/7 room service, air conditioning and many others. Examples of luxurious hotesl in Kenya include; Mahali Mzuri, Villa Rosa Kempinski Nairobi, Fairmont Mount, Acacia House, El Karama Eco Lodge, Argyle Grand Hotel , Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence, Taidy Suites Eldama Ravine, Nomad Beach Resort, w Marriott Hotel Nairobi, Jahazi House Lamu, Tawi Lodge and many others.

Mid-range accommodation; These are sought for by tourists seeking comfort mainly as they offer basic amenities such as wi-fi, clean bathrooms, room service, security and safety. These are not as expensive as the luxury accommodations. Examples of mid-range hotels in Kenya include; Fairview Hotel, Three Steers Hotel, The Warwick Hotel, Rift Valley Hills Resort, Dove Nest Lodge, Sirville Adventure Park, Eka Hotel Nairobi, La Mada Hotel, Naivasha Kongoni Lodge and many others.

Budget accommodations; These are for tourists on a budget. They include; Kenya Comfort Suites, Dove Nest Lodge, The Boma Nairobi, The Kijani Cottages, Erica Residences, Tsavo Lodge Voi, East Airport Accommodations, Shalom apartments, Aqua Resort, Gatimene Gardens Hotel to mention but a few.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the best time of year to go on safari in Kenya?

The best time to visit Kenya safari is any time between June to October when there is virtually no rain and day time temperatures are not too hot. But with a diverse geography and a moderate climate and therefor Kenya is considered a great year round safari and beach holiday destinations. At this time the roads are easy to navigate and the vegetation is thin which makes it easy to spot animals. In addition, animals usually gather around water bodies and this also makes it easy to spot them.

• Which is the best month to visit Kenya?

The best months to visit Kenya is June and October, the dry season.

• What are the cheapest months to visit Kenya?

The cheapest time to go to kenya is November to December and March to May hence these mark the off season for tourism in Kenya. During this time, the accommodation and flight rates are low because of the few tourists visiting. However it’s advisable not to travel in April and May because heavy rains can disrupt your travel plans.

• What is the tourist season in Kenya?

The tourist season in Kenya is generally from mid-June through to late October and the peak being around August and September.

Conclusion

You can contact Kubwa Five Safaris for any kind of tours you want to visit in Rwanda. We organize any kinds of safaris around Kenya in all the National Parks there. The parks in Kenya include; Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli National Park, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru National Park, Tsavo West  National Park, Tsavo East National Park, Aberdare National Park. Incase you want a trip in any of the above mentioned parks, let Kubwa Five Safaris be the starting point of making your safari a reality. You will have the best best experience which you will have for embedded in your memory for the rest of your life. Contact us and make your dream come true.