Climate and Average Weather in Kenya

Kenya has a variety of different types of climates, such as a tropical rainforest climate in the southwest and a tropical monsoon climate in central Kenya and the southeast. Also you will find a warm steppe and desert climate in the northwest and northeast. South of Nairobi experiences various micro climates.

Most places in Kenya have a rainy season and a dry season. The rainy season depends on the location. Sometimes there are two wet and dry seasons, such as in Nairobi and in the Tsavo National Park. These places have a small rainy period around November/December and a more powerful rainy season from March to early June. If you want to go on safari, you should avoid these months. The coastal town of Mombassa has only one rainy season, which starts in April and ends in June. The dry season is not really a dry season, but more a long period in which there is considerably less precipitation, without it being really dry.

Throughout the country, the hottest months are December to March. The months July to September are perfect for a sun holiday. It is then pleasantly warm with maximum temperatures around 25 to 29 degrees Celsius (77 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit). The sun is shining bright often and in time it rains. The hottest period December to March is also a good travel time for a beach holiday on the coast of Kenya. It may be a little warmer and definitely more humid. The coastal areas also have a high humidity in April and May, but it is often tempered by monsoon winds.

If you want to book a safari then the drier summer months are ideal. It is then pleasantly warm with slightly cooler nights, especially on the high plains. It's pretty dry and this makes it more likely that you see wild animals. The landscape becomes drier and the animals migrate to places where they can still find water. What can also make a safari in Kenya extra spectacular is the large migration. Between July and October, the herds including wildebeest, zebras and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, because they can find more grass and water there. In October and/or November the animals migrate back south to the Serengeti.

Interested in more detailed Weather and Climate information?
Please select the city below you wish to travel to, or the one closest to your destination. Each selected city will show you the following graphs:
1. Average minimum and maximum temperatures over the year
2. Average monthly precipitation over the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Average monthly hours of sunshine over the year
On certain pages we also offer other historical weather data like humidity, wind speed and water temperature.

Popular places in Kenya

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Regions in Kenya