When is the best time to visit Kenya?

At this time of year, game viewing in Kenya is at its peak, as are visitor numbers due to the northern hemisphere summer holidays.

The great migration herds start crossing from Tanzania‘s Serengeti into the Masai Mara in July and remain on the Mara plains through August and September before heading back south in October.

Throughout the country conditions are perfect for widlife viewing, particularly the Big Five, as the lack of bush cover draws the animals out into the open.

As most of Kenya’s safari regions are just south of the equator, temperatures don’t get too hot. This is particularly true on the Kenyan coast.

As with much of Africa, December and brings about the festive season peak. Booking ahead is essential to guarantee your choice of accommodation, as many Kenyans also travel at this time of year. The coast in particular gets very busy over the festive period.

The short rains are still likely to be around at the beginning of December, however, after this, Kenya’s beautiful green season starts to kick in.

The bush is brighter and more verdant than in July-October, which makes for stunning photos. Animals can be a little harder to find than in dry season but this is all part of the challenge.

At the Rift Valley lakes this is a great time to be out on the water and see flamingos in large numbers.

The long rains begin in earnest in April and many areas and lodgings shut down until June. The coast can be very wet at times, so it’s not the time of year for sun-seekers.

However, those areas that are open offer incredible value, with prices at a fraction of the peak seasons. Game-viewing is still possible although more challenging. The big plus is you’re likely to see few other tourists and have the wilderness to yourselves.

Once June arrives, the rains come to and end and wildlife viewing picks up again. Towards the end of the month safari can be excellent and you may even see some early arrivals from the great migration appearing in the Masai Mara.