Best Time to Visit Kenya

The long dry season: July to October

This is Kenya's classic safari season. The grass is short, animals gather near water and roads are dry. From around July, the wildebeest and zebra herds arrive in the Maasai Mara from Tanzania's Serengeti, and the Mara River crossings draw visitors from all over the world. Lodges and camps in the Mara fill months ahead, and park fees are at their high-season rate. See the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara.

The short dry season: January and February

Hot, dry and clear — a superb time for game viewing in every park, with far fewer vehicles than in August. It is also a good time for Amboseli's views of Kilimanjaro and for the dry north around Samburu.

The long rains: March to May

Heavy rain usually falls in April and May, often in afternoon storms. Some roads become muddy, a few camps close, and the Mara is quiet. In return the country is lush and green, birdlife is at its best, and rates are at their lowest — some travellers love this "green season".

The short rains: November and December

Short showers return in November, usually with sunny spells in between. Game viewing remains good and the parks are quieter until the Christmas holidays.

Park by park

• Maasai Mara: excellent all year for big cats; the migration from about July to October.
• Amboseli: best in the dry months, when elephants gather at the swamps and Kilimanjaro is often clear in the early morning.
• Samburu: dry and warm much of the year; animals concentrate along the Ewaso Nyiro river in the dry season.
• Lake Nakuru and the Rift Valley lakes: good all year; flamingo numbers vary with water levels.
• Mount Kenya: the driest climbing months are January–February and July–September.

Combining with Tanzania? See the best time to visit Tanzania and Kenya and Tanzania together.