Time and Weather

More than 75% of Kenya’s land is classified as arid or semi-arid, with just around 20% of it suitable for cultivation. A difference in altitude affects both rainfall and temperatures in the interior of the country. As a general rule, the climate is mild and humid in coastal areas, cold and dry in the central highlands, and scorching all across the rest of the country.

Kenya is a hot destination all year long, because of its proximity to the equator. Summer temperatures range from 35° (95°F) to 40°C (104°F) during the day and 25° (77°F) to 30°C (86°F) at night throughout January and February. On average, temperatures in Kenya goes from 30° (86°F) to 35°C (95°F) during the day and 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F) at night during the winter months, primarily July and August. Country’s landscapes and mountains greatly influence on its temperature, making these average temperatures inaccurate. 

The best time to visit

Kenya’s finest wildlife viewing months are from late June through October when the country is experiencing a dry spell. Wildlife viewing, on the other hand, is excellent year-round, but conditions vary per national park. The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra occurs during Kenya’s long dry season, from July to September. Every year in July, the wildebeest migration makes its way to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, where it stays until October. December through mid-March is also a dry period. Animals congregate near waterholes and rivers because the vegetation is sparser and easier to see.

Wildlife

With some of the world’s most diverse species and highest densities, Kenya is often referred to be Africa’s safari epicenter by travelers. Kenya is well-known for the Great Migration, during which tens of millions of animals migrate from the Maasai Mara Reserve in the north to the Serengeti in the south. Around 1.3 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras, and 18,000 eland antelope cross the Sahara every year. Weakness, predator attacks, or injuries caused by the stampede kill about 250,000 wildebeests each year. Despite the enormous loss, almost 400,000 calves are stillborn each year. The Mara River is widely regarded as one of the finest locations for seeing the Great Migration up and personal.

Also, Kenya is home to gazelles, impalas, antelope, waterbucks, and Maasai giraffes, in addition to the “Big Five.”. Cheetahs, servals, civets, and caracals are all members of the cat family. Olive and yellow baboons, colobus, vervet, and golden monkeys are among the primates found in Kenya. The ostrich, the world’s most giant bird, and the sunbird, the tiniest, are among the 1,135 bird species that call the nation home.