SUMMER:
December – March
WINTER:
July – August
Kenya is divided by the equator
and enjoys a tropical climate. It
is hot and humid at the coast, temperate
inland and very dry in the north
and north-eastern parts of the country.
The hottest time is in February
and March and the coldest in July
and August.
The
average annual temperatures in the
main areas are:
Mombasa (coastal): Max 30ºC,
Min 22ºC
Nairobi: Max 25ºC, Min 13ºC
North Plainlands: Max 34ºC,
Min 23ºC
The long rains occur from April
to June and short rains from October
to December. Rainfall is sometimes
heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon
and evenings.
Generally, casual comfortable clothing
is suitable throughout the year.
The most practical items to pack
for safari are:
» Khaki, green, beige and
neutral colours
» Blouses and shirts with
long sleeves (even in summer, they
will protect you from the sun and
from mosquitoes)
» T shirts
» Shorts or a light skirt
» Jeans or safari trousers
for evenings and cooler days
» Some hotels and country
clubs require gentlemen to wear
a jacket and tie and women to be
suitably attired for dinner
» A jacket and sweater are
recommended for early morning and
evening game drives
» Swimwear and beach apparel
» Comfortable walking shoes
» Sun block, sunglasses, hat,
insect repellent, moisturiser and
lip salve are all essentials
Good quality, locally made clothing
and shoes for safaris are available
in Nairobi and Mombasa shops at
reasonable prices.
If you are travelling with an organised
safari, it is important to check
what your weight limit is. Generally
you will need to restrict your luggage
to 10-12 kg (packed in a soft bag)
plus a reasonable amount of camera
equipment.
Kenya
is a year round destination with
excellent game viewing. One of Kenya’s
greatest attractions is the annual
wildebeest migration between Serengeti
National Park in Tanzania and Masai
Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
This takes place between June and
September. Traditional peak season
is January to March as this is when
the weather is hot and dry and most
comfortable for travelling. This
is a good time for bird viewing
on the Rift Valley lakes. Game viewing
at perennial water holes is also
good at this time. April –
June and October – December
are less popular times for visiting
Kenya as these are
the rainy seasons and flooding often
occurs. However, it is usually possible
to get around easily during these
times and the rains do not hinder
visibility.
