Kenya
“The Birthplace Of the Safari”, Kenya is a world-class wildlife destination, recommended both for experienced safari-goers and for those booking a first-time safari. The peerless Masai Mara National Reserve offers excellent big cat encounters and is the setting for the yearly wildebeest and zebra migration. Palm-lined beaches offer a perfect place to relax after a thrilling safari.
Kenya offers excellent wildlife viewing, with the Big Five regularly seen on safari. The Masai Mara National Reserve is best known for hosting the great migration between July or August and October. It’s also one of the best places in Africa to see big cats. White rhinos are easily seen at Lake Nakuru and Nairobi National Parks, and elephants are common in many places, especially Amboseli National Park. Lakes Bogoria and Nakuru, and the lakes of Amboseli, attract flamingos.
Wildlife
The wildebeest migration ranks among Africa’s greatest wildlife spectacles. About 2.5 million hoofed mammals (mainly wildebeest and zebra, but also Thomson’s gazelle) move throughout the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. They’re usually present in Kenya sometime between July or August and October. The crossing of the Mara River is the highlight of the migration, although seeing the vast herds filling the savannah to the horizon is to witness nature’s abundance on an unimaginable scale.
Samburu National Reserve and Meru National Park in the north are home to interesting dry-country species. These include the odd-looking, long-necked gerenuk, while Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe are beautiful variants to more common species found elsewhere in Kenya. Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks have the rare fringe-eared oryx, and Laikipia Plateau is also good for northern specials, as well as for both black rhino and white rhino.
Kenya offers outstanding wildlife viewing throughout the year, but the ultimate time is the Dry season (June to October). This corresponds partly with the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara. The exact timing varies, but the herds are usually present in Kenya from July or August to October, when the animals begin moving back into Tanzania. These months are also high season for tourism. November to April is generally best for birding with migratory species present.
Weather and Climate
Kenya lies on the equator and has a pleasant, tropical climate, but there are large regional climatic variations influenced by several factors, including altitude. Kenya’s daytime temperatures average between 20°C/68°F and 28°C/82°F, but it is warmer on the coast. Kenya is too close to the equator to experience a real winter and summer. There is, however, both a Dry and Wet season.
Nakuru town lies right next to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya’s most popular parks, in the Rift Valley. Many of Kenya’s parks have a climate comparable to this, including the Masai Mara National Reserve. Amboseli National Park, Meru National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Tsavo are at a lower altitude and, therefore, warmer. The Aberdares and Laikipia Plateau are in the highlands, and thus a bit colder. The highlands receive a great deal of rain and are very cold in the evening and morning.
Dry Season – June to October
Kenya lies on the equator and has a pleasant, tropical climate, but there are large regional climatic variations influenced by several factors, including altitude. Kenya’s daytime temperatures average between 20°C/68°F and 28°C/82°F, but it is warmer on the coast. Kenya is too close to the equator to experience a real winter and summer. There is, however, both a Dry and Wet season.
Nakuru town lies right next to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya’s most popular parks, in the Rift Valley. Many of Kenya’s parks have a climate comparable to this, including the Masai Mara National Reserve. Amboseli National Park, Meru National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Tsavo are at a lower altitude and, therefore, warmer. The Aberdares and Laikipia Plateau are in the highlands, and thus a bit colder. The highlands receive a great deal of rain and are very cold in the evening and morning.
During the Dry season daytime temperatures are usually around 23°C/73°F at higher altitudes, such as the Masai Mara, and 28°C/82°F at lower altitudes, such as the coastal areas. The sky is clear and days are sunny.
Wet Season – November to May
Best Time To Visit
The best months for visiting Kenya (and the best time for wildlife viewing) are during the Dry season from June to October. The wildebeest migration usually reaches the Masai Mara in July or August and remains in Kenya throughout September. It starts moving back to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park around October. Wildlife viewing is good year-round, but this can differ for some parks, depending on the rains. There is a dry spell between the rains in January and February that is also a great time to visit.
The Masai Mara National Reserve offers great wildlife viewing throughout the year. In the peak of the rainy season, most other parks, especially in the highlands and along the coast, can be problematic with regards to heat, humidity and continuous rain. Some of the lodges and camps close as a result. The dry months offer quality wildlife viewing throughout Kenya.
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Country Details
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Location:
East Africa
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Visa Requirements:
Yes Required
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Official Languages:
English & Swahili
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National Currency:
Kenyan Shilling
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Time Zone:
GMT/UTC+3
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Best Time To Go:
January, February and July to October
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International Dialing code:
+254
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Electricity:
220 – 240 V AC, 50 Hz
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