How’s the Kenya Weather?

Being located at the equator, the Kenya weather is sunny and hot throughout the year. February-March is the hottest and July-August is the coolest, but the differences aren’t really big. Summer clothes are worn throughout the year, and you better wear a hat and take your sun glasses with you (as good sun glasses are expensive in Kenya).



At the coast it’s hotter and more humid than the central and western regions. This is mainly because of the altitude: Nairobi for example is at 1600 metres above sea level, making the climate pretty mild for East African standards. At the high altitudes of Mount Kenya, there’s even permanent snow and ice – right under the equator!

Kenya Weather Chart

Day temperatures (Celcius) in Kenya move between these ranges:

Rainy Seasons

Furthermore, you have to reckon with the two rainy seasons. There are the ‘long rains’ from April to June and the ‘short rains’ from November to December. It doesn’t rain all the time during those seasons, but more in short outbursts after which the fierce sun breaks through again.

The two main tourist seasons (December-January and July-August) coincide with the dry periods. In the rainy seasons, not all the national parks are accessible due to the muddy roads, or only with a 4WD car. Moreover, the trees and bush are more dense then, making it harder to spot wildlife. The big advantage is that the scenery can be breathtaking then, the prices in hotels and resorts go down, and you’ll have some wildlife resorts all to yourself.

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