Kenya is one of the countries that forms part of East Africa. Kenya is a diverse country in terms of geography which plays a role in the climate of Kenya, with arid landscapes in the north tropical forests in the south and beautiful beaches on the eastern side of the country. The summer months in Kenya fall between December to March, autumn falls between April and June and the winter months run from July to November. Kenya has two distinct rainy seasons; the short rainy season is from December to March and the longer rainy season runs from April to June.
Kenya Average Daily Temperatures & Number of Sunny Days
Kenya’s average temperatures are pleasant all year with the summer months reaching highs of between 30° C to 40° C (86° F to 104° F) and the winter months reaching lows of between 8° C and 12° C (46° F to 53° F). The majority of sunny days fall between May and October making the winter months a great time to visit the country.
Kenya Average Monthly Rainfall
Kenya has two rainy seasons, the short one falling from late November to March and the longer one falling from April to June. On average Kenya receives between 600mm to 1000mm (23in to 39in) of rain per year, with the majority of that falling between March and May.
National Parks and the best times to visit
Kenya is known for one of the greatest wildlife phenomena – the great wildebeest migration that takes place in the Masai Mara. However, that is not all that Kenya has to offer. Some of Africa’s best game reserves are found in Kenya and the Big 5 are likely to be seen in all reserves. While the winter months are perfect for wildlife sightings due to the sparse bushlands, the summer months have their own beauty with lush green landscapes from the rains.
Masai Mara National Reserve– Located in the south of Kenya bordering Tanzania is the famous Masai Mara, home to the great wildebeest and zebra migration. If you are wanting to witness the migration the best times to visit are from June to October, the temperatures during the dry season are pleasant during the day with average temperatures from 10° C to 25° C (50° F to 77° F). The summer months can be very hot with daytime temperatures reaching up to 40° C (104° F), but these extremely hot days are not an everyday occurrence.
Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Hell’s Gate National Park and Nairobi National Park are just a handful of the other 5-star game reserves in Kenya. All of these parks are accessible year-round with pleasant temperatures, however for wildlife viewing the best times to visit are during the winter months June to November, during these months the mornings and evenings do get quite cold but the daytime temperatures range between 15° C to 25° C (59° F to 77° F).