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Where is the country of Kenya located? The Republic of Kenya is a country in eastern Africa. Kenya, also written as Kenya, is located on the Indian Ocean. The country has large differences in height, with Mount Kenya – with a height of 5199 meters – even being the second highest mountain in all of Africa. The country is named after this huge mountain. The wide variations in the landscape are amplified by the difference in vegetation, which is caused by differences in climatic conditions. Kenya is the driest country of the African countries that lie around the equator. The areas on the eastern side of the plateau have a tropical monsoon climate. The rainy season depends on the location. For example, the capital Nairobi actually has two monsoons: a small rainy season around November/December and a more powerful rainy season from March to early June. Those who want to go on safari should avoid these months. The coastal town Mombasa actually has one rainy season, which starts in April and ends in June. However, the subsequent period is not a dry season, but a long period in which there is considerably less precipitation, without a drought.

Climate types

Kenya has a variety of climates ranging from tropical climates, such as the tropical rainforest climate in the southwest and the tropical monsoon climate in central Kenya and the southeast, to the warm steppe and desert climates in the northwest and northeast. South of Nairobi you will find various microclimates, which can best be described as a humid subtropical climate.

Threats

Kenya is a safe distance from hurricane areas. The chance that Kenya will have to deal with a hurricane is therefore nil. Floods and droughts are a regular problem. The areas in the northeast of the country regularly experience temporary extreme drought. It can also be very dry in some parts of the plateau. The problem in Kenya is that the rainfall is very stark and unpredictable. In one rainy season, 250 millimeters can fall locally in the wettest month, while the following year double the amount falls from the sky in the same place.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Kenya

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Kenya? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The African country of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya; the second highest mountain in Africa. The differences in height within the country in combination with the location on the Indian Ocean ensure a fairly large diversity of climate types. More than half of Kenya has arid climates such as the desert climate and steppe climate. This is mainly in the lower parts of the country, which cover the eastern half and much of the north. The rest of the country has a colorful mix of climate types and microclimates, which are partly caused by the differences in altitude. Most places in Kenya have a rainy season and a dry season. Sometimes there are two wet and dry seasons, such as in Nairobi and in the Tsavo National Park

Best months

The best travel time for a holiday to Kenya depends very much on what you want to see and do there. If you have to choose a period for the whole country, then July to September is a great travel time. The first quarter of the calendar year is another option.

Beach holiday in Kenya

The Kenyan coast offers several beaches and pleasant beach resorts. The months of August and September are great for a sunny holiday in Kenya. It is then pleasantly warm with maximum temperatures around 25 to 29 degrees Celsius. The sun shows itself quite often and from time to time there is a shower. The period from December to March is also an excellent travel time for a beach holiday on the coast of Kenya. It is a bit warmer and certainly more stuffy. Count on maximums of about 30 to 33 degrees Celsius at a fairly high relative humidity. Our winter months are the driest period and the seawater has a pleasant temperature of about 28 degrees Celsius during this period.

Safari in Kenya

If you want to book a safari in Kenya, the drier summer months are ideal for this type of holiday. It is then pleasantly warm with somewhat cooler nights, especially on the high plateaus. It is then fairly dry. This gives you a better chance to see the wild animals. The landscape becomes drier and the animals migrate to places where water can be found. What can make a safari in Kenya extra spectacular is the great migration. Between July and October, the herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya, where grass and water are available for them. In October and/or November the animals move south again to the Serengeti.

Looking at the weather and the high migration, the period from July to September is ideal for a safari in Kenya.