Kenya offers exceptional wildlife viewing year-round, but understanding the seasonal patterns helps you choose the perfect time for your safari priorities.

Dry Season (June to October)

This is peak safari season. Sparse vegetation makes wildlife easier to spot as animals congregate around water sources. The Great Migration crosses into the Masai Mara from July to October. Skies are clear, roads are accessible, and game viewing is at its best. The trade-off is higher prices and more visitors.

Short Rains (November to December)

Brief afternoon showers transform the landscape into lush green. This shoulder season offers excellent game viewing with fewer crowds and lower rates. Migratory birds arrive, making it ideal for birding. The Mara’s resident wildlife remains abundant even after the migration herds depart.

Hot Dry Season (January to February)

Hot and dry conditions return, concentrating wildlife around permanent water. This is excellent for Amboseli (Kilimanjaro views are clearest) and for predator-prey action across all parks. It’s also calving season for many antelope species, attracting predators.

Long Rains (March to May)

The wettest period, with heavy afternoon rains. Some remote roads become impassable, and some camps close. However, this is the lowest season with the best rates, the landscape is spectacularly green, and wildlife is still present — you’ll just need to work harder to find it.

Park-by-Park Guide

Masai Mara: July-October (migration), but excellent year-round. Amboseli: June-October and January-February for clearest Kilimanjaro views. Samburu: Year-round, best June-October. Lake Nakuru: Year-round for flamingos and rhino.