Kenya and Tanzania climate

The best time to travel through Kenya and Tanzania is from June through September and from December through February. During these dry months water is scarce in wildlife parks and so wild animals tend to stick to small areas that do have water. Our drivers know exactly where to find these places and so there's a better chance of seeing quite a few wild animals. Travelling during the rainy season is no problem. However, since there is plenty of water to go around during this time of year, animals can be spread out over a much larger area. There are two rainy seasons: a long one in April and May and a short one from mid-October until the end of November. Don't worry, you don't have to expect torrential rainfall... but it can be cloudy and it rains alot in the evening and during the night.

When planning a trip to Kenya or Tanzania it helps to keep climate in mind. Since both countries are located near the equator and you probably have only seen images of dry grasslands, you might believe it's always hot here. However, it really isn't all that hot. Temperatures can definitely rise during the day, at times to around 30 degrees celcius; however, it usually doesn't get much higher. Most of these countries' landmass is located above an altitude of 1500m, so Kenya and Tanzania climate is actually a lot cooler and dryer than in other tropical countries.

It can even get quite cold in the evening and early mornings and so when you go for game drives you may want to bring something to cover you head and hands. Luckily temperatures rise quickly and after the sun has been out for a while the temperature is around 25 degrees celcius on average. Daytime temperature on the coast is slight higher (around 29 degrees celcius), and in the evening it's around 23 degrees. Nairobi, much like most wildlife parks, is located at a higher altitude and therefore the daytime temperature is around 23 degrees celcius and evening temperature is around 12 degrees.

Best time to travel and the great migration

The great trek, or great migration, is one of the most fascinating shows put on by mother nature. Each year, millions of wildebeest, zebras and antelopes trek across the vast plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania towards Kenya's Masai Mara. In their wake, hunters (lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas) roam the savannah in search of the weaker animals. Undoubtedly you've seen the National Geographic images of wildebeest and zebras trying to cross a wild river while hundreds of crocodiles lie waiting for an easy prey.

You'll be able to witness this circle of life with your own eyes. The peak takes place in July and August; however as you can imagine, you're not the only traveller who will want to witness this natural phenomenon. Most lodges and tented camps are booked months in advance. This is also one of the reasons why we offer a private camp. We can set up our private camp in the most strategic locations, where the most wild animals can be found. If you would like to witness the great migration, then we suggest booking your trip early.

Below you'll find a short summary of great migration facts. As you can imagine, nature doesn't follow strict schedules and depending on rainfall the trek can take place one or more weeks later. During a particularly wet season, herds sometimes even stay in the Serengeti and the great migration doesn't really take place.

Kenya and Tanzania climate - Great migration

Kenya and Tanzania migration summary

December, January, February	Large herds can be found in the southeast corner of the Serengeti - hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras are born - many lions, cheetahs and hyenas
March, April	Beginning of the rainy season - large herds trek towards the Serengeti
May, June	The best season (through August) to see the migration - large herds trek from south to west of the Serengeti
July, August	Herds cross the Grumeti River towards the Masai Mara - swimming wildebeest, hungry crocodiles and hunting lions
September, October	Beginning of the dry season, large herds spend most of their time in the Masai Mara
November	Beginning of the (short) rainy season - large herds trek back towards the Serengeti - and so the circle is complete...

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