Climate Overview
Nairobi has a highland-tempered continental climate with mild 23–28°C days and cool 13–16°C nights year-round despite the equator. Two rainy seasons hit — long rains Mar–May (peaking 197mm in Apr) and short rains Oct–Dec. Jun–Sep (dry and cool) aligns with the Maasai Mara migration and is the prime safari-transit window.
Monthly Climate
Temperature range, rainfall, and humidity by month
Monthly Data
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26.2° | 14.8° | 101mm | 60% |
| Feb | 27.5° | 15° | 3mm | 49% |
| Mar | 26.5° | 16.3° | 171mm | 64% |
| Apr | 25.3° | 16.2° | 184mm | 79% |
| May | 24.6° | 15.3° | 136mm | 77% |
| Jun | 23.5° | 14° | 65mm | 71% |
| Jul | 23° | 13.2° | 13mm | 67% |
| Aug | 22.7° | 13.3° | 64mm | 71% |
| Sep | 26.3° | 13.1° | 15mm | 60% |
| Oct | 25.5° | 15° | 103mm | 65% |
| Nov | 24.8° | 15.5° | 58mm | 72% |
| Dec | null° | null° | 0mm | 0% |
When to Visit
Experiences to seek out and peak periods to plan around
Experiences & Highlights
Charter flights from Wilson Airport reach Maasai Mara in under an hour to catch the wildebeest river crossings; Nairobi itself sits at its coolest (highs 22.7–25.9°C) and driest (21–73mm/month) — ideal for early-morning game drives in Nairobi National Park before flying out.
Peak long rains bring 197mm in April and 128mm in May at 77% humidity; Karura Forest waterfalls run full and Nairobi National Park fills with newborn antelope, with afternoon thunderstorms that usually clear by evening for rooftop dinners in Westlands.
Madaraka Day (1 Jun) and Jamhuri Day (12 Dec) bring parades and presidential addresses at Uhuru Gardens and Nyayo Stadium; June sits in the cool dry window (23.1°C highs, 35mm rain) while mid-December catches the tail of the short rains (78mm).
The warmest, driest stretch (Feb highs 27.6°C, 38mm rain, humidity 60%) is prime time for Karen coffee-farm tours, the Giraffe Centre and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage — before afternoon highs push into the upper 20s.
Peak Periods & Travel Advisories
Wildebeest migration in Maasai Mara drives Nairobi's biggest tourist surge; Wilson Airport bush-flights and Karen/Langata lodges book out 3–6 months ahead and rates rise 30–60%. Cool dry weather (22.7–25.9°C highs, humidity 65–70%) keeps the city itself pleasant but crowded.
Rainfall climbs from 99mm (Mar) to 197mm (Apr) and 128mm (May) with humidity at 77%; unsealed park tracks in Nairobi National Park and roads to Ngong Hills turn to mud, and afternoon storms regularly disrupt Jomo Kenyatta Airport arrivals.
Jamhuri Day (12 Dec) kicks off the domestic holiday season; Kenyan families fly in to and out of Nairobi for the coast, driving up JKIA transit traffic and Westlands/Karen hotel rates 25–45%. Short rains still deliver 78mm in Dec — book lodges early.
Official Resources
Government portals and tourism boards for Nairobi, Kenya