Kenya, a timeless, year-round destination
While many people flock to Kenya from July to October to witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles, the Great Migration, the east African country is also an excellent year-round travel destination. With two luxury safari camps to choose from or combine, make Mahali Mzuri or Finch Hattons your base and read on to learn about the best time to visit Kenya.
January and February
The start of the year brings dry, warm days that are ideal for game viewing, with a high chance of seeing animals gathering at water holes. With clear skies at night, it’s also the perfect time for stargazing.
The Mara's night sky is studded with a billion stars, and there is no light pollution to detract from what is a truly breathtaking sight. Join one of the Maasai guides at Mahali Mzuri to learn the traditional way of interpreting the night sky and appreciating the Milky Way's magnificence.
March to June
A quieter time in Kenya, March ushers in the rainy, ‘green season’. In the Mara’s wider ecosystem, where Mahali Mzuri is located, the dry landscape transforms into verdant grassland, ideal nurseries for young antelopes, gazelles and impala. Bird watchers are also in for a treat with colourful swarms of migratory birds arriving and making the blooming trees their temporary homes.
In Tsavo West, home to Finch Hattons, watering holes are also replenished, and throughout this time, Kenya’s oldest national park sees the arrival new life, from several mammal species giving birth – the perfect opportunity to witness first hand the bond between mother and newborn - to an abundance of colourful flowers in bloom.
July to October
The peak travel season in Kenya lasts from July to October. In the wider Maasai Mara ecosystem, the dry season coincides with the start of the Great Migration, with over two million wildebeest, zebra and other herbivores on the move.
In Tsavo West, the lack of rainfall during this time causes many animals to seek out permanent water sources, concentrated in areas with rivers and springs, ideal for game drives and with the grass shorter, it’s much easier to spot wildlife – big and small – from a much longer distance.
November and December
November and December The shorter of the two rainy seasons, following the rain showers in November, throughout this period the now dusty barren landscapes of the Mara ecosystem and of Tsavo West once again experience a breathtaking transformation. Water is in abundance, attracting wildlife from all over to enjoy the bountiful vegetation.
In the Mara ecosystem, lions and cheetah, often accompanied by young cubs, can be seen hunting and chasing prey –followed closely by clans of hyena- while among many herbivores such as topi and gazelles rutting season has started with many young males trying to impress the females of the herd. In the Tsavo, newborn elephants can often be spotted playfully trumpeting their way through the lush grasslands.
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