When is the Best Time To Go on Safari in Kenya

When is the Best Time To Go on Safari in Kenya : Kenya dubbed as “the home of safari” is the best countries to visit if you wish to experience the authentic African safari, this beautiful country has 54 national parks and reserve from Masai Mara national reserve to Aberdare national park which you will offer you the best safari memories.

Mount Kenya with its snow-capped peak standing at 5,199 meters is a spectacular sight to see, Kenya is also a home to a huge population of wildlife including the big Five “lions, leopards, cape buffaloes,elephants  and rhinos”, the great wildebeest migration and other animals such as giraffes, hippos and many bird species including millions of flamingoes at Lake Naivasha  and the Elsamere Conservation Center – a once home to the conservationist Joy Adamson.

As you are planning to go on a safari in Kenya, the first question in mind is when is the best time to visit.

“The best time to go on a safari in Kenya is anytime between June to october, traveling in early september almost guarantee that your safari will coincide with the famous wildebeest migration across the plains of Masai Mara”.

Kenya brims with wildlife all throughout the year meaning any time you visit Kenya, you will have a chance to see animals.

if you prefer less crowd in the parks, then avoid visiting in the peak season.

The best time to visit Kenya for birding “bird watching” is from October to May where you will see birds in full breeding colors.

There is variation in weather in Kenya thanks to the altitude of the country ranging from the 5,199M peak of Mount Kenya down to sea level, coastal areas of Kenya are generally hotter and more humid than the interior which tends to cool off at night.

January and February are normally hot in Kenya with little rainfall

March to May is known as “the long rains” and is hot and rainy with average of 211mm of rainfall in April in Nairobi, 38 mm in January and 28 mm in August.

June to August is a little cooler but dry and November and December are warm and rainy with Nairobi averaging 109 mm in November.

The main tourist seasons in Kenya are December to January and July to August which are generally dry season with little to no rain recieved. Due to Great Wildebeest Migration, most safaris in Kenya are in September.

Animals To See on Safari in Kenya?

Most travellers think the only animals to see on a kenyan safari are the Big Five – elephants, buffalo, leopard, lion and rhinos. However, Kenya hosts an impressive list of animals which can be seen in several national park and reserves in Kenya including Maasai Mara national reserve, Amboseli national reserve, Lake Nakuru national park among others.

Here is a list to wildife you can see in Kenya

Lions and leopards are two of the most charismatic species in the world and they are two big cats you will enjoy seeing in Kenya, unlike jaguars, lions are easy to spot as they rarely hide or move away in the presence of humans. Lions are almost two meters in length and they can been seen in most of Kenya’s parks and reserve including maasai mara national reserve, in kenya there is a total of 2000 lions left.

In the highland areas of Kenya like Mount Kenya and the Aberdare range, you have a chance of spotting a melanistic leopard “the blank panther” though sightings are few and far between. other cats you can spot in Kenya include cheetahs and they can be seen in kenya’s main parks  such as maasai mara national reserve. The fascinating thing about cheetahs is that they can run up to 70mph. caracal other cats to see.

The African hunting dogs are spotted in Masai Mara National Reserve, there are also spotted hyenas which are one of the carnivores you have the best chance of seeing.

Hippos are easily spotted in the rivers of Kenya and black and white rhinos too, Kenya hosts both species of the endangered rhinos with around 600 black rhinos remaining in Kenya and the last two white rhinos in the world live in Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Elephants are among the most fascinating animals in the wild famous for having big personalities and they can bee seen in Kenya and one of the best place to see them is Amboseli National Park – a home to large herds of elephants.

Zebras and giraffes are found around Kenya and they are regularly sighted in safari, you also get a good chnce to see wildebeests, gazelles, various kinds of antelope and primates from vervet monkeys, baboons and bushbabies.

The above list is just a brief overview of the wildlife and there are huundreds more species and subspecies that you will encounter on safari in Kenya.

How Many Safari Parks Are in Kenya

Most safaris in Kenya happen in national parks and reserve, there are a total of 54 national reserve and parks and the most famous of them is a 1,510 square kilometers – Masai Mara national reserve set 2000m above the sea level.

Masai Mara national reserve is renowned for its herds of lions, leopards and cheetahs and is home to the great migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles. Masai Mara national reserve is an extension of Serengeti National Park, the reserve is an area of 1,510 square kilometers is lies on 2000m above sea level.

Other popular Reserve in Kenya include Lake Nakuru National Park – a home to more than a million flamingoes, Aberdare National Park which is divided between the high moorland and peaks and the lower salient – an area of rainforest and is a home to a large population of black rhinos, Tsavo National Park (Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks) – Kenya’s largest protected wildlife sanctuary and Amboseli national park a home to large herds of elephants and the scenic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Kenya is a haven for wildlife lovers.