Kenya Travel Guide: Best Time to Visit, Weather & Safety

Population

51.39M

Area

582.7K km²

Capital

Nairobi

Currency

KES

Power plugs

G

240 V

Calling code

+254

Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 54.2 million as of mid-2026, it is the 26th-most populous country in the world and the seventh-most populous in Africa. Kenya's capital and largest city is Nairobi. The second-largest and oldest city is Mombasa, a port city located on Mombasa Island. Other major cities within the country include Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret. Going clockwise, Kenya is bordered by South Sudan to the northwest, Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, Tanzania to the southwest, and Lake Victoria and Uganda to the west. Its geography, climate and population vary. In western Rift Valley counties, the landscape includes cold, snow-capped mountaintops with surrounding forests, wildlife, and fertile agricultural regions in temperate climates. In other areas… Wikipedia

When to go

Best places in Kenya in October

94

Go score

When to go in Kenya: month-by-month

Go score by month for the main destinations — green means great weather.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Nairobi	90	85	77	70	67	84	82	82	89	86	69	83
Kakamega	80	76	71	70	71	75	73	71	74	73	73	84
Mombasa	90	91	81	76	69	80	76	80	84	84	84	81
Nakuru	89	87	80	68	70	76	71	68	76	72	68	82
Ruiru	87	82	72	69	69	83	80	80	88	84	68	82
Eldoret	92	89	84	73	70	72	64	65	76	77	79	90
Kisumu	65	62	57	61	63	72	73	67	63	58	58	64
Kikuyu	89	90	81	70	64	77	74	76	89	86	69	83
Thika	91	84	74	70	73	85	81	81	89	85	69	83
Naivasha	80	82	73	66	65	74	68	68	79	74	65	74
Karuri	90	88	80	70	67	84	81	82	89	86	69	83
Karuri	88	80	72	70	77	87	81	80	90	77	62	85
Matuga	89	89	81	77	68	81	77	80	84	84	84	81
Mwala	88	82	75	73	80	88	85	84	92	83	71	82

Water temperature

Sea temperature along the coast of Kenya

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mombasa	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Matuga	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Malindi	27°	27°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Ukunda	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Watamu	27°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Lamu	27°	27°	28°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Gongoni	27°	27°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Gasi	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	27°	28°	28°
Kilifi	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	26°	28°	28°
Vipingo	28°	28°	29°	29°	28°	27°	26°	25°	26°	26°	28°	28°

All holiday types

More ways to travel in Kenya

All holiday types

National parks26 Volcanoes6 Lakes6 Deserts3 Island holidays11 History9 Museums6 World Heritage8 Summer holidaysWinter sun

Tourist density

Tourism in Kenya

How many visitors come, how concentrated tourism is, and when the country is busiest.

International visitors a year

2.05M

World Bank · 2019

World rank by arrivals

#102

Visitors per resident

0.04

Visitors per km²

3.5

Most popular destinations in Kenya

Practical

Kenya: practical information

Plugs, money, emergency numbers, safety and typical prices — everything to know before you go.

Power plugs

G

Voltage: 240 V · 50 Hz
Driving: Drive on the left

Currency

Kenyan Shilling

KES · Sh

Languages: English, Swahili
Calling code: +254

Emergency numbers

Emergency999
Also112

Safety & travel advice

2

Exercise increased cautionUS State Department

Advises against all travel to parts of the country · Advises against all but essential travel to parts of the countryUK Foreign Office · Oct 13, 2026

Read the full advice

Typical prices