Season guide · Nairobi · Kenya
Nairobi in the long rains
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Stephenwanjau, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Heavy afternoon downpours, especially in April, with muddy park tracks and seasonal camp closures but the lowest lodge prices of the year. Expect highs up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 33 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 13°C (55°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 33
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in the long rains
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 26°C (79°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 8 | 12.1 h | 3/5 |
| April | 24°C (75°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 14 | 12.1 h | 1/5 |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 11 | 12.1 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 24°C (75°F) against a yearly 24°C (75°F), and 33 of the year's roughly 88 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in the long rains
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Safari Rally Kenya — World Rally Championship round around Naivasha (usually March)
- April: Easter holiday weekend
Good choices for the long rains
Museum · Central Business District
Nairobi Railway Museum
Spend most of your time in the outdoor yard, where you can walk among and inside the old locomotives.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Gallery · Central Business District
Nairobi Gallery
Housed in the 1913 Old PC's Office at the junction of Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway, this small National Museums of Kenya gallery shows African art and artefacts, including pieces from the collection of Joseph Murumbi, Kenya's second vice-president.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Karen
Karen Blixen Museum
Read or watch Out of Africa beforehand; the guides point out rooms and views that appear in the book and the 1985 film.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Museum · Museum Hill
Nairobi National Museum
Kenya's flagship museum covers human origins, with fossil casts from the Turkana basin, alongside galleries on Kenyan history, cultures, birds and mammals.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Day trips in the long rains
- Hell's Gate National Park (About 2 hours by road) — One of the few Kenyan parks where you can cycle or walk among zebras, buffalo and giraffes, below the volcanic plug of Fischer's Tower.
- Ngong Hills (About 1 hour by road) — The knuckle-shaped ridge seen from Karen offers a ridge-top hike with views west over the Great Rift Valley and east to the city.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the long rains a good time to visit Nairobi?
It is a trade-off: Heavy afternoon downpours, especially in April, with muddy park tracks and seasonal camp closures but the lowest lodge prices of the year. The best months overall are January–February and June–September.
+What is the weather like in Nairobi in the long rains?
Highs of up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 33 rainy days over the season.