Month guide · Nairobi · Kenya
Nairobi in May
What May is really like in Nairobi: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: SteveRwanda, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is a month many travellers avoid. Expect average highs of 23°C (73°F), lows of 13°C (55°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 12.1 hours of daylight. Long rains continue but ease towards the end of the month; the countryside is very green and quiet.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 23°C (73°F) / 13°C (55°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 12.1 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in May
May is the 7th-warmest month in Nairobi: days average 23°C (73°F) against a yearly average high of 24°C (75°F), and nights fall to about 13°C (55°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with April (24°C (75°F)), May is about as warm; by June highs drop to around 21°C (70°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:27
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 18:31
- Daylight
- About 12.1 hours
Warm dry season (January–February). Hot, sunny days by Nairobi standards, green parks after the short rains and good game viewing; a popular time for safaris.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 1 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in July). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Nairobi, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Nature · Langata
Giraffe Centre
Combine it with the elephant orphanage and the Karen Blixen Museum, which are all within a 20-minute drive of each other.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Museum · Karen
Karen Blixen Museum
The Danish author of Out of Africa lived in this farmhouse below the Ngong Hills from 1917 to 1931 while running a coffee farm.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Couples
- Outdoors
Zoo · Langata
Nairobi Safari Walk
Pair it with a game drive from the main gate, which is right next to the boardwalk entrance.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Experience · Langata
Bomas of Kenya
Opened in 1971, Bomas recreates traditional homesteads of several of Kenya's ethnic communities and stages afternoon performances of their songs and dances in a large circular auditorium.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
What to pack
For highs near 23°C, lows near 13°C and 11 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Nairobi?
A month many travellers avoid. If your dates are flexible, January–February and June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Nairobi in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Nairobi?
It is a month many travellers avoid. Long rains continue but ease towards the end of the month; the countryside is very green and quiet.
+How warm is Nairobi in May?
Average highs are around 23°C (73°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Nairobi in May?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.