Month guide · Nairobi · Kenya
Nairobi in October
What October is really like in Nairobi: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
October is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 25°C (77°F), lows of 13°C (55°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 12.1 hours of daylight. Warm and mostly dry, with the first short-rain showers late in the month; good value at the end of safari high season.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 25°C (77°F) / 13°C (55°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 12.1 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in October
October is the 4th-warmest month in Nairobi: days average 25°C (77°F) against a yearly average high of 24°C (75°F), and nights fall to about 13°C (55°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with September (24°C (75°F)), October is about as warm; by November highs drop to around 23°C (73°F).
- Sunrise (15 October)
- About 06:14
- Sunset (15 October)
- About 18:22
- Daylight
- About 12.1 hours
Cool dry season (June–October). Cool, often overcast mornings and dry sunny afternoons; peak safari season with the migration in the Maasai Mara and the highest prices.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, October rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in October
- Mashujaa Day — national holiday (20 October)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in October
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Nature · Langata
Nairobi National Park
Kenya's first national park, opened in 1946, covers about 117 km² of grassland and acacia bush just south of the city.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
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
Zoo · Langata
Nairobi Safari Walk
A raised wooden boardwalk run by the Kenya Wildlife Service at the national park's main gate, passing enclosures of rescued animals including a white rhino, lions, cheetahs and bongo antelope.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Park · Gigiri
Karura Forest
Hire a bike and ride the loop to the waterfall in the morning, then have lunch at the café near the main gate.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Active
- Kids
What to pack
For highs near 25°C, lows near 13°C and 7 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is October a good time to visit Nairobi?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, January–February and June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Nairobi in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is October a good time to visit Nairobi?
It is a shoulder-season month. Warm and mostly dry, with the first short-rain showers late in the month; good value at the end of safari high season.
+How warm is Nairobi in October?
Average highs are around 25°C (77°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Nairobi in October?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.