Things to Do in Nairobi in July
July weather, activities, events & insider tips
July Weather in Nairobi
Is July Right for You?
Advantages
- Dry season means wildlife viewing at Nairobi National Park is exceptional - animals congregate around water sources making them easier to spot, and the lack of tall grass gives you clear sightlines. Morning game drives between 6:30-9am offer the best visibility with temperatures around 12-15°C (54-59°F).
- July sits right in the shoulder season between peak safari months, so you'll find accommodation rates typically 20-30% lower than August-September. Booking 3-4 weeks ahead usually gets you decent options without the panic pricing of high season.
- The cooler mornings and evenings make walking around neighborhoods like Karen and Westlands actually pleasant. That 12°C (53°F) morning temperature means you can comfortably explore on foot before the midday sun pushes things into the low 20s Celsius (low 70s Fahrenheit).
- Nairobi's cultural calendar heats up in July with various arts festivals and events tied to the school holiday period. The city feels more energetic as locals are out and about, restaurants stay open later, and there's generally more happening than in the quieter months.
Considerations
- Those 10 rainy days are unpredictable - you might get a week of perfect weather followed by three days of afternoon drizzle. The showers tend to be brief but can disrupt outdoor plans, especially if you've scheduled an afternoon at the Giraffe Centre or David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
- July falls during Kenyan school holidays, which means local tourism picks up significantly. Popular spots like the elephant orphanage and Karura Forest get crowded with Nairobi families on weekends, particularly between 10am-2pm.
- The 12-degree temperature swing between morning and afternoon catches first-timers off guard. You'll need layers - that jacket you wore at 7am will be stuffed in your bag by noon, and you'll want it again by 6pm when temperatures drop quickly after sunset.
Best Activities in July
Nairobi National Park Game Drives
July's dry conditions make this the ideal month for the somewhat surreal experience of watching giraffes with Nairobi's skyline in the background. The park sits just 7 km (4.3 miles) from the city center, and animals are concentrated around remaining water sources. Early morning drives starting at 6:30am take advantage of cooler temperatures around 12°C (53°F) and active wildlife. The grass is shorter now, giving you better sightlines than you'd get in the wet months. Worth noting that weekends see more local visitors, so Tuesday-Thursday mornings tend to be quieter.
Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Centre Combined Visits
These two Karen neighborhood attractions sit about 5 km (3.1 miles) apart and work perfectly as a half-day combination. July's lower humidity makes the outdoor portions more comfortable than the hotter months. The Giraffe Centre feeding platform gets packed between 11am-2pm with school holiday crowds, so aim for 9am opening or after 3pm. The museum tour takes about 45 minutes and gives you context for colonial-era Nairobi that you won't get elsewhere. The cooler mornings mean you can actually enjoy walking the museum grounds without melting.
Karura Forest Walking and Cycling
This 1,063-hectare urban forest offers 50 km (31 miles) of trails just 10 km (6.2 miles) from the city center. July's conditions are nearly perfect - the trails are dry enough for comfortable walking but the forest canopy keeps things cool. Morning temperatures around 15°C (59°F) make the 2-3 hour waterfall circuit genuinely pleasant. Locals pack the place on weekend mornings, so weekday visits between 8-11am give you the trails mostly to yourself. The occasional light rain actually improves the experience rather than ruining it.
Nairobi Food Market and Restaurant Tours
July's cooler evenings make exploring Nairobi's food scene more appealing than the hotter months. The city's restaurant culture has exploded in the past few years, particularly in Westlands and Kilimani neighborhoods. Evening food tours typically run 6-9pm when temperatures have dropped to around 15°C (59°F) and the humidity feels less oppressive. You'll cover nyama choma (grilled meat) spots, Swahili coastal cuisine, and increasingly sophisticated fusion restaurants. The school holiday period means restaurants are busier but also more energetic.
Bomas of Kenya Cultural Performances
This cultural center about 10 km (6.2 miles) from downtown showcases traditional dances and music from Kenya's various ethnic groups. The main performances run at 2:30pm daily, and July's weather makes the afternoon timing workable - you'll be mostly under cover anyway. The homestead village section is worth exploring before or after the show, and the cooler July temperatures make walking between the traditional houses more comfortable than during hotter months. It's genuinely educational rather than overly touristy, and gives context for Kenya's cultural diversity that helps frame the rest of your visit.
Nairobi Railway Museum and City Walking Tours
July's cooler mornings make walking tours of downtown Nairobi actually feasible. The Railway Museum sits near the city center and tells the story of the Uganda Railway that essentially created Nairobi. Combined with walks through the historic downtown area, you get architectural context spanning colonial to modern periods. Morning tours starting around 9am take advantage of 15-18°C (59-64°F) temperatures before the midday heat. The museum portion takes about 90 minutes, and walking tours typically cover 3-4 km (1.9-2.5 miles) over 2-3 hours.
July Events & Festivals
Nairobi Film Festival
This annual celebration of African cinema typically runs in mid-July with screenings across multiple venues in Nairobi. You'll find everything from feature films to documentaries focusing on East African stories. It's grown significantly over the past few years and offers a window into contemporary African filmmaking that tourists rarely encounter. Screenings happen at venues like the Kenya National Theatre and various cultural centers, with tickets typically available at the door.