When to Visit Nairobi

Nairobi sits at roughly 1,700 metres above sea level, which explains what first-time visitors often find puzzling: a city this close to the equator that never gets hot. The altitude moderates everything. You will not find the sticky, oppressive heat of coastal Kenya here, nor the monsoon drama of Southeast Asia. Instead, Nairobi runs on a relatively narrow band of temperatures year-round, with two distinct rainy seasons cutting across the calendar and two dry windows that represent the city at its most comfortable and most photogenic. The dominant rhythm is shaped by two wet seasons. The long rains arrive around late March and build through April into May, when rainfall peaks and afternoons frequently deliver heavy downpours that clear the air and turn the Nairobi hills an almost implausible green. Then comes a cool, dry stretch from June through September, which many residents and long-term visitors consider the most agreeable time of year. October brings warming temperatures and the short rains, which peak in November before tapering through December. January and February tend to be the warmest, driest months, though by "warm" the data means highs around 26 to 28°C (79 to 82°F) - pleasantly shirt-sleeve weather rather than anything requiring air conditioning. What makes Nairobi's climate unusual among major African cities is how consistent it feels day to day. The humidity sits at around 70 percent throughout the year, which sounds high but rarely translates into the suffocating moisture you might expect, because the altitude keeps the air lighter and temperatures from climbing into ranges where humidity becomes punishing. Nights are cool in every season and can tip into cold territory during June and July, when lows can reach 11°C (53°F) - something that catches visitors without a layer in their bag off guard.