When to go · Nairobi
Nairobi in August
Good month. Cool and dry; busy with safari traffic.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Temperature
- 21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C) / 11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 5
- Crowds
- High
- Kenya overall
- Prices
- High
- Kenya overall
Verdict
Cool and dry; busy with safari traffic.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than August?
August is rated good. These months rate higher:
Weather in August
- NairobiHighs around 21 °C (70 °F), lows around 11 °C (52 °F), rain on about 5 daysHighs around 70 °F (21 °C), lows around 52 °F (11 °C), rain on about 5 days
- Central highlands and Nairobi, Kenya · Nairobi, Mount Kenya, Aberdarescool
At 1,700 m Nairobi is mild; June–August evenings are cold, so pack a fleece.
Cool dry season
Cool mornings and clear afternoons; migration season in the Mara.
Watch: Busy safari flights.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Great Migration in the Mara
Jul–Sep
Safari flights from Wilson Airport are full; book early.
General election big impact
Aug 2027 (check) · Kenya
Election periods have brought protests and road blocks; check advice and avoid rallies.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Kenya overall
- High
- Prices · Kenya overall
- High
Kenya overall: Peak river-crossing month; book lodges 6–12 months ahead.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Nairobi, side by side.
Verdict
Aug: Good
Jan: Great (better)
Daytime high
Aug: 21 °C (70 °F)70 °F (21 °C)
Jan: 25 °C (77 °F)77 °F (25 °C)
Night low
Aug: 11 °C (52 °F)52 °F (11 °C)
Jan: 12 °C (54 °F)54 °F (12 °C)
Rain days
Aug: 5
Jan: 5
Crowds
Aug: High
Jan: Medium
Prices
Aug: High
Jan: Medium
Festivals listed
Aug: 2
Jan: 2
August: Cool and dry; busy with safari traffic.
January: Warm, mostly dry; good month.
Nairobi: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm layer for the evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket