BEST TIME TO VISIT AMBOSELI FOR A SOUTHERN KENYA SAFARI

The wildlife in Amboseli National Park congregate around very few watering holes during the dry season and disperse when the rains increase the availability of water throughout the park. The same weather patterns affect your comfort, travel costs and accessibility to game activities, so AfricanMecca is providing climate-related Amboseli information to help you plan your dream Kenya safari.

The average temperatures in the park are moderate throughout the year, although we recommend that you bring a lightweight jacket, warm fleece or sweater for early morning game activities and evenings underneath twinkling stars as it does get very cool. During the rainy seasons, you will also need a waterproof coat or a poncho.

Little to no rainfall occurs during the dry season from July to October, and we consider this to be the best time of year to visit Amboseli Park for a few reasons. Note the end of June dusts off the last showers of long rainy season and late October welcomes the beginning of the short rains.



First, locating wildlife is easier during the dry season. The reason for this is that the vegetation is not as thick due to the shortage of rainfall, and the decline in pasture and water brings the animals to the few remaining water sources. Second, less precipitation means fewer insects, such as mosquitoes. Third, the days are simply gorgeous, as the skies are bright blue and clear.

You should note, though, that the dry season is the peak tourist season, as the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara brings visitors from around the world, many of those also plan a complementing trip to Amboseli Park. As a result, you will likely encounter many more visitors than other times of the year, and your room, activities and other costs are higher than the low season.

The short rains occur in November and December, followed by a short hot, partly dry and humid season in January and February and long rains in April, May and parts of June. The wet season does have some advantages and disadvantages. The rains bring renewed life to the plains, both in flora and fauna, transforming the landscape into lush green expanses.

Wildlife viewing is still very possible and quite rewarding, as this is when you may witness a newborn brown-and-white striped zebra foal take its first steps on wobbly legs, baby Thomson’s gazelle hiding in long grasses to elude predators and elephant calf tenderly engaging with its mother. The onset of winter in Europe also brings migratory bird species to Amboseli National Park from October to April, making it a wondrous destination for any ornithological tour in Africa.

Select Our Highly Recommended & Unique Designed Amboseli Safaris By Camps & Lodges That You Want To Tour Visit & Experience

One disadvantage of visiting Amboseli during the rainy season is that the precipitation can make logistics demanding, as some roads may be challenging to navigate during your circuit road safari; however, this is overcome by flying into the Kenyan parks rather than driving in (read more on when is the best time to go to Kenya). This is especially true in late March, April, May and early June when the rains are heaviest.

Other short rain months, though, the rainfall is lighter and tends to occur only in the late afternoon and evenings, having little, if any, impact on your bush travel in Kenya as evaporation is very fast in equatorial Kenya. Lastly, very few camps and lodges close during the rainy season in Kenya, but most that remain open generally charge reduced rooming rates but other costs like park fees, meals, safari activities, logistical transfer costs and related governmental taxes remain the same all year round.

Lastly, Amboseli National Park is a popular safari destination at Easter school break, Christmas and New Year’s from both visitors’ overseas and local residents, so guest numbers are slightly higher than the remainder of the low and mid season.