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Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill
Basecamp Leopard Hill

Basecamp Leopard Hill


1°24’15.5"S 35°15’33.9"E

About Basecamp Leopard Hill

Opened in 2018, Basecamp Leopard Hill is one of the newest and most luxurious of the Basecamp Foundation’s ...

... safari camps in the Maasai Mara. It is set in a small clearing in the beautiful Naboisho Conservancy. With only six smart tents it offers good quality accommodation and the fantastic wildlife-viewing opportunities of the conservancy.

We really liked Basecamp Leopard Hill during our last visit. It’s very comfortable and certainly has all the appearance of a luxury safari camp, with fun added features such as the bedroom's retractable roofs. We loved the quiet, secluded location and think it offers excellent value for money, too. What it perhaps lacks is the refinement and finesse of higher-end properties. However it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a stylish safari camp without a very high price tag, and are looking for a peaceful atmosphere and relaxed pace.

Our view

We really liked Basecamp Leopard Hill during our last visit. It’s very comfortable and certainly has all the appearance of a luxury safari camp, with fun added features such as the bedroom's retractable roofs. We loved the quiet, secluded location and think it offers excellent value for money, too. What it perhaps lacks is the refinement and finesse of higher-end properties. However it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a stylish safari camp without a very high price tag, and are looking for a peaceful atmosphere and relaxed pace.

Lara Webster

Lara Webster

Kenya expert

Accommodation

6 safari tents

Children

Best for 10+

Open

All year

Activities

4WD Safari

4WD Safari

Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Cultural excursion

Cultural excursion

Guided walking safari

Guided walking safari

Hot air ballooning

Hot air ballooning

Night drive

Night drive

Private activities

Private activities

Traveller reviews of Basecamp Leopard Hill

7 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.


100%
7 reviews since August 2007
Excellent
7
Good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Neil fromUnited Kingdom

Arrived 28 Feb 2025, 3 nights

"Basecamp Leopard Hill review"

"This was a beautiful setting and we loved the views from our individual rooms. …" Read Neil ’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

S.fromGermany

Arrived 12 Dec 2024, 4 nights

"Basecamp Leopard Hill review"

"Excellent sightings.Excellent guiding, interesting insight into Massai community …" Read S.’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

Mr & Mrs HfromCheshire

Arrived 23 Jun 2024, 4 nights

"Basecamp Leopard Hill review"

"This camp was outstanding in every respect. …" Read Mr & Mrs H’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

HoneymoonersfromMalta

Arrived 21 Aug 2022, 3 nights

"Basecamp Leopard Hill review"

"definitely one of the best experiences one will ever go through in their life! …" Read Honeymooners’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

Mrs JfromVancouver

Arrived 23 Jun 2022, 4 nights

"Basecamp Leopard Hill was an amazing experience"

"The Basecamp Leopard Hill was an amazing experience. The accommodation …" Read Mrs J’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

Mr MfromCambridge

Arrived 23 Oct 2020, 4 nights

"Heavenly Leopard Hill"

"Food was delicious...Guiding was outstanding …" Read Mr M’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

Ms C.fromBristol

Arrived 4 Oct 2019, 3 nights

"Amazing place!"

"We had a wonderful time, felt incredibly well looked after throughout our stay …" Read Ms C.’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

See all Basecamp Leopard Hill reviews

Basecamp Leopard Hill: Our full report

Opened in 2018, Basecamp Leopard Hill is one of the newest and most luxurious of the Basecamp Foundation’s ...

... safari camps in the Maasai Mara. It is set in a small clearing in the beautiful Naboisho Conservancy. With only six smart tents it offers good quality accommodation and the fantastic wildlife-viewing opportunities of the conservancy.

Basecamp Leopard Hill is the sister camp of Basecamp Eagle View and Basecamp Wilderness Camp. The camps’ owner is a Norwegian financier with a desire to conserve Kenya’s natural environment, and the Basecamp camps attract a diverse range of guests from Scandinavia and around the world.

The lounge tent is simply furnished but comfortable, the focal point being a large stone and brick fireplace which creates a cosy atmosphere on cooler evenings. Here you can find a couple of large sofas and a low table scattered with photo books. There is a selection of board games, a pith helmet or two dotted around, and armchairs overlooking the open plains. The neighboring dining tent is set up with individual tables and a hot drink station where you can help yourself to tea or an espresso throughout the day.

The six guest tents are well spaced out for privacy, each one overlooking one of three waterholes where animals frequently come to drink. The tents are raised on wooden decks with a veranda at the front. Each deck area has a small firepit and your room attendant will light a fire in the evening to accompany your sundowner drinks.

Inside, the tents are spacious and attractive, with wooden floors, double or twin beds, a coffee table and daybed. The décor draws its inspiration from East Africa and India, using traditional wooden carvings and cow hides sitting alongside tapestries, Indian elephant cushions, and oriental fabrics. The stand-out feature for us is the retractable roof. At the press of a button the fabric roof retracts to reveal the sky, leaving just a thin mosquito net between you and the stars. At the back of each tent, the good-sized bathroom has twin washbasins, indoor and outdoor plumbed showers, a hairdryer, and complimentary bathrobes, slippers, wellies, ponchos and toiletries.

In addition to the four standard tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill has a family tent comprising two separate tents set together on the same wooden deck. There is also honeymoon tent which is the furthest tent away from the central area. This tent comes with its own private lounge furnished in a similar style to the rest of the camp.

Activities at Basecamp Leopard Hill revolve around game drives in the Naboisho Conservancy. As this is a wildlife conservancy, not the public Maasai Mara National Reserve, the rules are much more relaxed and you can go on night drives with infrared equipment to look for nocturnal species such as white-tailed mongoose and bush babies. We found the guides very pleasant and keen to please, and we certainly saw a lot of wildlife, however, we felt they have slightly less experience than some guides at the pricier camps, emphasised by their slight tendency to overuse the radio.

As well as shared game drives, Leopard Hill offers walking safaris, which are led by the camp’s safari guides, an armed ranger, and some of the local Maasai camp security, armed with spears. These typically last a few hours and aim to see the birds, plants, and smaller species of the Maasai Mara ecosystem. On our last visit, we loved walking 11km between Leopard Hill and sister-camp, Eagle View, which was incredibly scenic and bought us close to spotted hyena, zebra, giraffe, topi and warthogs. Walks between their sister-camps are a fun alternative transfer if staying in with multiple Basecamp properties during your visit. You can also combine a walking safari with fly-camping, spending the night in a small dome tent in the middle of the bush.

When you’re weary of game drives and bush walks, you can indulge in a free 30-minute complementary massage in the privacy of your tent, or pay for a different or longer treatment. These are easily booked with the on-site therapist.

All the Basecamp properties have strong environmental credentials. Basecamp Leopard Hill is run entirely on solar power, with no need for a back-up generator. The camps also have strong ties with the local community and support a number of charitable initiatives such as the Maa Trust, a women’s cooperative with a range of projects, from traditional beadwork making to the production of local honey. The Basecamp Foundation has also been instrumental in setting up and supporting the Koiyaki Guiding School which trains people from the local Maasai community to become safari guides.

During our last visit, we really enjoyed how many female silver qualified and trainee guides are working with Basecamp, and much of the front-of-house team is also female.

Geographics

Location
Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya
Ideal length of stay
Stay here for three or four nights to explore the Naboisho Conservancy.
Directions
The closest airstrip is Naboisho-Ol Seki airstrip, which is around a 45-minute drive from the camp.
Accessible by
Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis
Full Board & Activities
Food quality
We enjoyed the food at Basecamp Leopard Hill and found it to be on the simple, hearty side.

Breakfast can either be packed and taken into the bush for your morning drive, or a more formal affair back at camp. You can expect a selection of fresh fruit, yoghurt, and bread followed by a hot breakfast with eggs cooked to order.

Lunch is normally three courses, typically starting with soup, which may be followed by a creamy pasta dish, and then finished with a sweet course such as ice-cream. On our last visit, we enjoyed a light green salad followed by a deliciously spicy curry and vanilla ice cream.

The three-course dinner can either be in the dining tent, or sometimes on your own private veranda. We ordered roast beef with creamy mashed potatoes (which was a little tough), and dessert was once again vanilla ice cream.
Dining style
Individual Tables
Dining locations
Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service
Room service can be arranged on request.
Drinks included
House drinks are included.

Children

Attitude towards children
Basecamp Leopard Hill accepts children of all ages.
Property’s age restrictions
There are no age restrictions.
Special activities & services
All Basecamp properties operate the Dorobo Children’s Club, and guides can show children how to make bows and arrows and look for animal tracks around the camp. Childminding can also be arranged. However this is by camp staff and not professionally trained babysitters.
Equipment
There are two cots that can be provided with advance notice.
Generally recommended for children
There is a family tent, and the camp does accept children of all ages, however we feel that the camp has quite an adult atmosphere and families with young children may be better suited to sister property Basecamp Eagle View.
Notes
The camp is unfenced and wildlife regularly wonders through, so children need to be supervised at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Basecamp Leopard Hill

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Basecamp Leopard Hill have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Buffalo

100% success

Cheetah

100% success

Eland

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Leopard

100% success

Lion

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Wild dog

20% success

Aardvark

0% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Striped Hyena

0% success

Communications

Communications
WiFi is available in the rooms but not in the communal area. There is intermittent phone signal.
Water supply
Borehole
Water supply notes
Showers are plumbed and solar heaters provides hot water. Filtered drinking water is provided in the tents.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended
Yes
Medical care
Staff are first-aid-trained and there is a first aid kit on site. For anything more serious the nearest doctor is in Talek, around 20km away and an hour by road.
Dangerous animals
High Risk
Security measures
There are discreet 24-hour security guards around the camp and guests are escorted by askaris after dark.
Fire safety
There are fire extinguishers in the tents and communal areas.

Activities

  • 4WD Safari

    4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

    Birdwatching

  • Cultural excursion

    Cultural excursion

  • Guided walking safari

    Guided walking safari

  • Hot air ballooning

    Hot air ballooning

  • Night drive

    Night drive

  • Private activities

    Private activities

Extras

Disabled access
On Request
Laundry facilities
Laundry is included, except ladies' delicates. Soap is provided in the rooms for washing these in the sinks.
Money
There are electronic safes in the tents.
Accepted payment on location
Cash payments in US dollars, Kenyan shillings, GBP pounds and Euros are accepted. The camp can accept card payments with either Visa or MasterCard, and there is no surcharge.

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Basecamp Leopard Hill's location

Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Basecamp Leopard Hill.


Excursions from Basecamp Leopard Hill

Optional extra day-trips and excursions possible whilst you're staying at Basecamp Leopard Hill. Talk to us: these are usually best arranged before you go.


Balloon flight over the Mara

Balloon flight over the Mara

3 hours in total - morning only

With the sun rising over the Loita Hills, you scramble into the balloon basket for the start of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’re about to go drifting with the breeze above the trees and plains of one of the world’s greatest wildlife regions.

More about Balloon Safari
96% (35 reviews)
Safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve

Safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve

All day from sunrise to sunset

If you're not staying in the Maasai Mara National Reserve itself, you're likely to be staying in one of the outstandingly wildlife-rich Maasai-owned private conservancies just outside the reserve boundary. A full-day game drive in the reserve gives you the chance to visit the Mara River and see some of the reserve's fabled wildlife locations.

More about Maasai Mara Safari
87% (21 reviews)

Other lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp is a smart and intimate tented camp with a relaxed atmosphere and the perfect base in the Mara for keen photographers.


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Kicheche Mara

Kicheche Mara

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Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley is a boutique tented camp in a wooded district of the Mara ecosystem's Naboisho Conservancy, with plenty of wildlife in the area.


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Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp is one of the most luxurious of the handful of camps in the Naboisho Conservancy. It offers day and night game drives, game walks and full creature comforts in the bush.


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Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.


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Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara

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Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp is a small 10-tent bush camp, put together in the traditional "campaign" style, and including a large honeymoon/family tent.


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Serian

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Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains is one of the very best camps in the Mara ecosystem. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just outside the Mara reserve, it has access to three wildlife-viewing areas.


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Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View is a community-focused safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy, with a strong emphasis on responsible tourism and a spectacular location.


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Kicheche Walking Wilderness

Kicheche Fly Camp

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Hemingways Ol Seki Mara

Hemingways Ol Seki

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Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.


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Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp

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Offbeat Ndoto

Offbeat Ndoto

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Porini Mara Camp

Porini Mara Camp

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Ngare Serian

Ngare Serian

The luxurious Ngare Serian and its sister camp Serian face each other across the Mara River on the western side of the Mara North Conservancy


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Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp sits on a meander of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, just beyond the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


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Cottars 1920s Camp

Cottars 1920s Camp

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Leleshwa

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Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara

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Mahali Mzuri

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Basecamp Wilderness Camp

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Mara Toto Tree Camp

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Cottars Private House

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Basecamp Mara Houses

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Entumoto

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When to go to Maasai Mara Conservancies

Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Basecamp Leopard Hill in Maasai Mara Conservancies


Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Kenya in January

Clear, hot days and warm nights make this high season a popular time for safaris and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling as water clarity is excellent and gets better as the dry season progresses. Most lodges and tented camps treat January after the New Year week is over, as mid-season, making it a good compromise in terms of value for money with reasonably reliable, dry weather and some greenery left in the landscape.

Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in January, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.

  • On average, January is the second driest month of the year
  • Elephants dig waterholes in the dry riverbed in the Samburu reserve.
  • Wildebeest and many antelope have their calving season, to February.
  • Migrant birds are seen in huge numbers, especially in the Rift Valley.
  • Sea water clarity around the coral reefs generally good.

Our view

Fantastic: the very best time to visit

Weather in January

Kenya in February

With the short dry season well established, the grass grazed down and wildlife gathering close to water points, this is still a good time for a safari. Good water clarity in the Indian Ocean's coastal waters makes for excellent diving and snorkelling conditions.

Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in February, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.

  • On average, February is the driest month of the year.
  • It’s sometimes possible to swim with whale sharks at Diani Beach.
  • Migrant birds are still seen everywhere, especially near water.
  • This is usually peak calving season for wildebeest and many antelopes.
  • This month is often the hottest of the year, especially on the coast.

Our view

A very good time to visit

Weather in February

Kenya in March

Hot, increasingly humid weather – with good diving and snorkelling conditions at the start of the month – gives way to rains and lower accommodation costs. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in March, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and predicting the seasons since the beginning of this century has been difficult.

March is the month when – traditionally – intensely hot conditions build up until a cloudburst finally happens at the end of the month or in early April, to relieve the humidity. As ever, regional variations across the country can greatly impact on visitors' experiences.

  • Sea-water clarity is best for diving before the long rains start.
  • Visitor numbers are low, though the Easter holidays can be busier.
  • Night skies can be scintillatingly clear in early March.
  • Cropped down savannah grasses can make it easier to see the wildlife.
  • Temperartures climb high, especially at lower elevations.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in March

Kenya in April

April sees the full onset of the southeast monsoon wind or kusi, which heralds the long rains. Temperatures drop soon after the rains are established and you’ll often have facilities largely to yourself in this more affordable low season, sometimes known as the "green season". The bush quickly springs to life, with greenery sprouting almost before your eyes. While you're likely to get a fair number of heavy showers, the breaks in the rain can yield sparklingly clear conditions.

With the dust settled and bright sun piercing the clouds, conditions can be sublime for photography, especially first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon with another storm brewing. You may be lucky, or you may find conditions very wet and muddy.

  • A wet month, the coast often gets more than 300mm (12in) of rain.
  • Sunny spells can provide great light for photography.
  • Buffalo and zebra calving season often happens in this month.
  • Baby crocodiles hatch, for example on Central Island in Lake Turkana.
  • Palearctic migrant birds gather to fly north to breeding grounds.

Our view

A time to avoid if possible

Weather in April

Kenya in May

While game viewing can be trickier as vegetation runs riot, between the cloudbursts the colours and light are great for photography at this time of year. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in May, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and while it's reasonable to expect heavy rains in many parts during this month, especially on the coast, the rains don't always come evenly or in some areas come at all.

In an El Niño year, the so-called long rains that normally are established across much of the country by May can be meagre, to the despair of farmers. On the other hand in a La Niña year, the long rains can bring floods. On the coast, the monsoon winds make the climate much more predictable, with heavy rains common throughout this month.

  • Frogs breed in the ponds in the Arabuko Sokoke Forest near Watamu.
  • Wildebeest, impala and other grazers are in rut (the breeding season).
  • Kilimanjaro looks its best as heavy rain falls as snow on the summit.
  • There's a sharp peek of rainfall on the coast with many rainy days.
  • Accommodation prices are uniformly low, while some camps close.

Our view

A time to avoid if possible

Weather in May

Kenya in June

The rains give way to cloudy, cooler weather, often making for comfortable conditions by the end of the month, especially in the highlands. Starting from mid-June or the beginning of July and running until the end of October, this is the high season, and accordingly has higher accommodation rates and – at least until early September – higher numbers of visitors.

While the early part of June can often be rainy on the coast, it can be a great time to go on safari, with fresh greenery, many young animals and good photographic conditions with clear air.

  • The Taru Desert, inland from the coast, is carpeted with flowers.
  • The Lake Turkana Cultural Festival is held in Loiyangalani.
  • Madaraka Day (commemorating self rule) is 1 June.
  • The annual Lewa marathon runs a course through the wildlife.
  • The Diani Rules "sports" event rips up the rulebook at Diani Beach.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in June

Kenya in July

Kenya’s “winter" season sets in (winter is a misnomer but locals feel the change), and the highlands can be rather grey. Skies are often cloudy and the days can be surprisingly cool, with an average daytime high in many highland safari areas of 15-20°C and night-time temperatures dropping below 10°C in Nairobi and the highlands. Lower parts of the country and the coast are usually warm and dry, typically reaching highs of around 25°C with lows in the high teens.

As this is the start of the high season, coinciding with the usual arrival of the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, July is a busy month. Ask your Expert Africa specialist to advise on how to avoid the crowds, which is not that difficult to do.

  • The wildebeest migration usually reaches the Maasai Mara in July.
  • Simbi Lake (Kisumu) and Crater Lake (Naivasha) can attract flamingoes.
  • Watersports start to pick up and some surfing is possible at Malindi.
  • Afternoon thunderstorms are a common feature in the Maasai Mara.
  • The sea can be choppy along the coast, making diving difficult.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in July

Kenya in August

The Great Migration fills the plains of the Maasai Mara, and school’s out, so the park roads are full of tourists – ask your Expert Africa specialist for advice on crowd avoidance tactics. Choose a private conservancy rather than a public national park or national reserve for quieter conditions.

Like July, August is generally mild and relatively dry in the safari areas, but it can be very chilly in the highlands, even in the middle of the day, and hail occasionally falls above altitudes of around 2,400m (8,000ft). Nairobi can be disappointingly overcast, with low cloud.

  • Apart from Christmas holidays, this is the busiest month of the year.
  • Late August sees peak wildebeest drama at the Mara River crossings.
  • Coastal winds are good for kite- and wind-surfing.
  • Few mosquitoes are around at this generally dry time of year.
  • The annual Camel Derby takes place in the Samburu capital, Maralal.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in August

Kenya in September

The skies clearing of cloud signals the start of hot, dry weather with little chance of rain – and, after the first few days of the month, far fewer visitors – making the latter part of September a good time for a quieter safari. While early September is often good for dramatic migration crossings along the Mara River, you might consider deliberately postponing your trip until later in the month, when the migration can still be very impressive and visitor numbers fewer.

If tourist surges are somewhat predictable, however, the patterns of the wildebeest migration are more volatile, and like all of Expert Africa's climate and weather assessments, they are based on accumulated years of experience rather than guaranteed certainty.

  • This is still high season, with prices to match.
  • Many river crossings take place on the Mara river in both directions.
  • Natural bush fires flush out insects and small animals for predators.
  • The Rift Valley Music Festival takes place by Lake Naivasha.
  • With school holidays over by early September, late-month is quieter.

Our view

Fantastic: the very best time to visit

Weather in September

Kenya in October

Still hot, mostly dry and not too busy, this is many people’s preferred month for a safari, and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling. The wildebeest and zebra herds of the great migration are often still to be seen, though in dwindling numbers. The swamps of Amboseli attract thirsty wildlife including large herds of elephants.

While we wouldn't expect much rain across most of the country this month, the climate has become so unpredictable that you can never say never, and the possibiity of the short rains – usually associated with November to mid-December, starting early, can't be discounted.

  • This month sees the tail end of the great migration in the Mara.
  • Palearctic migrant birds start to arrive, staying until March.
  • Turtle nests hatch at Watamu, until November.
  • Amboseli elephants focus on the swamps for their daily water.
  • The Indian Ocean monsoon winds turn from southeast to northeast.

Our view

A very good time to visit

Weather in October

Kenya in November

The northeast monsoon wind or kaskazi heralds the start of the “short rains", usually some time in the second half of the month. From November to mid-December, this is the low season, and accordingly has lower accommodation rates and lower visitor numbers. Across most of the country you can expect warm, somewhat cloudy weather, with occasional heavy showers and localised flooding.

Expert Africa bases its description of the climate in November, like the other months of the year, on the records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable: some years the short rains don't come at all, or don't reach every part of the country. In an El Niño year, the November short rains can be very heavy, but in a La Niña year, they can fail completely.

  • Swimming with dolphins in Lamu can be done from now until April.
  • Birders gather at Ngulia in Tsavo West to ring Palearctic migrants.
  • The Lamu Cultural Festival takes over the town and Lamu Creek.
  • Agricultural shows often take place regional market towns.
  • This is low season, so camps can be great value, with special offers.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in November

Kenya in December

In a typical December, the rains usually finish by middle of the month, leaving the landscape looking its best, under clear blue skies, and heralding the start of the second peak tourist season from around 20 December to the first week of January. Our assessment of the likely weather in December, like the other months of the year, is based on climate records, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.

Christmas can sometimes be wet, but most years the rains have finished a week or two earlier, with the festive season ushering in the perfect combination of clear skies and sunshine by day and starry nights.

  • Christmas and New Year are busy, with the lodges and camps full.
  • Rates are highest after 24 Dec, with supplements on public holidays.
  • Republic Day and Independence day are celebrated on 12 December.
  • Good kite- and wind-surfing restarts, with strong northeasterly winds.
  • Mango season begins, providing excitement for primates and elephants.

Our view

A good time to visit, with pros & cons

Weather in December

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