About Mara Plains Camp
With its exacting attention to detail, immaculate green credentials and outstanding location, Mara Plains is one of Kenya’s top camps.
The camp now known as Mara Plains was once called Film Safaris Camp, and during the annual wildebeest migration, extraordinary footage was captured here.
Originally founded by Warren Samuels of BBC Big Cat Diary fame and filmmaker Rob O’Meara, they chose this site, nestled in a grove of trees on the edge of the Ntiakatek stream, with an eye to impeccable positioning for their cameras in order to create the most arresting images. To the south, the plains of the Maasai Mara, thronged by a million wildebeest from July to October, seem to stretch endlessly from the unobstructed decks of the superb accommodation.
With only six magnificent guest tents and a seventh family suite, Mara Plains is one of the smallest camps in this part of the Mara region, giving it a very personal and intimate feel and a high degree of flexibility. This camp is a zen-like lesson in how to be both down-to-earth and first-class: the welcome is warm, the service attentive without being overbearing, and the attention to detail impressive. The camp is extraordinarily eco-friendly too, despite its luxury and comfort, with an organic produce garden and a huge solar array.
Location and delivery together make it the best camp in the Maasai Mara.
Our view
The location of Mara Plains gives great scope to its activities, which can range across private conservancies as well as the busier national reserve. In camp, we found the welcome warm, the service attentive without being overbearing, and the attention to detail impressive. In short – everything here was both down-to-earth and also first class. We feel it is amongst the best camps in the Mara ecosystem with regards to quality and style.
Accommodation
6 tents and 1 family suite
Children
Best for 12+
Open
All year
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Fly-camping
Guided walking safari
Horse-riding
Hot air ballooning
Night drive
Private activities
Traveller reviews of Mara Plains Camp
13 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.
Arrived 9 Jun 2022, 5 nights
"Mara Plains Camp, home away from home"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 29 Nov 2021, 4 nights
"Mara Plains Camp review"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 14 Dec 2020, 4 nights
"Very Special Place!"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 30 Nov 2019, 5 nights
"Wonderful, intimate camp "
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 11 Mar 2017, 3 nights
"Luxury & service in 3 words Mara Plains Camp"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 17 Jan 2017, 3 nights
"Mara Plains Perfection"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 16 Sep 2016, 3 nights
"Simply amazing"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 3 Sep 2016, 3 nights
"Mara Plains review"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 27 May 2016, 3 nights
"Mara Plains Camp review"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 10 Oct 2015, 3 nights
"Mara Plains"
Overall rating: Excellent





































Expert Africa's gallery
When we travel we take lots of photos ourselves to give you a real and un-edited view of the safaris. See our 83 pictures of Mara Plains Camp to get the candid view.
View gallerySafaris visiting Mara Plains Camp
Just ideas, we'll always tailor-make a trip for you


African Finfoot Fly-in Safari
7 days • 3 locations • 1 country
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
After a unique start in Nairobi National Park, classic, luxurious camps combine for a high-end and exclusive safari in fantastic wildlife destinations.
Visiting Nairobi, Laikipia and 1 other area
US$11,230 - US$17,340 per person
Mara Plains Camp: Our full report
Nestled in the trees on the edge of the Ntiakatek stream in the 120km² (30,000 acre) private Olare-Motorogi ...
... Conservancy, Mara Plains is a small, luxury tented camp which prides itself on offering personal, high-level service. Along with access to Olare-Motorogi Conservancy, the camp is also a member of Mara North Conservancy and within easy reach of the Maasai Mara National Reserve (one full-day visit to the reserve per stay is included in your rates), so you have more than 2,000 square kilometres to explore.
With only seven tents, Mara Plains is one of the smallest camps within the Mara region, giving a very personal and intimate feel, with a high degree of flexibility. It is an exceptionally luxurious camp, but remains unpretentious with a down-to-earth atmosphere.
There aren't set meal times or activities here, so if you happen to be out on a morning's game drive and spot some cheetah tracks, they'll deliver your lunch to you while you continue to observe; if you are out on a late afternoon game drive and following lions hunting, they'll hold dinner until you return. We've had some really fantastic wildlife sightings from Mara Plains. One that particularly stands out was a lion pride stealing a kill from a leopard in a tree and then ferociously defending it, to the dismay of onlooking hyenas. Without any other vehicles around, and with no rush to get back, we stayed there until it was too dark to see and then returned to the camp for a delicious private dinner.
The tents themselves are very large and extremely attractive, using pale canvas and cotton linings and black mosquito screen to create a very stylish effect, especially when combined with decks of old railway sleepers (they imported several container loads from South Africa). These also include “family and honeymoon tents" which have their own lounge and dining areas, as well as private entrances into camp, allowing for even more privacy. The tents either look out onto the stream, where hippo pods will frequently make themselves heard, or the open plains home to Maasai cattle grazers, plains game and predators alike.
Each of the tents is raised from the ground on a wooden decking, with richly coloured rugs spread over the flooring and topped by a large marquee-style tent with a wrap-around veranda. There's an oscillating fan suspended above the bed for warmer nights, although the mosquito-screen “windows" allow a lovely breeze to pass through. The open-plan bathrooms are fitted with signature copper double wash basins, a separate flush loo, a large shower and – most impressively – a deep stand-alone brass bath. In the evenings, a thick cream curtain is pulled across the room, acting as a partition between the bedroom and bathroom to allow for greater privacy.
The main areas at Mara Plains consist of a single large lounge and dining tent which is completely open-sided, offering spectacular sweeping views that can be enjoyed through the large Swarovski scope set up on the decking. On a recent visit, this vista was dotted with zebra, wildebeest, impala and buffalo, and we enjoyed watching hippos returning to the stream beyond camp in the dawn lighting. The furnishings in the main area are slightly colonial in style, decorated in a rich, earthy, red-and-brown colour scheme. The plush leather sofas provide a nice spot to relax with a drink or, if you want to brush up on your wildlife knowledge, you will find all you need in the small library. Although there's a long ironwood dining table inside the main area, guests often eat under the stars – weather permitting. Dining is typically individual, unless the team notices different groups of guests really hitting it off, and we love the diverse locations where dinner can be set up. During our last visit, we enjoyed a private meal in the library on one evening and in the wine room for the second – both incredibly romantic settings lit only by soft candlelight and lanterns.
As well as day-time safari drives, activities at Mara Plains Camp include night drives, visits to a local village or school, and, at extra cost (around $500 per person), hot-air balloon flights at dawn across the main reserve. The guides here were absolutely first-class during our recent visits, a standard that is uniform across their sister-camps too. They deliver game viewing in a very relaxed and intelligent way, are unafraid to sit and watch a great sighting, and yet know when to give the animals space or leave altogether. On one visit we had a very rewarding early morning drive, which included a rare caracal sighting and then, after a two-hour ramble, we were met by two members of staff in a vehicle for an excellent breakfast overlooking a hippo wallow. Nearby, a macabre, recently abandoned “leopard larder" dangled from an acacia, while a trio of elderly buffalos eyed us grumpily.
Mara Plains is particularly well suited for photographers. The vehicles are equipped with adjustable camera trays, and the guides are adept at maneuvering the vehicles with photographers in mind, as well as being able to offer advice and tips on getting the perfect shot. Each party of guests has the added bonus of loaning a pair of Swarovski optic binoculars and a Canon 5D Mk III camera with a 100-400mm lens. These are left in every guest tent, along with instruction manuals – ideal for wildlife portraits.
The camp remains extraordinarily eco-friendly despite its luxury and comfort. It's very interesting to do a tour of the back-of-house areas, with the vegetable and salad garden, the huge solar power plant and battery bank, the water treatment plant, and the very well-run laundry and stores. The camp runs completely on solar power and all the chemicals needed in camp are manufactured here naturally, so that no artificial contaminants are introduced into the environment.
Geographics
- Location
- Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya
- Ideal length of stay
- Stay for 3–4 nights to explore the surrounding conservancies and the game reserve itself.
- Directions
- Olare Orok airstrip, for scheduled light aircraft flights, is only about 45 minutes away.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- The dining at Mara Plains is very flexible – you're not tied into set meal times, allowing you to choose between early starts with a packed breakfast, and full-day game drives taking lunch with you.
Generally, breakfast is taken in the lodge, with a varied buffet of cereals, fruits, cold meats and breads, which you can then follow with a cooked breakfast to order. Teas, coffees, juices and a delicious oat smoothie were also available, as were fun breakfast variations such as green shakshuka and pancakes.
Lunch is either taken as a packed lunch out on a game drive, or back at the lodge. On a recent visit, we enjoyed a delicious variety of salads, tilapia, freshly baked breads, and a wonderful cheese and chutney selection.
For dinner, we started with an onion puff pastry with balsamic dressing, followed by a beef stew with dauphinoise potatoes, rounded off with a chocolate mousse. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Meals can be served in tents if requested.
- Drinks included
- All drinks available in camp are included in the rates, excluding Champagne, premium spirits and certain cellar wines.
Special interests
- Honeymoons
- Mara Plains is an exceptionally luxurious yet unpretentious camp that will suit those who enjoy a down-to-earth atmosphere in very comfortable surroundings. The friendly and attentive service will spoil you, and the very private tents are lovely.
- See ideas for Honeymoons in Kenya
- Photography holidays
- Mara Plains is great for serious photographers: Canon cameras and 400mm lens are available to borrow, while the vehicles are ideally set up and there’s a keen photographer if advice is needed. The camp can burn images to CD, but it's best to bring your own storage devices.
- See ideas for Photography holidays in Kenya
- Luxury
- With some of the best guiding and an unrivalled location, Mara Plains gets our vote as probably the Mara’s top safari camp. The décor and furnishings are carefully chosen: antique trunks, brass fittings and decks made of old railway sleepers combine opulent chic with sleek practicality.
- See ideas for Luxury in Kenya
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Mara Plains has a relatively adult atmosphere, but welcomes children from the age of 6.
- Property’s age restrictions
- 6
- Special activities & services
- Children can take part in the Great Plains Young Explorers programme. The lodge can also organize simple bushcraft and there are also videos to watch as well as board games in the library.
- Equipment
- There is no special equipment, but there is a new family tent.
- Notes
- The camp is unfenced so children must be supervised at all times.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Mara Plains Camp
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Mara Plains Camp 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.

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0% success

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Communications
- Power supply notes
- There is 24-hour electricity and British style – 3-pin plugs in all of the tents.
- Communications
- There is very good WiFi inside the guest tents.
- TV & radio
- No
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- There is running hot and cold water available 24/7 and bottled drinking water is also provided.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- Mara Plains has a first-aid kit on site which the managers and some of the guides are trained to use. They also have first-aid kits in the vehicles. In an emergency, a helicopter could easily land at the camp.
The nearest doctor is at Olkiombo at Intrepids which is an hour’s drive away, and there is a dispensary in Talek. In an emergency they would link to flying doctors. - Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- There is a guard on duty during the day, and at night, guests are escorted by guards between the main area and their tents.
- Fire safety
- They have fire extinguishers outside all rooms and organise regular fire drills. There is also a firebreak around the camp.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Fly-camping
Guided walking safari
Horse-riding
Hot air ballooning
Night drive
Private activities
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- A full laundry service is included, including ladies' underwear. A white bag is left in the washing baskets for women to place these items in for collection. Washing powder is also provided in the rooms.
- Money
- There are safes in all the rooms.
- Accepted payment on location
- Payment for any extras is accepted in US dollars, pound sterling, Euros or Kenyan shillings, either in cash or using a MasterCard or Visa, with a 3.5% surcharge.
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Mara Plains Camp's location
Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Mara Plains Camp.
Excursions from Mara Plains Camp
Optional extra day-trips and excursions possible whilst you're staying at Mara Plains Camp. Talk to us: these are usually best arranged before you go.

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
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 SafariOther lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies
Alternative places to stay in this same area.

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.

Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara Camp has just ten tents and a rustic and comfortable feel. It is set by a stream in a pretty area of the Mara ecosystem's Mara North Conservancy.

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.

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.

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

Encounter Mara
Encounter Mara is located in the private Naboisho Conservancy – a game-rich area of the Mara ecosystem – and offers a contemporary take on the traditional, low-impact luxury safari 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.

Serian
Serian is a luxury tented camp on the east bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. It is the sister camp of Ngare Serian, on the west bank.

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.

Kicheche Fly Camp
Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a temporaray dome tent camp set up for participants in Kicheche's two-day walking safari between Kicheche Valley and Kicheche Bush Camp.

Hemingways Ol Seki
Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

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

Porini Lion Camp
Porini Lion Camp is a pioneering, community focused eco-camp, with excellent guides and game viewing, in the predator-rich, Olare Motorogi Conservancy.

Offbeat Ndoto
Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.

Basecamp Leopard Hill
With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

Porini Mara Camp
Porini Mara Camp is a small, pioneering eco-camp in the first private conservancy in the Mara region, with comfortable accommodation and a range of activities.

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

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.

Cottars 1920s Camp
Cottar's 1920s Camp is a classic, luxury tented camp with a 1920s safari theme, located in its own conservancy on the southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Leleshwa
Leleshwa was a delightful, boutique safari camp on the picturesque banks of a tributary of the Talek, with an extensive, little visited game area on its doorstep.

Saruni Mara
Saruni Mara is a luxurious permanent lodge, on the remote northern edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with stunning views, good guiding and very private and comfortable rooms.

Mahali Mzuri
Mahali Mzuri is a strikingly modern tented camp in the Virgin Limited Edition group, in a remote part of the Mara ecosytem's Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It has lovely views and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.

Mara Nyika
Mara Nyika is one of the newer additions to the Naboisho Conservancy and offers a luxurious and exclusive safari.

Basecamp Wilderness
Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.

Mara Bushtops
Mara Bushtops is a luxury safari hotel on a private concession, outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with the emphasis on comfort, relaxation and good food and wine.

Mara Toto Tree Camp
Mara Toto Tree Camp is located on a wooded bend of the Ntiakatek River, 1km south (as the pied crow flies) from its sister camp, Mara Plains. It's the offspring of the original "Mara Toto" which was swept away in floods.

Cottars Private House
Cottar's Private House is one of the few truly luxurious, modern private houses in the Mara ecosystem, spoiling its guests with first-rate staff, a swimming pool and wonderful views.

Basecamp Mara Houses
Basecamp Mara Houses consists of three private houses located in the northernmost part of the Mara North Conservancy.

Entumoto
Entumoto is a high-end tented camp, with a swimming pool, situated in a very pretty location on the east side of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
When to go to Maasai Mara Conservancies
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Mara Plains Camp 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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