Last updated on June 27th, 2023 at 03:03 pm
Who doesn’t have an African safari holiday on their bucket list?! My safari dreams were so close to coming true when Gaurav asked me to join him on a work trip to Kenya. The only problem – he had to be there in April, which is considered the low/wet season and hence deemed not the best time to visit Kenya by many.
Nevertheless, we decided to take our chances and visited Kenya in the rainy season.
Important Tips Before Going to Kenya
- You can apply for an e-visa for Kenya.
- You’ll need to get Yellow Fever Vaccination and carry the vaccination card with you.
- Plastics are banned in Kenya; they will check for any plastics at the airport. Do not carry any plastic bags.
Which National Parks to Visit in Kenya?
We only visited Masai Mara National Park due to our limited time in Kenya. Masai Mara National Reserve is the biggest park in Kenya and the one that eventually becomes Serengeti in Tanzania.
The company we went with is called Natural World Kenya Safari and can happily recommend them after getting a great service and competitive pricing from them. They drove us in a modified Toyota Land Cruiser from Kenya and we passed through Africa’s Great Rift Valley on our way. You can choose to fly to Masai Mara from Kenya to save time.
There are many other National Parks in Kenya such as Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Mt. Kenya National Park, and Samburu National Reserve for wildlife viewing. Amboseli provides a pristine view of Kilimanjaro and chances of seeing a Rhinoceros is very high near Lake Nakuru.
What is the Best Time to Visit Masai Mara in Kenya?
Keep these pros and cons in mind when considering the best time to go to Kenya. Most safari tour operators have classified Kenya into Peak & Low seasons with peak season flooding with tourists and prices alike.
Low RAINY season
March, April, May, and June are the months when you can expect rains here. We went in April with a lot of apprehensions but from our experience, it never rained 24/7. There were times when it rained for hours at a stretch but sunshine followed right after. Coming from India, we are used to Monsoons and it was nothing like the monsoons.
Pros
- The advantage, in our opinion, of having rains was lush green vegetation everywhere (great for photography).
- The other big key of going in low season was that the safari prices were not exorbitant. What we paid for 2 people could easily be the price for 1 in peak season.
- You do not have to book your safari in advance, there is barely anyone else in the park. So you are not competing for safari tour spots.
Cons
- The drawback of the rainy season was also vegetation. The grass in the National Reserve was growing tall which made it difficult to spot animals. It grows as tall as 6′ by June.
- Water is abundantly available this season and so is the grass (food) everywhere. Because of which a lot of animals tend to stay hidden in the interiors. Make sure your guide has a tracker and is constantly getting updates from other guides when they spot any wildlife.
- Another drawback would be road closure if it rained persistently. Especially since a big chunk of the road leading to National Parks is a dirt road with construction underway. Although we didn’t face any roadblocks there were stories of people who went the day before us and couldn’t pass a section of the road due to water clogging.
Peak DRY season
It is dry season in Kenya primarily from July to October. It makes sense to call it peak not only because it’s dry but because of the migration of animals that happen around August.
Millions of Wildebeest, Zebras and other animals migrate to Masai Mara in Kenya from Serengeti in Tanzania in search for greener pastures. The Great Migration is a sight straight out of National Geographic or Animal Planet – truly a once in a lifetime experience!
Some tours companies even consider Nov-Feb as peak season. You won’t see the migration in this period so the pricing might be more affordable.
Pros & Cons
- Get ready to shell A LOT of extra cash. There are thousands of other travelers who are heading there with you. It’s a perfect time for the safari companies to make their moolah.
- For the same reason above, you must book your tours in advance.
- The biggest advantage of going in peak season is experiencing the Great Migration of wildebeest.
- Since water is limited in this season, the chances of many animals gathering at the same spot for drinking water are higher. Which means you have a very high probability of seeing more animals without searching endlessly.
A few safari terms you should know before going
What Are the Big 5 Animals in Africa?
Lion, Elephant, Wild Buffalo, Leopard & Rhinoceros are considered as the big five animals in Africa.
What is a Game Drive?
Our tour guide had the best answer for this – I am taking you on a game of seeing animals, sometimes you win and see all different variety of species. But sometimes you lose the game and don’t see the animals you want to. Bottom line is, it’s all luck!
You cannot blame your tour operator for missing out on a particular animal. The animals are in their wild habitat, doing their thing. Although, I would highly recommend you make sure that your tour guide has a tracker radio in the vehicle to communicate with other guides for animal sighting.
Which Wild Animals to Expect on a Safari in Kenya?
Cutting to the chase, we saw a total of 20 different fauna including 4 of the big 5 animals in Kenya and that too in a low season. Unfortunately, we did not see a Rhinoceros (if only humans stopped attacking them for ridiculous reasons!). We also didn’t spot a Lion or a Cheetah.
FUN FACT: Lions are super lazy, they don’t even hunt their own food. It’s the lioness who does most of the work.
Photo gallery of these animals we saw in the rainy season in Masai Mara. Our tip: Don’t let the rains deter your plans to travel to Kenya.
- Lioness and Cubs (Simba in Swahili)
- Elephants
- Leopard
- Wild Buffalo
- Hippopotamus
- Giraffes
- Zebras
- Impalas (Antelope)
- Thompson’s Gazelle (Antelope)
- Jackal
- Topi (Antelope)
- Wildebeest (Antelope)
- Warthog (Pumba in Swahili)
- Leopard Tortoise
- Lilac Breasted Roller (Kenyan National Bird)
- Crowned/Crested Crane (Uganda’s National Bird)
- Guineafowl Bird
- Ground Hornbill
- Crocodile
- Baboons
FUN FACT: You will not spot a tiger in Africa! They are native to the Asian continent only.
Photo Gallery of Animals in Masai Mara
I hope this was a helpful post for those planning a trip to Kenya. Don’t forget to share it with friends and family.
Happy Traveling!
This is a very amazing article to read about travelling for a safari in Africa. you have all details on point. thank for the great work
Safari and Safari I visited lots of places especially in Zimbawae Africa Nigeria and many more but i never visited in Kenya but Today I see your post and I Make my mind to visit this place very soon Maybe the end of this month or maybe next month thanks for sharing beautiful content and safari
You are most welcome! Hope you have a great trip to Kenya.
I’ve read so much about safaris, but yours is a really comprehensive guide. I don’t know if i’ll ever do one, the price point is just too high, but it sounds amazing.
Depending on when you go, we thought our safari price was reasonable for a private tour in low season. You could choose to go with a group to save some money there. But I can say it will be well worth the money spent 🙂
Wow that leopard! You got super lucky with that one. Seems like Masai Mara is a pretty good year-round Park…when I was at Etosha in Namibia in shoulder season we had one lucky day, but one day where we literally didn’t see a single animal besides a family of ostriches.
Masai Mara is great and I have heard that Serengeti in Tanzania is even better. But Namibia has been coming up in the travel circuit recently, will have to dig into that. Thanks for mentioning it 🙂 And I would have loved to see Ostriches!! We were lucky indeed with the leopard.
Thanks for posting it. My husband really want to do a similar trip but I was more recluntat. You inspired me!
That’s super great to hear that we could convince you 😀 You will love it we promise!
Fantastic post with so many interesting facts and super useful tips. I have always wanted to go but never really got around to researching it. It great that you went int he rainy season but didn’t rain too much. Its a good risk to take so you’re not there during peak season. But the again, if there is a higher probaility of seeing animals during the peak season then its worth the extra expeense isn’t it?
I would definitely think going in peak season could be that “once in your lifetime” experience if you can shell out that much cash. I think another alternative could be going in Jan-Feb which is in between season.
Thanks for this inspirational photo-journal. My husband would love to go there and you definitely convinced me to do it!
Thanks!! 🙂
I went on safari in the February at the Tsavo National Parks…we didn’t see as many animals as this! Your pictures are awesome! I went in 2007 before I had a digital camera so my pictures aren’t even that great!
I loved reading this post! We just did a safari in South Africa and it was fun to compare yours in Kenya!
oh how cool! I would love to know how different was the one you did in South Africa?
Lucky you to see three hippos on the ground! I have a friend overlanding in Africa right now and he is lamenting the lack of visible hippos daily!
Man there were so many Hippos in the Mara river. We were indeed lucky to see a hippo on the land though 🙂
This is such a great and comprehensive post. A safari in Kenya would be my dream! Currently saving for such a trip 🙂
Thanks!! Saving for such a trip is a good idea.. coz they aren’t cheap 😉 But so worth it!
Oh my goodness, I’m sure you were so grateful that you went in spite of the rainy season! You saw so many beautiful animals. I’ve never heard that about an elephant’s ear resembling the continent, but you’re so right! Thanks for sharing your photos.
You are so welcome Catherine! It is our pleasure to share the fun trip with everyone 🙂
Your photos are absolutely breathtaking. I’ve been dying to go on Safari, i am definitely bookmarking this handy info for when I finally get the chance to go!
Thanks Samantha! I hope this helps you out when you plan your trip 🙂
Like seeing the pictures. Now, come back to work !!
Haha, I am back! Slogging it at work now :/
OMG your photos make me want to go so bad!!! 😍
Ha.. I am in love with that place <3 Hope you get to go soon 🙂
Wow lucky you getting to see all these animals up close. Thats one bucket list trip!
Yes we sure were lucky to see so many in a matter of just 2 days! 🙂
Beautiful pics. Loved this photo gallery. Now i am inspired go plan a visit to Kenya. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Madhu! I hope you get to go to one soon 🙂
Absolutely incredible!! Yes, an African safari has long been on the top of bucket list. I can’t believe you saw all of those animals on one trip! So lucky! How long does a tour typically last? If there are a lot of animals, do the guides stay out a bit longer?
The duration of the tour depends upon you quite honestly. We took a 2 day tour so it was very strenuous, we spent a good 5-6 hours in the park each day. More often it’s almost all day starting after breakfast and all the way till evening. Lunch is on the go in the safari park.
Great leopard picture. And the crane. I spent 2 weeks on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Loved both
Thanks Sue!! I really want to go to Serengeti in Tanazania 😀 We will definitely spend more time there when we go!
Omg this is my dream! So very jealous. I am dying to go on a safari in Kenya or South Africa. Saving this!
Hey, add Tanzania to your bucket list! I have it on mine. It’s one of the best safaris in Africa… Serengeti in Tanzania is the largest reserve, even bigger than the ones in Kenya and S. Africa 🙂
Some beautiful photos! I loved my Kenya Safari – such a privilege to be so close to the wildlife!
I know right! I felt the same.. such a privilege to see the wildlife so close and in an untamed environment.