What to Expect When Visiting Kenya in May
Visiting Kenya in May presents tourists with a unique opportunity to experience the country’s diverse attractions in a different light. May is a perfect month of the year for budget visitors to also engage in most of the experiences in Magical Kenya. It falls in the off-months on the travel calendar of Kenya. The off-months often come with fewer crowds and greenery due to the long rainy season. Visiting Kenya in May allows you to appreciate the country’s scenic green landscapes.
The Weather Conditions in May
The Vibrant Nairobi
High temperatures characterize the weather conditions in Nairobi in May. The temperatures rise from 24 degrees Celsius during the day to 12 degrees Celsius at night, except for cool temperatures. Even if it rains, there is still an option to explore Nairobi. In Nairobi, expect to explore the Giraffe Center, the Elephant Sanctuary, and other attractions.
The urban highlights to expect include the Elephant Sanctuary and Giraffe Centre –the key locations to find diversity of wildlife. The Oloolua nature trail at the Giraffe Centre shouldn’t be missed, and is a perfect trail to explore the lush forests, waterfalls, caves, and streams.
Nairobi National Park isn’t far and can be explored starting from Nairobi City. At the Nairobi National Park, expect to encounter four of the Big Five game animals, including leopards, buffalo, lions, and black and white rhinos. This Park is also popular for other wildlife such as zebras, giraffes, elands, impalas, hippos, gazelles, warthogs, and crocodiles.
Naivasha
This is a spectacular natural lake ideal for boating excursions, and it is a 3-hour drive from the heart of Nairobi. This park is accessible on the Nairobi-Naivasha highway. Due to its proximity to Nairobi city, there is a possibility to explore it even on a day trip. Lake Naivasha National Park is renowned for its diverse birdlife and abundant aquatic life, including hippos. It is an excellent destination for birding, boat rides, and guided hikes. The various wildlife present in Naivasha include jackals, zebras, dik-diks, bushbucks, buffaloes, impalas, klipspringers, porcupines, baboons, hyraxes, gnus, hyenas, and mongooses.
A variety of bird species live in Naivasha, including white-backed ducks, white-faced whistling-ducks, knob-billed ducks, spur-winged goose, African pygmy goose, coqui francolin, Maccoa ducks, northern pintail, cape teal, mallard, yellow-billed ducks, southern pochard, rameron pigeon, rock pigeon, great crested grebe, yellow-necked spurfowl, African cuckoos, Kori bustards, little swift, mottled swift, montane nightjars, dideric cuckoo, and common ostriches.
Mount Kenya National Park
Enthusiastic hikers and nature lovers aren’t left out. Mount Kenya National Park is your favorite spot to explore, not only on a hiking excursion but also for wildlife viewing. In May, this Park experiences mild weather conditions with temperature variations of 25 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius. On the Kenya tour in Mount Kenya National Park, expect to search for its diverse wildlife, including rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, duikers, tree hyraxes, mongoose, zebras, and many bird species.
Birds in Mt. Kenya National Park include dusky turtle dove, speckled pigeon, red-billed ducks, white-faced whistling ducks, African green pigeon, black-crowned night herons, hadada ibis, African sacred ibis, little grebe, wood sandpipers, African snipe, gray heron, western cattle-egrets, pelicans, rufous-breasted sparrow hawks, black goshawks, and more.
Hell’s Gate National Park
Accessible within a 50-minute drive from Naivasha and about a 1.5-hour drive from Nairobi, Hell’s Gate National Park is an ideal place to explore on a day excursion. Not only is this Park popular for hiking adventures, but it also has diverse wildlife. They include dik-diks, buffaloes, hartebeests, zebras, klipspringers, elands, gazelles, baboons, leopards, hyenas, lions, and many bird species.
Mombasa
This is one of the best places to explore in Kenya. May is usually the low season, and it is possible to find a good luxury hotel or guesthouse for an overnight stay at a discounted rate. At Mombasa, expect to explore the natural inland and marine Parks. Key places of interest in Mombasa include Diani, Wasini Island, and the Mombasa Marine National Park.
Malindi
An excellent spot for surfing in Kenya. Malindi lies on the pristine shoreline of the Indian Ocean. The numerous beaches offer a great surfing experience.
Tsavo East National Park
This Park is home to over 600 bird species, 1000 plant species, and features a mixture of grasslands, bush, acacia woodlands dotted with ivory palm, doum palm, fig trees, baobab, and more. It is most popular for its abundant dust-red elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and birdlife.
The checklist of birds in Tsavo East includes vulturine guineafowl, golden-breasted starling, Somali ostriches, Taita fiscals, rufous chatterer, pangani long-claws, lesser kestrel, Northern brownbul, red-bellied parrot, martial eagle, rosy-patched bush shrike, pygmy falcon, Shelley’s starling, secretary birds, slender-tailed nightjars, Fischer’s starling, black-faced sandgrouse, African fin foot, and golden-breasted starling.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Located in Narok County, the Masai Mara is Kenya’s premier wildlife destination. This premier destination is set in Southwestern Kenya and holds wildlife such as zebras, elephants, cheetahs, lions, and hippos. The reserve also supports several leopards, elephants, buffalo, and numerous antelope families, as well as over 470 bird species.
Birds in Masai Mara include Hildebrandt’s starling, Denham’s bustards, Ayres’s hawk eagle, African fin-foot, silver bird, Jackson’s widowbird, Giant kingfishers, rufous-bellied herons, lazy cisticola, secretary birds, grey penduline tit, cinnamon-breasted bunting, purple grenadier, yellow-mantled widowbird, Usambiro barbet, Swahili sparrow, saddle-billed storks, yellow-throated sandgrouse, tabora cisticola, and woolly-necked stork.
Tsavo West National Park
This is part of the larger Tsavo Conservation Area and is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including crocodiles, lesser Kudus, cheetahs, buffalo, elephants, leopards, dik-diks, rhinos, porcupines, and a wide range of bird species. A range of birds in Tsavo West includes cardinal quelea, singing bush lark, golden-breasted bunting, white-faced whistling-ducks, bat hawks, African barred owlet, spur-winged goose, knob-billed ducks, whistling-ducks, red-billed ducks, and more.
What to do when you visit Kenya in May
In May, various activities can be enjoyed in Kenya, including game drives, birding, and cultural tours.
Game drives – Visitors can embark on guided game viewing excursions after the short rains. Often, the rains don’t last the entire day, and as a result, there are chances to embark on a game drive to see your favorite animals. The best wildlife viewing destinations in Kenya include Amboseli National Park, Masai Mara Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Tsavo East National Park.
Boat tours –You can also embark on exciting boat safaris on Lake Elementaita and Lake Naivasha. Enjoy a clear view of aquatic life, including crocodiles, birds, and hippos.
Bird-watching – Kenya alone boasts over 1,100 species of birds, including those found in rainforests and savannas. On a birding tour, expect to identify birds such as Williams’s lark, Jackson’s hornbills, Amani sunbirds, Abbott’s starling, Clarke’s weaver birds, Hinde’s pied babblers, Sharpe’s long-claw, Grey-crested helmet-shrike, montane white-eye, Taita thrush, ostriches, Sokoke pipit, Aberdare cisticola, Kori bustards, and yellow-bellied wattle-eye. You can also find the Somali sparrow, Great blue turacos, blue-headed bee-eaters, bar-tailed trogon, Turner’s eremomela, golden-winged sunbirds, Friedman’s lark, and many others.
What to pack for A Kenya Safari in May
Visiting Kenya in May requires you to pack appropriately. Essentials to carry include reusable bottled water, insect repellents, a good camera, a safari hat, long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, hiking boots or shoes, a sweater, a scarf, headlamps, a daypack, a first aid kit, sunscreen, a pair of binoculars, and a power bank.
Conclusion –Visiting Kenya in May offers unique opportunities to nature lovers to realize their travel dreams. It is the peak wet month of the year, and most parks and reserves turn green, making it an ideal time for photography tours. However, visitor exploration is disrupted by rain, and regardless, there is still a possibility to engage in some activities once the rain stops.
