Timing your trip
best time to visit laikipia highlands
High, cool savanna with two dry windows and two rainy seasons. The dry months concentrate big game around water and open up walking, riding and camel safaris.
seasonal guide to laikipia highlands
The dry seasons, July to September and late December to February, bring the strongest viewing as animals gather along rivers and dams and clear skies suit night drives, walking and sleep-outs. The altitude keeps days warm and nights cold year-round. The long and short rains green the plateau and disperse the game, with fine birding and quieter conservancies as the trade-off.
month by month details
January sits in the December to March dry period and is an excellent time to visit. Wildlife concentrates around water sources, making sightings reliable, and conditions suit walking, riding and camel safaris.
Expect warmer summer temperatures, with minimums around 20C and maximums up to 34C. Clearer skies favour night drives, off-road photography and sleepouts under the stars.
February continues the second dry period and delivers some of the best game viewing of the year. Animals gather at water, and wide, dusty views open up for photography.
Days are warm in the summer range and skies are usually clear. Walking and riding safaris are at their most comfortable, and night-sky conditions for sleepouts are strong.
March is transitional, opening dry before the long rains arrive. Early in the month wildlife remains concentrated, but conditions shift as the wet season sets in.
Temperatures stay in the warm summer range. As rain returns the landscape begins to green up, wildlife disperses and birding improves, though some extended walking safaris may be adapted.
April falls within the long rains, March to June, when wildlife disperses across greener country. Sightings are less concentrated and some activities may be adapted to conditions.
The landscapes are often very beautiful and birding is frequently excellent. Temperatures remain mild, but expect wetter ground that affects walking and off-road movement.
May is firmly in the long rains, with dispersed wildlife and green, wet country. Game viewing is harder than in the dry months, and extended walking safaris may be adapted.
This is a rewarding time for birding and for travellers who value lush scenery. Conditions are damp underfoot, so plan activities around the weather.
June marks the tail of the long rains as conditions begin to dry out. Wildlife starts to regroup, though the month bridges wet and dry rather than offering peak viewing.
Winter temperatures arrive, cooler with minimums around 11C and maximums near 25C. As the ground dries, walking and riding safaris become easier.
July opens the peak July to September dry season, the best time of year to visit. Wildlife concentrates around water, giving the highest probability of dense sightings.
Cool winter temperatures make walking, riding and camel safaris comfortable. Wide, dusty views suit night drives and off-road photography, with clearer skies for sleepouts.
August is at the heart of the peak dry season and delivers consistently strong wildlife viewing. Animals gather at water sources across the open savanna.
Mild winter days, with maximums around 25C, make for easy walking and riding. Clear conditions favour photography and night-sky sleepouts.
September closes the peak dry window and remains ideal for big game. Concentrated wildlife and wide views make this a rewarding month before the short rains.
Temperatures stay in the cool winter range. Walking, riding and camel safaris are at their best, and skies are usually clear for night drives.
October brings the short rains, marking a shift away from the dry season. Early sightings can still be good, but wildlife begins to disperse as the land greens.
The scenery turns lush and birding picks up. Some activities may be adapted to wetter conditions, so build flexibility into the itinerary.
November sits within the short rains, with dispersed wildlife and green landscapes. Game viewing is less reliable than the dry months, though the country looks beautiful.
Warmer summer temperatures return. Birding is often excellent, but extended walking safaris may be adapted around the rain.
December is a month of two halves: the short rains usually finish around the middle of the month, and the late-December to February dry spell then opens, with wildlife concentrating around water and conditions firming up. Warm days and clear evenings return as the rain clears.
Walking, riding and camel safaris get easier by the week, and clearer skies suit night drives and sleepouts under the stars, so the second half is the one to book.
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frequently asked questions
July to September, and again in January and February.
Those are the dry spells, when the grass is down, the game concentrates around the rivers and pumped water, and the walking is easy underfoot. August is cool, dry and reliably excellent.
January and February are the short dry season: dense wildlife, clear skies and fewer visitors than the European summer.
Because so much here happens on foot, the drier ground matters more than it would on a driving safari.
Yes, better than most of Kenya, because the activities are not all in a vehicle.
The long rains of April and May scatter the game and green the country, and November brings the heaviest of the short rains. Riding, walking and the conservation visits still run, and the birding is at its best.
The camps stay open year round, which not everywhere does.
So if your dates are fixed in the rains, Laikipia is where we would send you rather than the Mara.
Cold every night of the year, which surprises people.
At around 2,000 metres the days are warm and the mornings and nights are genuinely cold, so a fire is often welcome even in the hot months. A dawn ride or an open vehicle at first light needs a proper jacket, a hat and gloves.
By mid-morning you will be in shirtsleeves.
Pack layers rather than one heavy coat, plus closed shoes for the walking and something for the dust.
The dry months, from July to September and January to February.
Firm ground, low grass and cool mornings are what make a long walk or a full day in the saddle enjoyable rather than hard work. Those are also the months when the tracking is most productive, because the animals are tied to water.
In the rains the ground is soft and the grass high, and a walk becomes a shorter outing.
If you are coming to ride, tell us: the best strings are limited and they book early.
All year, and the dry months make it easier.
Tracking black rhino on foot happens whenever you are here, with the teams who protect them, and it works best when the ground holds a print and the cover is thin. July to September and January to February are the easiest.
The northern white rhino at Ol Pejeta can be visited in any month.
We book the tracking as part of the stay rather than as an add-on, because the good guides go early.
July to October, when the Mara and Samburu are also at their best.
A classic Kenyan route runs Laikipia first, to settle in at altitude, then Samburu for the dry-country species, then the Mara for the cats and the herds, with short flights between them.
January and February give you the same route quieter and cheaper.
In April and May, when the Mara and Samburu are at their weakest, Laikipia is the part of Kenya still worth booking.
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Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
Every journey starts with a conversation. We favour a direct, personal approach: understanding your vision before anything else.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape a journey that is both thoughtfully considered and expertly delivered.
Get in touch to start planning yours.