Introducing Kenya
Page 1 of 2 GEOGRAPHY
Kenya is a land of great variety, from the grasslands of the south to the desert-like landscapes of the north, and is mainly populated by nomadic tribes. In between lies a region of lush agricultural land and the densely forested mountains of the highlands, while to the west runs the Great Rift Valley with its extinct volcanoes and strange soda lakes.
A narrow ribbon of fertile land runs along the coast, backed by hills and bordered by the sandy beaches of the Indian Ocean. The coral reef off the coast protects the beaches and lagoons from the rolling waves of the ocean and supports an enormous variety of fish, crustaceans and aquatic plant life. The warm water
temperature, along with a sea breeze and sunshine, make the Kenya coast one of the world’s most idyllic playgrounds.
CLIMATE
The Kenya coast has a tropical climate. Although at certain times of the year humidity is high, the sea breeze generally ensures pleasant and comfortable
conditions. The water temperature seldom falls below 26°C and conditions are ideal for swimming, diving, snorkelling and water sports most of the year. Away from the coast, the climate varies considerably. Temperatures in the north are generally high and the highlands are dry for most of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source: www.climate-zone.com and www.weather.com |
Temperatures are in Degrees Centigrade | |||||||||||
| Average Temperature | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 |
| Average Max Temperature | 31 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 31 |
| Average Min Temperature | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
| Average Rain Days | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
RAINFALL
There are two rainy seasons in Kenya, the short rains in November and the long rains in late April, May and June. Rainfall is seldom continuous over long periods and dry intervals usually occur with sunny spells even on rainy days. The best time to take a safari is during the rains when the parks are fresh
and green, with less visitors and vehicles, however roads can become awash and less accessible during and after heavy downpours.
DAYLIGHT HOURS
Because Kenya lies on the Equator the length of day and night are virtually the same throughout the year with sunrise between 0600 and 0630 hrs and sunset between 1830 and 1900 hrs.
LOCAL TIME
Kenya is three hours ahead of GMT and two hours ahead of British Summer Time.
