Kenya in January

Visiting Kenya in January means clear skies, hot days, and warm nights. This weather generally makes visiting the country and its national parks and reserves popular. Kenya is home to various wildlife and bird species, making it a prime destination for an unforgettable safari.

Although wildlife viewing can be good all year round, January is a month in which big game life can be easily seen, as well as other notable smaller wildlife. One park that’s best visited at this time of year is Chyulu Hills National Park. This park is known for its wildlife, which includes giraffes, zebras, baboons, and the Sykes’ monkey.

Weather in January

January is the driest month of the year, and a Kenya safari can be eventful, as wildebeest and antelope begin their calving season in February. Seeing wildlife with their newborns is a sight to behold, as it gives you a completely different experience on game drives.

Average Weather in January

Temperature	Celsius	Fahrenheit	Rainfall
Min	9℃	48℉	2.5 mm
Max	27℃	81℉	142 mm

Scroll >

National Parks to Visit in Kenya and Why

Chyulu Hills National Park

While this isn’t a Big Five destination, game drives in Chyulu Hills National Park offer sightings of klipspringers, giraffes, zebras, baboons, Sykes’ monkeys, and many bird species. A Kenya safari at this park is generally productive in January because all these animals are visible.

Samburu National Reserve

January is the best time to view wildlife as it navigates available waterholes. Samburu experiences the dry season in January, and during this period, four of the Big Five can be seen, with only rhinos absent. Other animals seen at the park include elephants, buffaloes, lions, and leopards.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru is home to four of the Big Five in the park. While elephants aren’t found here, it’s abundant in rhinos and buffaloes. Other animals you see while on a game drive include giraffes, hippos, and zebras. Leopards also occur in the park, but they are much more rare.

Activities to do in January:

Walking safaris
Cultural experiences with local tribes
Hot air ballooning
Horse riding

"Planning the trip with Bianca was a pleasure - she was patient and helpful and provided prompt answers to all our questions. The trip itself was remarkable, offering a wide variety of locations and experiences to make our exposure to Africa and safaris a..."

Barbara S., United States•18 Aug 2026•

"Going to south and central Africa was a bucket list item for me and booking a big and expensive trip always feels a bit risky and you hope you have made the right choice. Booking with Discover Africa was fantastic from beginning to end! Our trip coordina..."

Deanna Rozak, United States•25 May 2026•

"All advising given by Discover Africa (in our case, by Justin Van Wyk) was really helpful and the programe they have outlined was great. Everything went really smooth and professional."

Luis Cortez, Portugal•15 Apr 2026•

"Chrizaan arranged an amazing safari experience for six of us, who came from the UK and Australia. She secured our booking at a superb Lodge in the Kruger at relatively short notice, tied in the flight transfers and ensured that the whole experience ran smoo..."

Bethany Evans, United Kingdom•10 Apr 2026•

"Megan Warrington was amazing to work with. She was very informative and kept us up to date on everything. I found out that I would need to have surgery a few days after returning from the trip and asked Megan if she would be able to arrange for a wheelchair..."

Carla Novak, United States•09 Mar 2026•