Month by month
| Month | Afternoon | Sea | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.1 °C | — | 9 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| February | 27.3 °C | — | 8 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| March | 27.4 °C | — | 13 days | Pleasant — a good time to go |
| April | 25 °C | — | 26 days | Unfavourable season |
| May | 23.8 °C | — | 18 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| June | 23.1 °C | — | 9 days | Pleasant — a good time to go |
| July | 22.7 °C | — | 5 days | Pleasant — a good time to go |
| August | 23.4 °C | — | 7 days | Pleasant — a good time to go |
| September | 25.1 °C | — | 7 days | Ideal — one of the best times of year |
| October | 26.1 °C | — | 14 days | Pleasant — a good time to go |
| November | 24.3 °C | — | 23 days | Unfavourable season |
| December | 24.7 °C | — | 17 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
Nearby in May
Before you go
Three things to check once you have picked your dates.
Entry
No visa, but an electronic travel authorisation (electronic travel authorisation) must be obtained online before departure. Passport valid for at least 6 months. Apply online for the electronic travel authorisation at least 2 weeks before departure; 2 blank passport pages needed.
For a British passport, per the UK Foreign Office on 4 September 2026. Rules change: check before booking.
Safety
Outside the areas advised against
Parts of the country are advised against (counties bordering Somalia (Mandera, eastern Wajir, Garissa), Lamu County except Lamu and Manda islands, north of the Tana River and the coast between the Tana and Galana rivers); Nairobi is not one of them.
Official advice updated 4 September 2026
Health
Vaccines · typhoid recommended for most travellers; hepatitis A and hepatitis B if you are not already vaccinated; rabies, cholera and meningococcal disease depending on activities and areas visited. Routine vaccines up to date (measles in particular).
Yellow fever · Vaccine recommended for parts of the country (not recommended for the city of Nairobi (the capital); the counties of the former North Eastern Province (Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa); or the counties (except Taita-Taveta) of the former Coast Province (Kilifi, including the city of Malindi; Kwale; Lamu; Mombasa, including the city of Mombasa; Tana River)). Certificate required only if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk.
Malaria · Present. Areas: All areas (including game parks) <2,500 m (<8,200 ft) elevation; rare cases in the highly urbanized central part of the city of Nairobi (the capital). Preventive medication recommended: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine Highly urbanized central part of the city of Nairobi: No chemoprophylaxis recommended (insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only) — prescribed before departure.
Mosquitoes · dengue and Zika reported: protect yourself from bites.
Per the CDC (page reviewed 25 August 2026); see a travel clinic a few weeks before departure.
Beau Fixe is not a safety or health authority. These notes summarise dated public texts and link to their source: France Diplomatie (Licence Ouverte 2.0), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: CDC). Only the competent authorities are authoritative.
FAQ
Can you swim in Nairobi in May?
Nairobi is not a seaside destination (no sea data).
How hot is Nairobi in May?
Expect 23.8°C in the afternoon and 14.9°C at night, averaged over the last 10 years.
Does it rain a lot in Nairobi in May?
Around 18 days with rain (≥ 1 mm) in the month — 58% of days.