Festivals and events in Kenya, month by month

Kenya's calendar runs on camels, dhows and marathons. Time your trip right and you can watch camel races in the Samburu town of Maralal, dhow races off Lamu, rally cars on the volcanic dust of Naivasha, or about fourteen communities dancing on the shore of Lake Turkana. This page lists the festivals and events in Kenya worth building a trip around, with the month each one usually falls in.

One thing first: dates shift every year, and some events are confirmed only a few months ahead. Use the calendar above to choose your month, then confirm the exact dates with the organizer before you book flights. We update this page every January. A note on our own site: our events page lists Kenya Experience events in the U.S., such as info sessions and meetups. This page is about festivals and events in Kenya.

The calendar at a glance

Lake Turkana Cultural Festival

For three days, usually in May or June, the small town of Loiyangalani on the eastern shore of Lake Turkana hosts the communities of the north: El Molo, Turkana, Samburu, Rendille, Gabra, Daasanach and others, about fourteen in all. Each brings its songs, dances, dress and beadwork. It is one of the few times many of these communities perform together, and for photographers it is extraordinary. It is also a long way from anywhere: two days' drive from Nairobi through Maralal and South Horr, or a charter flight to the Loiyangalani airstrip. Accommodation is limited to simple lodges and camping, so book early. Travel with an operator who runs the route: we plan it with experienced northern drivers and guides in 4x4 vehicles, or with a charter flight, and we book the beds well ahead.

Maralal International Camel Derby

In mid-August, Maralal, the main town of Samburu County, fills for its camel derby: professional races, an amateur race where visitors can ride with a handler, cycling races and a town carnival. It fits well with the August migration in the Mara or a Samburu safari, since Maralal is a few hours from Samburu National Reserve. Expect dust, heat and very good humor. The organizers confirm dates and entry details each year, usually in the months before.

Lamu's festivals

Lamu has two of Kenya's best-known cultural events. Maulidi celebrates the Prophet Muhammad's birthday with processions, recitations and gatherings around the Riyadha Mosque; it follows the Islamic calendar, so it moves about 11 days earlier each year. The Lamu Cultural Festival, usually in late November, brings dhow races, donkey races, Swahili poetry, henna and crafts to the Old Town and Shela. We plan Lamu trips around both. For the Cultural Festival, book early: the best houses in the Old Town and Shela fill first, and flights to Manda are busiest that week. Our Lamu page covers getting there and where to stay.

Sport and running

Kenya's sporting calendar is a reason to travel in itself. The Safari Rally, one of motorsport's oldest and toughest events, returned to the World Rally Championship in 2021 and is held around Naivasha, usually in March; spectator stages near Hell's Gate let you watch from a few meters away. The Lewa Safari Marathon in June raises money for conservation and is run on conservancy tracks among the wildlife. The Nairobi Marathon, usually in October, is the city's big road race. And at any time of year, a few days in Iten, the high-altitude training town in Elgeyo-Marakwet, puts you on the same red-dirt roads as the world's best distance runners.

The diaspora December

December is when Kenyans abroad come home, and the calendar shows it. Jamhuri Day on December 12 opens the season. Christmas is spent upcountry with family, and much of Nairobi empties. Between Christmas and New Year, Lake Victoria and the west come alive: the Rusinga Island Festival on Lake Victoria runs around December 20 to 22, and on December 26 the Iteso and Maragoli cultural festivals gather families in Busia and Vihiga. Flights and coast hotels are at their most expensive and fill early, so if you are flying home for December, plan from July. Our diaspora page covers the rest.

Events and what they do to prices

Big events move prices around them. Naivasha's lodges fill and raise rates in Safari Rally week, Maralal's few guesthouses go weeks ahead of the derby, and the coast is at its most expensive from mid-December to New Year. Public holidays matter too: on Madaraka, Mashujaa and Jamhuri days, banks and offices close, roads out of Nairobi are busy, and some museums and government sites shut or change their hours. If an event is the reason for your trip, book the room first and the flights second; if it is not, check this calendar so a festival week does not surprise you.

Nature's calendar

Some of Kenya's biggest events are not on any organizer's list. The wildebeest migration usually reaches the Maasai Mara from about late July and stays into October. Whale sharks pass the south coast from about November to February, and humpback whales from about August to October. Flamingos gather on the Rift Valley lakes when water levels suit them. Our month-by-month season pages show what each month brings for wildlife and weather.

How to plan a trip around an event

• Pick the event first, then confirm its dates with the organizer before booking flights
• Book rooms six to nine months ahead: festival towns such as Loiyangalani and Maralal have very few beds
• Build in a buffer day; northern roads and rally weeks can slow everything down
• Before you book, check the current U.S. State Department advisory for Kenya and confirm your travel insurance covers your route
• Pair each event with a safari: Maralal with Samburu, the Safari Rally with Naivasha and the Mara, the Lewa Marathon with Laikipia
• Ask before photographing performers, and pay any photography fee the community sets