Abduljabbar Ali If you are planning to visit Mombasa, you must know the best month to explore the vibrant coastal city.
Before I can tell you the best month to travel to Mombasa, you first need to know what to expect during that time.
What may be the best time for me, it may not be the same for you.
Your travel style and preferences are what determine whether traveling to a certain destination in a certain month is the best thing for you or not.
It can be that you want to explore the city when everything is alive. You like the chaos of the city and the challenges it gives you.
If that is what you like, you should visit Mombasa during its highest seasons (starting from September to December).
But if you want to explore the city when everything is calm, slow, cheap, and in order — you should travel to Mombasa in its lowest seasons (starting from Feb to August).
That is why I earlier stated that you need to know your travel style, your preference, and what you would enjoy the most when you travel to Mombasa, Kenya.
Read also; Is it Worth Visiting Mombasa? [9 Reasons Why It Is]
What is the best time to travel to Mombasa?
The best time to travel to Mombasa is between February to August. These times are considered the best since the city is not overcrowded with tourists, everything is cheaper and the temperatures aren’t super high compared to October to December.
Read also; Is January A Good Time To Visit Mombasa?
The trick you should know that comes with the best timelines to travel to Mombasa is usually from its atmosphere — the way the city holds up, the internal activities going on, the weather, and the holidays in place.
The best months to travel to Mombasa are based on;
If you want to travel to a destination you first have to know your preferences and understand how it’s holding up.
Most tourists visit Mombasa to enjoy the beaches, the coastal dishes, and the touristic sites, learn the history, and experience the internal activities of the locals.
Read also; 9 Things That Mombasa Is Best Known For
Through that way, they can learn more about Mombasa and explore it to the fullest.
I have made it easier for you to pick your best month to travel to Mombasa, Kenya according to your preferences and travel style.
1. Weather.
Generally, Mombasa is known for its hot weather because it’s a tropical destination in Kenya.
The few rainy days people experience in this vibrant city don’t extremely affect the temperatures in any way.
If you are visiting Mombasa intending to escape the cold weather in your country — you want to explore the city during its highest temperatures and fewer rainy days, the best months would be February and March.
During February to March, temperatures usually range from 23°C to 34°C, while the rain days on average are 3. You may even never have to carry an umbrella in Mombasa during these months.
If you are traveling to Mombasa from April to July, you should expect many rainy days (14 to 11 days on average) and a little decrease in temperatures compared to February and March during the day ranging from 21°C to 31°C on average.
In most cases, May holds the most number of rainy days (14 to 16 on average ), with its temperatures ranging from 24°C to 31°C on average.
In Mombasa, the temperatures are pretty usually higher because it’s located in the coastal region.
But if you want to visit Mombasa when the temperatures are a little bit cooler you should go there between June and August when the lowest temperatures range from 20°C to 29°C on average.
Also, it’s during these months that you should expect 11 to 12 rainy days on average. Ensure you bring with you some jackets only for the sake of rain but not the temperatures.
You don’t need heavy jackets in Mombasa.
Read also; Is December A Good Time To Visit Mombasa?
2. Off seasons.
Now let us talk a little bit about the peak and low seasons in Mombasa.
If you are a budget traveler, you have no choice but to choose a month when everything is cheaper.
For anyone traveling to Mombasa on a tight budget while seeking to explore it to the fullest, the best month will be from March to June.
Read also; 8 Affordable Places To Visit In Mombasa Kenya
From March to June, it’s when the city starts to open up; accommodations, activities, and transportation costs are usually low.
It becomes very cheap to get around Mombasa. With a budget of $200, you can travel the entire Mombasa and even stretch to the south coast (Ukunda to explore Diani Beach) and still be left with a balance.
The services are usually great since everyone is trying to attract more tourists to his or her business.
Another positive thing about traveling to Mombasa during these months (March to June) most of the touristic sites are less crowded compared to the high seasons (September to November).
This makes the tours less expensive since tourists are few and everyone is trying to make a living.
But things won’t be the same when the tide turns especially when we are nearing the festive seasons.
This time of the year the beaches are usually super calm and empty. It’s the best time to enjoy the blue crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean all by yourself.
As usual, the food, leisure, and sports are super cheap. You can get a gym membership at a cheaper price since the turn up of tourists is usually very low.
It’s a good idea to keep fit while traveling.
3. Many cultural activities.
If you are interested in experiencing the cultural activities happening in the streets of Mombasa, the best month to visit there would be around the end of Ramadhan.
Ramadhan changes every year because Muslims follow the Islamic calendar.
This will force you to check the Islamic calendar before you plan your travels.
It’s during the month of Ramadhan when Muslims practice their religious obligation of fasting ( it’s one of the obligatory acts in Islam).
They stay without eating or drinking anything from dusk till dawn.
Mombasa is a little bit different during this month — it’s usually very calm and peaceful, the rush is minimized, decreased crimes and it’s the eruption of a vast diversity of Swahili dishes.
After the end of Ramadhan, Muslims host a huge celebration called Iddul fitr, marking its end.
It’s during this time you get to see the celebratory style of the Muslims, come across so many street foods in the streets, and see how people are dressed.
Mombasa holds the largest number of Muslims, so you should expect to see the city alive during Eid Day.
4. The ease of getting around.
When I say the best month to travel to Mombasa based on the ease of getting around the city; I imply during the months when traffic is low.
If the number of tourists visiting the coast is lower — you can easily move from one point to another without stressing out about transportation costs.
The best month to visit Mombasa, if you are planning to move frequently from one point to another is between March to June.
During this time of the year, many transportation businesses involving passengers are usually experiencing lows.
The fares are going to be super low and most of the seats are unoccupied.
So, if you are planning to move from Mombasa Island to the South Coast (Kwale County) as you are exploring and then take a bus or a train to Nairobi, it’s going to be super easy for you.
Starting from July to September, the transportation costs start to increase as the months progress towards the festive seasons.
It’s become hectic to move around Mombasa — since the fare increases, the temperatures get super high, and most traveling dates are usually fully booked.
5. Traveling style — slow traveler.
If you are traveling slowly — you want to explore the city to the fullest, and see how Mombasa city unfolds from low to peak seasons and the changes of prices of things, the best month to travel there is in March or June.
In March, everything is super slow in Mombasa. It’s the best time for you to see the transition of the city from its lows to highs.
As time keeps passing by you will be able to see the change vividly.
For you to see the changes, you have to live within the city. Tour the markets (marikiti) and the Biashara streets once in a while.
It will be easier for you to learn the patterns of how locals handle themselves from low to high seasons and you will get to learn more about their cultural practices.
Another advantage is that the costs of almost everything will be lower thus ensuring you are spending less even when staying longer in the city.
You are likely to enjoy your stay in Mombasa, understand deeply the changes, and learn more about this incredible city of Kenya.
Lastly…
The best month to travel to Mombasa depends on your preferences and what you want to unravel.
Figure out how you would like to see the city and make your plans for that month.
If you are all in for everything that Mombasa is going to give you, the best time to visit is between February to August.
Mombasa, Kenya is one of the cities in Kenya that receives tourists in any month since the weather and cost of accommodations and activities aren’t hindrances.
It’s cheaper to travel to Mombasa even when it’s during the high seasons especially if your currency has a higher exchange rate.
Read also; What Makes Mombasa A Cheaper Place To Live [5 Major Things]
I wouldn’t say the same for other cities like Nairobi and Nakuru.
But if you are specific about what you want to experience while traveling in Mombasa, choose the best month according to your preferences.
Related reads;
