Kenya · Africa

Longest and shortest day in Nairobi

In Nairobi, Kenya, the longest day of 2026 is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 12h 12m of daylight, and the shortest is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 12h 3m.

Nairobi sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202606:3618:4312h 7m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202606:3318:3512h 3m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202606:2218:2812h 6m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202606:2418:3612h 12m
Nairobi day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January06:3618:4712h 11m
February06:4218:5112h 9m
March06:3818:4512h 7m
April06:3018:3512h 5m
May06:2718:3012h 4m
June06:3118:3412h 3m
July06:3718:4012h 3m
August06:3518:3912h 4m
September06:2418:3012h 6m
October06:1418:2212h 8m
November06:1218:2212h 11m
December06:2118:3312h 12m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Nairobi

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Nairobi leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Nairobi sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Nairobi

When is the longest day in Nairobi?

The longest day in Nairobi falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 12h 12m of daylight, sunrise at 06:24 and sunset at 18:36.

When is the shortest day in Nairobi?

The shortest day in Nairobi falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 12h 3m of daylight, sunrise at 06:33 and sunset at 18:35.

How much does day length change through the year in Nairobi?

Between the longest and shortest day, Nairobi gains and loses about 0h 9m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

Every figure is computed from Nairobi's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Nairobi