Film production in Nairobi
Between December and June, usable daylight in Nairobi moves by 0h 09min — from 12h 12min down to 12h 03min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Nairobi rises at 06:33 and sets at 18:35; the evening golden hour starts at 18:06 and runs for 30 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:23–18:34, with a 30-minute golden-hour window from 18:05.
In practice, a spread of 0h 09min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:37 | 18:48 | 12h 11min | 18:19 |
| February | 06:43 | 18:52 | 12h 09min | 18:24 |
| March | 06:39 | 18:46 | 12h 07min | 18:19 |
| April | 06:31 | 18:36 | 12h 05min | 18:08 |
| May | 06:28 | 18:32 | 12h 04min | 18:03 |
| June | 06:33 | 18:35 | 12h 03min | 18:06 |
| July | 06:38 | 18:41 | 12h 03min | 18:11 |
| August | 06:36 | 18:40 | 12h 04min | 18:12 |
| September | 06:26 | 18:32 | 12h 06min | 18:05 |
| October | 06:15 | 18:23 | 12h 08min | 17:56 |
| November | 06:13 | 18:23 | 12h 10min | 17:55 |
| December | 06:23 | 18:34 | 12h 12min | 18:05 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Nairobi starts at 18:49 in June and ends at 18:58 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 18:48. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:46) and September (18:32) there are 14 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Nairobi averages 26 rain days in April and 5 in July. A three-day exterior shoot in April statistically loses 2.6 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19.8 °C | 9 | 11.1 |
| February | 20.6 °C | 8 | 11.3 |
| March | 20.7 °C | 13 | 10.8 |
| April | 19.4 °C | 26 | 9.7 |
| May | 18.6 °C | 18 | 10.0 |
| June | 17.7 °C | 9 | 9.4 |
| July | 17.2 °C | 5 | 8.3 |
| August | 17.5 °C | 8 | 8.5 |
| September | 18.6 °C | 8 | 9.9 |
| October | 19.7 °C | 14 | 10.5 |
| November | 18.7 °C | 22 | 9.8 |
| December | 19.0 °C | 16 | 10.7 |
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in June, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Nairobi?
In June it starts at 18:06 and lasts 30 minutes; in December it starts at 18:05 and lasts 30 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Nairobi get?
Between 12h 03min in June and 12h 12min in December. The 0h 09min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Nairobi?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. December has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.