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Kenya Information

Overview

Kenya is regarded by many as the ‘jewel of East Africa’, and has some of the continent’s finest beaches, most magnificent wildlife and scenery, and an incredibly sophisticated tourism infrastructure. It is a startlingly beautiful land, from the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast to the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds and bejewelled by strange giant alpine plants.

Between these two extremes is the acacia-studded rolling savannah, which is home to game parks such as Amboseli, the Masai Mara, Samburu and Tsavo; the lush, agricultural highlands with their sleek green coat of coffee and tea plantations; and the most spectacular stretch of the Great Rift Valley, the giant scar across the face of Africa.

Above all, Kenya is a place for safaris, and one-tenth of all land in Kenya is designated as national parks and reserves. Just about every African plains animal is present. Over 50 parks and reserves cover all habitats from desert to mountain forest, and there are even six marine parks in the Indian Ocean.

Kenya also has a fascinatingly diverse population with around 40 different tribes, all with their own languages and cultures. Major tribes include the Kikuyu, the Luyia and the Luo, but the most famous are the tall, proud, beautiful red-clad Masai, who still lead a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle of cattle-herding along the southern border.

A mixture of African and Asian, the unique Swahili culture can be found along the balmy coast, where for centuries it became prosperous on the profits of commerce from the tradewinds that carried ocean-going dhows (sailing boats) across the Indian Ocean to Arabia and Persia.

Kenya does have some downsides as a tourist destination. There is enormous pressure to buy anything and everything, often at ridiculously inflated prices, and even taking a photograph in the local market is likely to incur a cost. But despite this, the people are friendly and the tourist trade is supremely well organised and professional. For those in search of a little adventure, this can be an ideal holiday destination.

Author

Melissa Shales

Top Things To See

In Lake Nakuru National Park, witness thousands of flamingos fringing the edge of the lake in pink. It is also one of Kenya’s best rhino sanctuaries and you may spot leopard in the arms of the giant yellowwood acacia trees (website: www.kws.org/nakuru.html).

In the Masai Mara National Reserve, in the southwest corner of the country, be fascinated by the spectacular setting for the great migration - the constant clockwise motion of an estimated 2 million wildebeests and zebra who arrive in the Mara from late June onwards, heading south again in September. The Masai Mara has the largest population of lions in Kenya (website: www.masai-mara.net).

In Mombasa, enjoy the city’s Arab flavour in the Old Town with its narrow, crowded streets, watch the sailing dhows in the Old Harbour and catch the sound and light show at Fort Jesus, now a museum (website: www.mombasainfo.com).

In Nairobi, browse the ethnographic and archaeological exhibits of the Kenya National Museum (website: www.museums.or.ke) and, in the suburb of Karen, go to the Karen Blixen Museum (website: www.karen-blixen.dk), which occupies the farmhouse made famous by the author’s book, Out of Africa.

In the Bomas of Kenya, a short distance outside Nairobi’s city centre, see displays of traditional dancing and explore mock-ups of traditional village homes (website: www.bomasofkenya.co.ke).

In Lamu Town, an historical Swahili town on Lamu Island, see many mosques and fine old Arab houses with impressive carved wooden doors. Go to the Lamu Museum and the Swahili House Museum. The Fortress is also open to the public. Day trips to the 14th- and 15th-century ruins on the nearby islands of Manda and Pate can be arranged with local boat owners (website: www.lamuheritage.com).

Close to Watamu, in the town of Gedi , explore the well-preserved ruins of a Swahili city, founded in the 13th century and destroyed by Somali raiders in the 17th century. The Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, south of Watamu, and the little village of Mambrui, north of Malindi, are also worth a visit.

In the Amboseli Park, which lies on the Tanzanian border 220km (140 miles) from Nairobi, marvel at fine views of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain (5,895m/19,340ft) (website: www.kws.org/amboseli.html).

Drive around the vast bulk of Mount Kenya, where there are several attractive small towns such as Nyeri; Nyahururu, home of the Thomson’s Falls; and Muranga’a, whose cathedral tells the story of the Mau Mau rebellions in a series of colourful murals.

In Aberdare National Park, be enchanted by the sight of many waterfalls, the greatest being Guru Falls, which drops over 300m (1,000ft). The western face of the mountain range is the sheer Mau Escarpment, which falls dramatically to the floor of the Great Rift Valley (website: www.kws.org/aberdare.html).

Discover Kenya’s most recent conservation success on the Laikipia Plateau, where former farmland has been opened up as game sanctuaries and stocked with big game including the Big Five - elephant, buffalo, lion, rhino and leopard. The old farmsteads have been reverted into delightful and luxurious accommodation (website: www.laikipia.org).

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

Sail on a romantic dhow (traditional Arab sailing boat) in Mombasa, while feasting on a delicious seafood dinner and watching the moon rise over the old harbour (website: www.tamarinddhow.com).

Go shopping in Mombasa. Biashara Street is probably the best place to buy kikoi and khanga cloths. The main city market is the Makupa Market, off Mwembe Tayari. Serious souvenir shoppers should also head for Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Village, where disabled men and women produce high-quality leatherwork, jewellery and other crafts.

Visit the many attractions on the beach road north of Mombasa, including: the Bamburi Quarry Nature Trail (website: www.bamburicement.com), which also features a butterfly farm; the giant crocs at Mamba Crocodile Village; and Ngomongo Villages (website: www.ngomongo.com), a cultural park demonstrating the lifestyle of 11 different Kenyan tribes.

Skate on East Africa’s first ice-skating facility. The Solar Ice Rink, which opened in December 2005 at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi, can accommodate 200 skaters and measures 1,400 sq m (15,000 sq ft) (website: www.panarihotel.com).

Go scuba-diving, snorkelling, sailing, waterskiing, swimming and surfing on Kenya’s Coral Coast. The most popular resorts to the north of Mombasa include Bamburi, Kikambala, Kilifi, Malindi and Nyali. Along the south coast, the best and most famous beach is the 10km- (6-mile) long, dazzlingly white Diani Beach, some 40km (24 miles) south of Mombasa.

Try your hand at deep-sea fishing, which is at its best along the coast between July and April. Sailfish, marlin, swordfish, kingfish, barracuda and tuna are all abundant.

Climb Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano. At 4,986m (16,358ft) above sea level, it is the second-highest mountain in Africa. The Mountain Club of Kenya Guide to Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro can be bought from the Mountain Club of Kenya (website: www.mck.or.ke).

Take in sweeping views of the Great Rift Valley from the road between Nairobi and Naivasha. Here the 2,000m- (6,560ft-) high escarpment walls plunge to the flat-bottomed valley floor below, which is dotted by a small string of volcanoes and brackish soda lakes.

Watch baby elephants play at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage on the edge of Nairobi National Park. This is an important sanctuary for orphaned and abandoned elephants, which are hand reared before being re-released back into the wild (website: www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org).

Also near here, at the Langata Giraffe Centre, experience the unique opportunity of feeding the resident Rothschild giraffes from a giraffe-height tower (website: www.giraffecenter.org).

For those staying on the coast, do take an excursion to the Shimba Hills National Reserve , the most accessible place from the beach resorts to see big game, leopard and Kenya’s only population of sable antelope. There is also the Mwalu-Ganje Elephant Sanctuary here (website: www.kws.org/shimba.html). 

In just half a day, spot a full range of animals in the Nairobi National Park, only 8km (5 miles) from Nairobi city centre. Kenya’s first national park, today it still looks much as it did in the early photographs - wild, undulating pasture dotted with every kind of East African plain-dwelling animal except elephants (website: www.kws.org/nairobi.html).

Float over herds of game in the Masai Mara National Reserve in a hot-air balloon. The hour-long trip sets off at dawn and ends with a champagne breakfast. Almost all the lodges in the reserve offer this excursion (website: www.masai-mara.net).

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Meat in the country is outstandingly good, as is the wide variety of tropical vegetables and fruits. Inland, a local freshwater fish, tilapia is popular and tasty. On the coast the Swahili style of cuisine is delicately flavoured with spices and coconut milk and features fragrant rice, grilled fish and seafood curries. Indian and Middle Eastern food is available in most areas, and there is a wide range of international restaurants in Nairobi and Mombasa. The tourist hotels along the coast and the large lodges in the game reserves and national parks offer buffet meals. Hotels in smaller towns offer restaurant service, but this is usually a dish of the day, such as chicken and chips or stew and rice.

National specialities:
• Some game park lodges serve game, including buffalo steaks marinated in local liqueurs and berries, often garnished with wild honey and cream.
• Nyama Choma literally means roasted meat, and is one of Kenya’s best-known specialities. It is usually served with a spicy tomato relish.
• Most Kenyans eat a stiff porridge made from maize meal called ugali.
• At the small ‘hotelis’, chai (tea boiled with milk and sugar) and mandazi (doughnuts) are popular.

National drinks:
• Tusker and White Cap (locally brewed beer).
•Kenya Cane (spirit distilled from sugar cane).
•Kenya Gold (a coffee liqueur).
•Uki (traditional beer made with honey).
•Changaa (locally made spirit distilled from maize).

Tipping: This is not required. Most hotels include a 10% service charge in the bill. If the service charge has not been included, a small tip is usual, although the amount is entirely at the visitor’s discretion.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Nightlife

Most of the major hotels in Nairobi and the holiday resorts along the coast have dancing with live bands or discos each evening. There are also a few individual local nightclubs in Nairobi and Mombasa that stay open until dawn but these can get very crowded and prostitution abounds - go in a crowd and take a taxi. Increasingly, modern multi-screen cinema complexes are appearing in Nairobi and Mombasa, which show mainly Hollywood movies, while in the smaller towns are old colonial-style cinemas showing old Kung Fu or Indian films. Theatre is popular in Nairobi. There is a National Theatre and several small groups of dramatic companies; probably the best-known is the Phoenix Players. Quite often, traditional tribal dancing and drumming is performed in the game lodges and beach resorts.

Shopping

  The city and town centres usually have markets that sell curios such as African drums, old brass and copper, batiks, soapstone knick-knacks, carved chess sets, and large wooden carvings of animals or salad bowls carved from a single piece of teak, mninga or ebony. Masai items such as beaded jewellery, decorated gourds and the distinctive red-checked blankets worn by all Masai men make good souvenirs. Khanga, kitenge and kikoi cloths are ideal to use as sarongs (common in East Africa for both men and women), and Kenyan baskets made from sisal and leather are also popular. Most of the tourist areas have abundant stalls and markets selling these items; you will be expected to haggle good-naturedly over prices.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1230 and 1400-1730. Some Muslim supermarkets and other businesses close on Friday afternoons.

Note: The exportation of souvenirs made from wildlife skins (this includes reptiles) and shells is forbidden.

Climate

The coastal areas are tropical, but tempered by monsoon winds. The lowlands are hot but mainly dry, while the highlands are more temperate with four seasons. Nairobi has a very pleasant climate throughout the year due to its altitude. Near Lake Victoria, the temperatures are much higher and rainfall can be heavy.

Required Clothing

Lightweight cottons and linens with rainwear are advised for the coast and lakeside. Warmer clothing is needed in June and July and for the cooler mornings on the coast. Lightweights are needed for much of the year in the highlands. Rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and December.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
21 Mar Good Friday. 
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 Jun Madaraka Day.
10 Oct Moi Day.
2 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
20 Oct Kenyatta Day.
8 Dec Feast of the Sacrifice.
12 Dec Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 Jun Madaraka Day.
10 Oct Moi Day.
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
20 Oct Kenyatta Day.
28 Nov Feast of the Sacrifice.
12 Dec Independence Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note

(a) Holidays falling on a Sunday are observed the following Monday. (b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Yes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: Yes

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Yes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: Yes*

Health Care

Health insurance is essential. Part of the African Medical and Research Foundation, the Flying Doctor Service have introduced a special Tourist Membership, which guarantees that any member injured or ill while on safari can call on a flying doctor for free air transport (website: www.amref.org). There are good medical facilities in Mombasa and Nairobi.

Note

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas; those countries formerly classified as endemic zones are considered to be still infected by the Kenyan authorities. Travellers arriving from non-endemic zones should note that vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside the urban areas, even if an outbreak of the disease has not been reported and they would normally not require a vaccination certificate to enter the country.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Kenyan Shilling (KES; symbol KSh) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of KSh1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of KSh20, 10 and 5.

Currency Exchange

Currency can be exchanged at the major banks, bureaux de change or authorised hotels. The banks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Moi International Airport have 24-hour exchange services. The easiest currencies to exchange are US Dollars, Pounds Sterling and Euros.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted. Major hotels now also accept payment by credit card, as do major safari companies, travel agencies and restaurants. Almost every bank now has an ATM and in the cities they are increasingly being installed at petrol stations.

Traveller's Cheques

These can be changed at banks, and are widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency Restrictions

Restrictions apply.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1500, Sat 0900-1100. Banks in Mombasa and the coastal areas open and close half an hour earlier. The banks at the international airports open 24 hours every day. Bureaux de change have longer hours and in the cities open on Sundays.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: Yes

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: Yes
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Passports

Passport valid for three months from date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart above with at least one blank page.

Visas

Required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except the following:
(a) all holders of a re-entry pass to Kenya.

Visa Note

(a) All nationals referred to in the chart above may obtain a visa on entry in Kenya. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses). (c) Multiple-entry visas may only be issued to nationals of the United Kingdom.

Types of Visa and Cost

Entry: £30 (single-entry); £60 (multiple-entry). Transit: £10. On arrival: US$50.
Note: If the application is referred to Immigration in Nairobi, an additional £7 will be payable.

Validity

Single-entry: up to three months from date of issue; Multiple-entry: up to 12 months from date of issue. Renewals (up to six months) or extensions can be made at Immigration in Nyayo House, Uhuru Highway, Nairobi or at Kisumu and Mombasa. The period of stay in Kenya can be given at the port of entry (maximum three months).

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at embassy or high commission); see Contact Addresses.

Working Days Required

Three (applying in person) or one week from date of receipt (postal applications). If the visa has to be referred to Nairobi it will take at least eight weeks.

Contact Addresses

Kenya Wildlife Service

PO Box 40241-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (020) 600 800.
Website: www.kws.org

Kenya High Commission in the UK

45 Portland Place, London W1B 1AS, UK
Tel: (020) 7636 2371/5.
Website: www.kenyahighcommission.net
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: applications 0930-1200, collections 1400-1530.

Kenya Tourist Board in the UK

c/o Hills Balfour, Colechurch House, 1 London Bridge Walk, London SEI 2SX, UK
Tel: (020) 7367 0900.
Website: www.magicalkenya.com

Kenya Embassy in the USA

2249 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 387 6101.
Website: www.kenyaembassy.com

Travel Advice

Warning

A number of areas of Kenya are experiencing violent unrest following the disputed presidential election result and may be prone to further outbreaks. The security and political situation in the country remains unpredictable. Travellers should avoid all public gatherings and large public meetings. Any rallies, even if advertised as peaceful, could potentially turn violent.

Travellers currently in Kenya should exercise extreme caution and seek advice locally either from their tour operator or the local authorities, particularly if needing to travel.

Travellers are advised against all but essential travel to: Western and Nyanza Provinces; and the following districts of Rift Valley province - Nakuru (including Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha National Parks), Turkana Central, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gichu, Koibatek, Nandi, Kericho and Bomet.

It is also advised against all but essential travel to the worst-affected areas of Nairobi, including all township or slum areas, which are experiencing constant tension and periodic, unpredictable violent unrest. The worst incidents have been seen in Kibera, Mathare, Huruma, Kariobangi, Kawangware and Eastleigh. Travellers in these areas you should remain indoors, exercise extreme caution and seek advice locally if they need to travel. There have also been incidents in the city centre, especially in and around Uhuru Park.

There have been reports that some tour operators are cancelling forthcoming holidays to Kenya. Travellers should contact their tour operators for confirmation of this. International flights continue to operate but travellers should check with airlines before travelling to the airport.

Kenya shares with neighbouring countries a high threat from terrorism. This threat remains. Previous attacks have been against civilian or visibly Western targets where foreigners have been present. These have included bomb attacks on a hotel and a Western embassy, both of which resulted in significant loss of life, and an unsuccessful attempt to bring down a civilian airliner in Mombasa.

On 27 September 2007, the US Embassy in Nairobi issued a Warden Message to US citizens warning that Islamic extremists in southern Somalia may be planning kidnapping operations inside Kenya. They warn that Westerners may be targeted in the Kiwayu Island tourist area and other beach sites on the northeast coast near Somalia.

Muggings and armed attacks are prevalent, particularly in Nairobi and Mombasa. There have been a number of violent attacks and murders of non-indigenous residents since 2004. In January 2007 there were a number of incidents of carjacking and armed robbery involving foreign nationals in and around Nairobi. Visitors should avoid travelling at night outside Nairobi and remain vigilant.

There are concerns about the inadequate security arrangements in place at Wilson airport in Nairobi. The airport is mainly used for domestic flights, including charters. These concerns have been raised with the Kenyan authorities. The situation continues to be monitored. Travellers should remain vigilant at all times.

There have been skirmishes and inter-clan fighting in the North Eastern Province, along the Somalia border. People have been killed. Due to the instability in Somalia there is increased tension along the Kenya-Somalia border. Travel in the northeast should only be undertaken with care and after consulting the police.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• Kenya Overview
• Kenya Things to See
• Kenya Things to Do
• Kenya Events
• Kenya Climate
• Kenya Public Holidays
• Kenya Health
• Kenya Currency
• Kenya Passport & Visas
• Kenya Contact Addresses
• Kenya Travel Advice