TRAVEL TIPS

For a comfortable safe stay in a foreign country, it is always important to have some first-hand information about the place to visit. Here are just a few to start us off;

  1. Kenya Visa Requirements; This is mandatory for American and Europe citizens. However there are some countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter Kenya (further details can be obtained from your local Kenyan Embassy)
  2. Health Advice; Currently Kenya has no mandatory inoculation requirements for entry except yellow-fever and typhoid. It is advisable to take malaria prophylactics a few days before travel to Kenya as the country is deep in the tropics where Malaria can get rather endemic
  3. Currency; The Kenya Shilling (abbreviated as KSH, KES or simply sh.) is the local legal tender. This is divided into various denominations;
    • 4 bank-notes; sh1000, sh500, sh200, sh100 & sh50)
    • 5 coins; sh20, sh10, sh5 and the rarely used 1 and 50cents
    • It is important to carry some with you as there are many traders who will not accept trading in foreign currency
  4. Luggage; when packing, take into consideration that Kenya lies in the tropics with climatic variance in altitude changes and depending on exactly which areas you visiting and activities that you intend to engage in. Below are some basics;
    • Camera, Video-cam and accessories
    • Brimmed hat, comfortable and light casual clothing, strong shoes (closed and open)
    • Sunscreen, Insect repellent & prescription medication + Medical kit
    • Flashlight and Binoculars
    • Travel documents, Vaccination papers, Credit/Debit cards
    • Kenya map and travel guide
    • Notebook, Tablet or Smartphone
  5. Local Lingo; Swahili is more spoken, included a corrupted street version of it called Sheng’. A simple Swahili Guide Book would come handy.
  6. Personal Safety; These are the everyday challenges that come with any urban setting;
    • Keep a copy of your passport
    • Avoid isolated & dingy places
    • Don’t flash jewelry neither heavy camera kit nor walk around with too much money (a money-belt under your t-shirt would do)
  7. Do’s and Don’ts;
  • Do not take photos of protected areas such as Parliament building, State House, Police Stations and Military installations
  • Ask for permission before you take someone’s or their properties’ pictures
  • Exchange currency in reputable foreign exchange bureaus, hotels and banks
  • Never approach any wild animal in the park due to their unpredictability (even if it appears harmless)
  • It is safer to drink bottled/mineral water
  • Tipping is OK but not mandatory

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFO

Transport network for both inter-estate and inter-city is highly developed within Kenya.

  • Inter-estate Transport
    • Buses, locally known as “Matatu” are the cheapest, (e.g. a ride between Nairobi Central District & most estates currently costs KES 50 (about half a dollar). They are unscheduled and most operate late into the night. Also, most are very colorful with art/graffiti and lights accompanied by very powerful and loud music sound systems (some going as far as providing screens with non-stop Video-Jockey shows throughout the ride while some are even Wifi-enabled (password provided)
    • Motor-Cycle Taxis, locally known as “Boda Boda” are also available 24/7 and provide rides to areas that are not accessible by vehicles (they also tend to be pocket-friendly).
    • Conventional Cabs are also available 24/7. So far the safest as you can hire one on a private transfer basis, they come at a higher price.
  • Inter-city Transport
    • These are operated by Buses (most have bigger-carrying capacity ranging between 45-50 passengers). Many of the buses are owned by established companies and most are scheduled e.g. Coast Bus & Mash that ply between Nairobi and Mombasa-2 cities that are about 500 km apart.
    • There also numerous other privately-owned buses run by enterprising individuals who efficiently inter-connect the cities. The buses operate both day and night.
  • Railway Transport
    • The railway network connects cities & counties (currently the Standard Gauge Railway, dubbed “Madaraka Express”…FYI “Madaraka” is a Swahili word meaning “Freedom or Independence”. It is in use between Nairobi and Mombasa. Currently the government is developing the western circuit from Nairobi through to the port city of Kisumu (about 360 km away) and ultimately to the Kenya-Uganda Frontier.
    • There is also the old Railway which operates inter-city and has a very rich over 100 year’s old historical attachment regarding the Indian Construction workers and the famous massacre by the 2 blood-thirsty Tsavo lions that gave inspiration to the movie “Man-Eaters Of The Tsavo”. FYI; the lions are currently on display in The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago-Illinois.

 

 

AIRPORT INFORMATION

With an ultra-modern airport, inbound access and outbound has been made easy, what with the high air traffic from all corners of the globe. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, so named after the first president of the republic (and father to the current president-Uhuru Kenyatta) is hosted in Nairobi City (Kenya’s capital) and not far from the numerous city hotels that host visitors upon arrival.  It is well networked with other local airports, one of which (Wilson Airport) is right within the city. The strategic centrality of the city nationally makes every corner of the country easily accessible with complex road networks all over. Hence Nairobi is used as a stepping stone into the country’s various places of interest (from the national parks and game reserves to the mountains and other cities).

The 2nd largest city of Mombasa, a highly touristic destination (both culturally, historically, beach sun-and-sand experience and surrounding marine & animal national parks & game reserves), also hosts another ultra-modern airport-Moi International Airport, which is also highly accessible inbound and outbound. It is also strategically located from both the city and beach hotels that are well spread along the long Indian Ocean coastal stretch.

There are also numerous other smaller airports in other cities well networked from the main ones in Nairobi and Mombasa.

All these airports are served by well-developed transport networks (mostly cabs) that operate transfers.

 

LANGUAGE AND LOCAL DIALECTS

With a population of over 45 million people, the country is made up of 44 tribes who speak different dialects but are all united in Swahili and English (both slated as official languages). They are all known for their unique history, culture, values, lifestyle, language, food and religion. Some of the tribes include Kikuyu (the country’s single largest ethnic group), Kalenjin, Luhya, Luo, Turkana, Somali, Mijikenda, Maasai and Samburu among so many others. The last two tribes are well known by international tourists to Kenya because these have managed to preserve their traditional ways of life while blending in the modern setting. This has indeed made them a very cohesive and culturally authentic people and as such stand out internationally as Kenya’s cultural symbol.

As a visitor, getting along smoothly will be easy, with no language barrier, as apart from the warm hospitality, almost every Kenyan you interact with will most probably be conversant in English. Other citizens have gone further to learn 2nd languages (e.g. French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Russian…etc…).