Health
Visitors to Kenya arriving from yellow fever and
cholera-infested areas must have valid vaccination
certificates. Malaria is rare in Nairobi and the
Highlands, but prevalent in the hot and humid low
altitude areas around the coast, Lake Victoria and the
savannah. Prescribed dosages of malaria prophylactics
should be taken two weeks before travel, during your
stay in Kenya and continued for two more weeks after
your departure.
It is safe to swim in the sea and swimming
pools, but it is not recommended to do so in lakes,
rivers and open reservoirs as they may be infested with
bilharzia parasites.
Drinking water from these places is not
advisable. Tap water is safe to drink unless otherwise
indicated. Bottled mineral water is also widely
available.
Most travel agents and tour operators subscribe
to the Flying Doctor Service. Independent cover can also
be arranged through the following contact:
The Flying Doctors' Society of Africa
PO Box 30125
Nairobi
Tel: +254-20-604651-6
Fax: +254-20-601594
Email:
info@amrefke.org
Website:
www.amref.org
Should you require medical assistance, Nairobi and
Mombasa have qualified medical specialists that your
hotel or travel agent can contact for you. Kenya has
excellent medical facilities, which include Nairobi
Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital,
Pandya Memorial Hospital, as well as air ambulance
services, offered by the Africa Medical Research
Foundation Flying Doctors Service (AMREF), Africa Air
Rescue (AAR) and EARS 911 rapid response service.
For contacts of hospitals in Kenya, please check the
"Useful links" section of this website.
Language
Kiswahili is the national language while English
is the official language. Ethnic groups have their own.
Clothing
At the coast during the daytime, beachwear is
acceptable while in the hotel or on the beach. Light
cotton dresses or shirts are recommended when walking
around the city. During the safari, "safari suits" are
the most suitable attire, while for evenings in the
Highlands warm clothing is essential. For Nairobi and
the Highlands, lightweight clothing and dresses are
suitable throughout the year except during the cooler
months of June to August, when warmer clothing is
advisable.
A wide brimmed hat, suntan oil and sunglasses
are recommended for a sunbathing holiday at the coast,
while a raincoat and insect repellent can become handy
during a safari. Some establishments insist on
eveningwear, and your travel agent will advise you on
this. Please do not walk away from the hotel or off the
beach in your beachwear, as doing so may offend the
cultural and religious sensibilities of the local
people.
Customs
Apart from personal effects, visitors may bring
with them:
Cameras (still and video); films and binoculars, which
must not be sold during the visitor's stay in Kenya.
Non-consumable provisions and non-alcoholic beverages in
such quantities as are, in the opinion of the
authorities, consistent with the visit.
Cigarettes, cigars, cheroots, tobacco and snuff, not
exceeding in all two hundred and fifty grams in weight;
spirits (including liqueurs) or wine not exceeding in
all one litre; perfume and eau de toilette not exceeding
in all one half liter, of which not more than a quarter
may be perfume (these duty free allowances are granted
only to passengers of seventeen and over).
Live animals/pets, provided they have a veterinary
certificate. For requirements to import dogs/cats:
please see the visa and consular section of this
website.
Gifts are dutiable, while firearms, illicit drugs and
obscene literature are prohibited.
Photography
Kenya is a photographer's dream country, since
there is abundant wildlife in their natural habitats,
magnificent scenery, captivating avifauna, colorful
people, and reliable as well as unlimited sunlight. It
is, therefore, not difficult to take memorable
photographs even if you are not a professional
photographer. A UV or skylight filter is necessary
everywhere, and a lens hood helps reduce the glare. You
may require a good telephoto lens for shooting dramatic
close-ups of animals, as well as a camera bag to protect
your photographic equipment from dust.
When you are on safari, please always remember that the
animals you encounter are not tame and, as such, it is
advisable not to get out of your vehicle. Please avoid
photographing the local people you meet while on safari
before seeking their permission.
More Details
Driving
Short stay drivers require only their own valid
driving licenses, which have to be endorsed at the Road
Transport Office in Nairobi, either at Income Tax House
(Ngong Road) or Times Tower (HaileSelassie Avenue). An
international driving license is the most convenient.
Your travel agent can organize a “carnet de passage” for
you, which covers, amongst other things, international
driving license and insurance.
Driving is on the left, and drivers approaching from the
right at roundabouts are given priority. Fuel is sold in
liters, and distances are measured and marked in
kilometers.
Currency
There are no restrictions on the foreign
exchange you may bring into the country. However, if you
wish to take out of the country amounts exceeding the
equivalent of Ksh 500,000, you require written
authorization from the Central Bank of Kenya. Defacement
of the Kenyan currency is an indictable offence. The
unit of currency is the Kenya Shilling. Notes come in
denominations of Kshs10, Kshs20, Kshs50, Kshs100,
Kshs500, and Kshs 1,000. It is recommended that you
change your foreign currency only in banks, bureaux de
change or authorized hotels.
Visitors should change any surplus Kenyan currency at a
bank or bureau de change prior to their departure. Banks
making this transaction may wish to see the original
receipts issued when foreign currency was exchanged.
Kenyan currency cannot be used for purchases at airport
duty-free shops. Major international credit cards are
acceptable in many establishments.
Tourist Information & Advance Booking
If you need to contact any of the hotels in
Kenya, visit:
www.seekenya.com
or see "What’s On": A Comprehensive Tourist
Guide by Nation Marketing and Publishing:
www.nationaudio.com/whatson
Advance booking is advisable if you are planning to
visit Kenya during the high season (December to March).
Accommodation tariffs are cheaper during the low season
between April and July. All game lodges and
luxury-tented camps have reservation offices in Nairobi
and Mombasa.
For more information, please contact:
In Kenya:
Kenya Tourist Board
PO Box 30630 Nairobi
Tel: +254-20-604245
Fax: +254-20-501096
Email:
public-r@kenyatourism.org
Website:
www.magicalkenya.com
In Lebanon:
Consulate of the Republic of Kenya 150 Badaro Street
Beirut – Lebanon
Tel +961 1 383006 / 384006
Fax +961 1 396006
Security
In keeping with the acceptable practice
elsewhere in the world, visitors are advised not to
leave cash and valuables in their hotel rooms but to
make use of hotel safe deposit boxes or safes. Visitors
should not carry large sums of cash in their pockets
while walking on the streets. Female visitors are
advised to be careful with their handbags in crowded
places and busy streets. Necklaces and jewellery should
be left at home or kept with other valuables in the
hotel custody. As in all major cities, walking alone at
night should be avoided. Kenya has an efficient police
force as well as a special "tourist police unit" with
highly trained officers. In addition, most hotels employ
experienced security personnel. However, it is advisable
to always take those precautions you would take anywhere
else in the world.
Business and Banking Hours
Most banks in the major urban centers have a
bureau de change, while hotels are authorized to
transact in foreign exchange. Banks are open between
9.00 am and 3.00 pm, Monday through Friday, and between
9.00 am and 11.00 am on the first and last Saturday of
the month. Branches of banks at the Jomo Kenyatta and
Moi International Airports run 24-hour services.
Offices in Kenya are generally open between 8.00 am and
5.00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Telephone and Postal Services
Kenya has an excellent telecommunication network
for both domestic and international services. The
international STD system is fully operational in most
urban centers. There are also excellent fax facilities
in hotels, providing direct links with most parts of the
world on a 24-hour basis. Radio call equipment is
available in most lodges and tented camps in remote
areas where telephone facilities have not yet been
installed. Internet services are highly developed,
especially in the cities.
Internet access is available in most hotels and
in cyber cafés. Mobile telephones are widely used in
Kenya. The GSM network provided by Safaricom Ltd and
Celtel Communications Ltd covers most of the urban areas
in the country. These companies also provide roaming
services to cover Uganda and Tanzania. Satellite phones
can be obtained from the authorized dealers, either for
hire or for permanent use.
Electricity
The electricity supply in Kenya is 220/240 volts
50Hz. Sockets are usually three pins square. It is
advisable to ensure that appliances such as videos or
battery chargers operating on other voltage have a
built-in adapter. It is recommended that you bring your
own adapter.
News Media
International newspapers as well as the local
English newspapers are readily available. Kenya has
several television stations, which include: the Kenya
Broadcasting Corporation, the Kenya Television Network,
Nation TV, Citizen TV, Metro TV and StellaVision. Other
international television stations are received via
satellite.
Departure Formalities
No departure or Airport tax is payable for both
international and domestic flights. There are duty-free
shops at international airports, but purchases are only
made in convertible currencies. Customs officials may
require the inspection of outgoing baggage. All baggage
is weighed and subjected to X-ray inspection before
being loaded. Please consult your travel agent for other
formalities.
Souvenir Shopping
Most hotels and game lodges feature a boutique
or two, stocking a wide variety of Kenyan souvenirs.
However, the real test is in the art of bargaining at
market stalls, wayside outlets and bazaars.
The choice of products includes practical accessories
such as safari suits and hats, kiondos, mats, baskets
and containers made from indigenous fibers, as well as
recycled materials for the environmentally conscious
collector. Kenyan coffee and tea make thoughtful
presents to take back home.
Handcrafted jewellery is made of precious or
semi-precious stones such as rubies, Malaya garnets,
amethysts, tsavorites, malachites, blue lace agates,
fluorspar, haematite and jasper.
Ornamental souvenirs
are plentiful and could be in the form of the world
famous Akamba wood and Kisii soapstone carvings, batiks,
bead tapestry and works of art by established and
budding local artists.
Local driver guides offer useful tips on
shopping.
Time
Kenya has only one time zone - GMT (Greenwich
Mean Time) plus two hours (winter time) and one hour
(summer time).
Insurance
Appropriate insurance cover is recommended.
Tipping
Most hotels, game lodges and tented camps
include a service charge in their tariff, as do most
restaurants, and in such cases tipping is not necessary
unless exceptional service inspires a desire to express
extra appreciation. Your Kenyan tour operator will be
happy to make some suggestion concerning suitable
amounts, which vary according to the quality of service
rendered.
Charity
It is recommended that instead of giving money
to street urchins, you donate it to established
charitable organizations, since giving money to beggars
only aggravates the situation. It is also recommended
that you avoid street salesmen and beach hawkers, since
some of them may be unreliable.
P.O. Box 49576
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20-2228764, 73363295
Email:
obtkenya@kenyaweb.com |