Travel Info, Tips & Advice

The Republic of Kenya derived its name from Mt. Kenya, the tallest mountain in the country and the only snow-capped mountain on the equator.

Its capital and largest city is Nairobi (Nyrobi meaning “the place of cool waters in Maa”) which has over five million inhabitants.

Other major cities include Kisumu and Mombasa, the coastal capital and the largest port on the East African Coast.

Towns such as Eldoret and Nakuru are important historical and cultural destinations on the tourism belt.

Located in the Heart of Africa, Kenya shares borders with Ethiopia in the north, Sudan in the Northwest, Uganda in the West and Tanzania in the south. The Indian Ocean lies to the East.

The Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south. There are four primary regions:

• The northern deserts, including Lake Turkana and the Laikipia Plateau.
• The southern savannah, including the Masai Mara and the Great Rift Valley.
• The coastal lowlands, including Mombasa and the Watamu National Marine Park.
• The highlands, including Nairobi and Mount Kenya.

Kenya is located in East Africa and is bordered to the South by Tanzania, to the West by Uganda, to the North by Ethiopia and to the East by the Indian Ocean.

The country covers 581,309km² and has a population of approximately fifty million people.

Kenya is well served by major international airlines, which fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi) or Moi International Airport (Mombasa). Mombasa is a popular charter destination from most major European cities.

We strongly recommend you check with the nearest Kenya Embassy or Tourist Office to ensure you have the most up-to-date visa information.

Yellow Fever and Cholera are required only for visitors arriving from countries where these diseases are endemic.

Check with your Embassy and/or local health office for more details.

An airport departure tax of US$40 per person, or its equivalent, is payable when leaving Kenya.

This fee is often included in your international airfare, unless stated otherwise.

Please check with your agent when purchasing your international tickets.

A local departure tax of Kshs 200 (approx. US$2.50) per person, per flight is payable for internal flights.

Kenya follows this timezone: East Africa UTC+03:00 all year round.

Kenya maintains an almost constant 12 hours of daylight.

Sunrise is typically at 6:30 am and sunset at 6:45 pm.

Generally, the coastal areas are hot and humid, the inland cities are temperate and the Northern parts are dry.

Located on the equator, the weather in Kenya can vary depending on the region.

Kenya offers warm days and cool, early mornings and evenings throughout most of the country. At altitude the temperatures are moderate.

The Coast is often humid and tropical.

There are two primary rainy seasons:

• the long rains roughly from April to June and,
• the short rains during October and November.

Anti-malarial prophylactics should be taken before, during and after your visit to Kenya, especially if you visit the Coast.

Good medical facilities are available in the major cities.

Membership with groups such as the Flying Doctors is also recommended; Best of Kenya includes Flying Doctor emergency evacuation coverage in all of our safaris unless otherwise stated.

Hotels, camps, and lodges should provide either bottled water or filtered water for drinking.

Please do not drink the tap water.

A broad selection of highly qualified doctors, surgeons and dentists is available.

Most hotels and lodges have resident medical staff and also maintain contact with the flying doctors service.

Travellers are however encouraged to discuss travel insurance with their specialists.