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When is the best time to travel? Kenya is a year round destination with excellent game viewing. July to October is one of the best times for travel as during these months Kenya is slightly cooler and therefore considered by many to be the most pleasant. The world famous annual wildebeest migration also moves through the Maasai Mara in Kenya from July to October. Click here for more information on the migration.
What is the weather like in Kenya? Kenya is divided by the equator and enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and north-eastern parts of the country. The hottest time is in February and March and the coldest in July and August. The average annual temperatures in the main areas are: Mombasa (coastal): Max 30°C, Min 22°C Nairobi: Max 25°C, Min 13°C North Plain lands: Max 34°C, Min 23°C The long rains occur from April to June and short rains from October to December. Rainfall is sometimes heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon and evenings.
How do we get there? The international gateway to Kenya is the International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya's Capital. Once you have arrived, you can either travel around by road or by light aircraft transfers. The air transfers (while slightly more costly) are highly recommended because they are a much faster and easy way to get around. Road transfers can take up to 9 hours between certain destinations and road conditions are generally relatively poor. We do not recommend self-drives in Kenya at all due to bad road conditions, poor road signage and safety reasons.
What are the luggage restrictions in Kenya? Most scheduled flights have a luggage restriction of 20kg which is standard in Africa. Luggage on charter flights is restricted to 15kg per person and must be carried in soft bags only.
What kind of activities can one do in Kenya This varies greatly depending on where you are travelling. In the national parks, you go on game drives during the day in closed vehicles with pop-up roofs, but no night drives or walking are permitted for safety reasons. In the private conservancies, many lodges offer both day and night drives as well as safari walks. Game drives in the private reserves are also sometimes in open vehicles. Cultural tours can be arranged from most lodges and hotels as well.
Does Kenya have the Big Five? Yes, though the chance of seeing rhino is quite slim in many regions due to their rare status and shy nature.
Will our guide carry a firearm with them? The rangers on safari walks in the private parks will carry a rifle with them. However, these are only used in the utmost of extreme circumstances, if in the unlikely event, safety comes into question. Guides and driver guides in the national parks do generally not carry rifles with them.
Can I bring my children on safari in Kenya? Yes. Kenya not only has several child-friendly lodges but also offers several lodges which do not accept children. Children of virtually any age are welcome on game drives because in East Africa all of the game drives in the National Parks are done in closed vehicles with pop-up roofs (as opposed to open vehicles in Southern Africa).
We do recommend if you are traveling with children that you travel by air as opposed to by road because distances by road are long, the roads dusty and bumpy and the whole experience quite trying when traveling with young ones.
Is it safe to drink the water? No. We recommend that you drink bottled water which is readily available at all of the lodges and hotels.
Will there be electricity for me to charge my camera? What kind of plug will I need? Apart from a few of the bush camps and mobile safaris, all accommodation has some form of permanent electricity (solar power or generator), albeit sometimes erratic. The supply is generally 220-240v and plugs are three-pin square or round. If you have a video or digital camera, make sure your battery charger is of the same voltage. Most 5-star hotels or lodges will provide you with adaptors but the smaller B&B's, 3-star and some 4-star accommodations will not. Adaptors are available for purchase in most large cities in South Africa but if you are travelling elsewhere we recommend that you bring your own.
What is the local currency and how should we manage carrying our money? The unit of currency is the Kenyan Shilling, but we recommend instead of exchanging your money that you rather carry small denominations of US Dollar cash with you. Ensure that any US currency you bring over is post-1996: pre-1996 US Dollars are often not accepted due to a large number of counterfeit notes in circulation worldwide.
Plan to carry enough money to cover your expected expenses, plus a small reserve: most people carry between $50 & $100 per person per day for all expenses. By far the biggest variable in your budget is your taste for souvenirs. Visa credit cards are accepted at many of the lodges, but the machines sometimes don't work or there are power shortages so it is always best to make sure you have some cash with you. Your credit card can be your financial emergency kit.
Is it rude to barter or haggle at the local markets? No. Haggling is not rude and is often expected.
What is the standard tipping procedure? Tipping in Kenya is entirely at your discretion. However, we suggest the following as a reference guide: • Game rangers, specialist guides - US $5-10 per guest per day • Trackers - US $5 per guest per day • Game lodge, hotel staff - US $5 per guest per day placed in the communal tipping box to be distributed equally • Tour guides - US $5 half day, US $10 per person full day. • Transfers - US $2 per person • Restaurants - 10% good service, up to 15% for exceptional service
What is the standard of accommodation like in Kenya? The Kenyan accommodation that we sell ranges from 3 - 5 star accommodation. However, accommodation in East Africa has lower quality standards than lodges in Southern Africa and internationally. A five star in East Africa is often similar to a 4 star in Southern Africa.
What can one expect to pay for accommodation in Kenya? This varies drastically depending on where you are staying and the level of luxury and exclusivity you are looking for. For lodge accommodation, one can expect to pay anything from $250 (US Dollars) per person per night upwards. The upper limit for extremely up-market accommodation in Kenya stretches to between $650 and $800 per person per night. The cost of accommodation generally includes all meals. At certain lodges it will include various activities and certain drinks as well.
Is there a dress code? There is no set dress code on safari in Kenya, however at some lodges you will be expected to dress for dinner: trousers and collared shirt for men, dresses for women. Kenya is a conservative country so very revealing clothing is not recommended.
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