| Highlights |
| Masai Mara National Reserve - Expansive savannah, unmatched wildlife and the worlds most fascinating traffic jam- the annual wildebeest migration. |
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| Amboseli National Park - Elephants and views of Kilimanjaro, with impressive numbers of lion, hippo and buffalo’s. |
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| Useful Information |
| Visa - Yes, all visitors travelling to Kenya require a visa, A three month visa can be obtain at borders at a cost of approx US$50. |
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| Vaccinations - Yellow fever, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, Polio |
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| Driving Regulations - International driving licence and International Circulation Permit from licensing officer in Nairobi. |
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| Embassies - Upper Hill Rd, Nairobi, (254) 714699 |
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| Country Code - 254 |
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| Introduction |
| Kenya lies astride the equator on the eastern coast of Africa. Kenya is bordered in the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, in the east by Somalia, on the southeast by the Indian Ocean, on the southwest by Tanzania and to the west by Lake Victoria and Uganda. Kenya is an important neighbour to countries such as Uganda as they depend on Kenya for imports and transport links. |
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| Due to the coastal location of Kenya the climate can vary depending altitude and distance from the Ocean. Overall though Kenya is a dry country with 75% being classed as arid (dry) with the two seasons that dominate the African continent, the dry season and the wet season. |
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| Kenya is also referred to as the ‘all of Africa in one country’. This is due to the diverse and dramatic scenery from the snow capped mountain of Mount Kenya, to the deserts , to the Great Rift Valley with freshwater and sofa lakes, to coral reefs in the Indian Ocean, to the Maasia rangelands. |
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| People |
| Due to Kenya’s central location it has become a multicultural society resulting from the numerous settlers let have come to call Kenya home. 70 different tribes are known to be surviving all over Kenya. The language they use differentiates the tribes. However, most Kenyans fall into 2 main language groups: Bantu and Nilotic. The Bantu people arrived after 500 BC from West Africa; they include the Kikuyu, Meru, Embu as well as Mijikenda. The other group are the Nilotic speakers who came to Kenya from the Nile Valley. |
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| The tribes included the Maasia, Pokot and Luo. On the coast, Swahili is the name given to local people. These people have intermarried with Arab settlers over the years and have a predominantly Arabic culture. This has lead to a strong Muslim culture and therefore respect should be given to their briefs and covering up in certain areas such as Mombassa or Lamu is advisable so not to cause offence. Even though the dress code is not vigorously endorsed as in other Muslim countries like Libya, due to the tourist scene being a huge part of the Kenyan economy and the government wanting as many visitors as possible. However, topless sunbathing is illegal in Kenya. |
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| Food |
| Kenya is an agricultural nation, which means that fresh food is nearly always available. A local speciality is Nyama Choma, this is barbecued meat normally goat, cooked over a charcoal pit and served in bite seized pieces with a small vegetable dish. Like here in England they drink a lot of tea. They call their tea Chai, which is made by the tea, sugar and milk being boiled together for a long time and is very sweet and milky. Maize is also eaten in large qualities here like in many African countries due to its availability and cost. |
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| Many hotels tend to have a European style to their cooking, however they will prepare local dishes if asked. The best advice regarding eating out is if you are even slightly worried about the food preparation do not eat there. However, stating that Kenya does have a great diversity and standard of food particularly around the main tourist areas and safari camps. |