Kenya's Guide

GEOGRAPHY
Kenya lies on the equator on the eastern coast of Africa. It covers an area approximately the size of France, and is bordered by Somalia and the Indian Ocean to the east, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. The coastline, about 550km long, is on the Indian Ocean.

The Great Rift Valley, with its associated escarpments and mountains, is a major feature. It runs the length of the country from Lake Turkana in the north to Lake Natron on the southern border with Tanzania. The central portion of the rift is raised, with the Aberdare Mountains and Mt Kenya to
the east and the Mau Escarpmentand Cherangani Hills to the west. The northern and southernmost sectors of the rift are low-lying, arid and rugged, with spectacular volcanic landforms.

CLIMATE
Kenya is generally a dry country; over 75% of its area is classed as arid or semi-arid with only 20% being viable for agriculture. Inland, rainfall and temperatures are closely related to altitude changes, with variations induced by local topography. Generally the climate is warm and humid at the coast, cool and humid in the central highlands, and hot and dry in the north and east.

RAIN
Across most of the country, rainfall is strongly seasonal,although its pattern, timing and extent vary greatly from place to place and from year to year.
In most of the country rain falls in a bimodal rainfall pattern, with rainy seasons in March-May and October-December.
Rainfall peaks in most areas are in November and April.

TEMPERATURE
Differences in temperature vary predictably with altitude. Frost occurs regularly at 3,000 m and occasionally down to at least 2,400 m, and there is permanent snow and ice on top of Mt. Kenya at 5,200 m.
The hottest areas are in the arid northeast and along the coast with maximum temperatures over 34 C.

ATTRACTIONS
Game viewing is certainly the main reason for tourists to visit Kenya. The main parks and reserves are Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu,Tsavo, Nakuru and Mount Kenya national parks.
Photo safaris in the parks especially to witness the famous wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara National Reserve and spot the “big 5” (lions, buffalos, leopards, rhinos, elephants) are a wonderful experience.
Hot-air ballooning in the Masai Mara is breath-taking - imagine drifting silently over over the vast savannah in the early morning, viewing wildlife as you go.

Kenya is one of the most important bird watching destinations in the world.

To admire the landscape, top spots include the majestic Rift Valley, lakes like Bogoria, Baringo, Naivasha and Nakuru, and of course Mt Kenya - the second highest peak in Africa.  Climbing Mount Kenya doesn’t require specialist equipment or professional experience. Trekkers can easily reach the third highest peak, Point Lenana (4985m) which has wonderful views.

Beach destinations like Mombasa and Malindi are well known for white sand beaches, coral reefs and clear blue water.  There are also excellent destinations for divers or just for a relaxing snorkelling exploration.
The Lamu archipelago has some of the best beaches on this coast and it is certainly a perfect rival to Zanzibar for its Swahili culture and architecture and the beauty of the coast. Another attraction of Lamu are the dhows, used as transport since the 8th century and still the main form of transport around the archipelago.

VEGETATION
Kenya’s natural vegetation is as diverse as its climate and topography would suggest. Thorn bushland and woodland are the most extensive vegetation types in Kenya, running from Amboseli in the south through the Tsavo parks to north-east and north-west Kenya.  This habitat often contains concentrations of large mammals and many large protected areas are in this vegetation zone.

The north-central and northwestern parts of the country are covered by semi-desert with characteristic shrubby thornbush species, mainly acacia. In places, such as the Dida Galgalu and Chalbi deserts, and around Lake Turkana, areas of barren land  occur, with very little vegetation. Marine beaches and dunes make up another small percentage of the land area.

Highland moist forest occur between 1, 500 m and 3,000m in areas that receive rainfall of more than 1,200 mm per year. A mosaic of forest and bamboo Arundinaria alpina is often present at the higher levels.

CURRENCY
The official currency is the Kenya Shilling.
The written abbreviation is either KSh or using /= after the amount (ie 500/= ) Available Notes are 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 shillings.  Available coins are 5, 10 and 20 shillings.

Visitors to Kenya should change foreign currency at banks, bureaux de change or authorized hotels. The easiest currencies to exchange are US Dollars, Pounds sterling and EURO.

Travellers cheques are widely accepted, and many hotels, travel agencies, safari companies and restaurants accept credit cards. Most banks in Kenya are equipped to advance cash on credit cards.

There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency that can be brought into Kenya.

Before departure, travellers are advised to convert any excess Kenya shillings into foreign currency at a bank or bureau de change before departure. Departure taxes can be paid in local or foreign currency.

TIPS
Tipping is not mandatory in Kenya. Guides, drivers, waiters and hotel staff can be tipped at your discretion.

TIME
Kenya has a single time zone- which is GMT+3.
Most businesses in Kenya are open from Monday to Friday, though some also trade on Saturday.
Business hours are generally 9:00am to 5:00pm, closing for an hour over lunch (1:00pm – 2:00pm).
Banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Some branches open on Saturdays from 9:00am to 11:00am.
Many banks are now equipped with 24 hour ATM machines.
The Bank branches at Jomo Kenyatta International airport (Nairobi) and Moi International Airport both run 24 hour forex services.

POST and TELECOMS
Kenya has a good postal service for both local and international post. There are post offices and post boxes in most towns. Many shops in tourist lodges and hotels sell stamps.
Parcel services are available from larger post offices.
Kenya has a good network of telephone, cellular and satellite connections.
Kenya’s cellular networks covers most larger towns and tourist areas, however not all tourist areas (especially the more remote) have network coverage.

The international code is +254 followed by the local area code.

INTERNET
Kenya has good internet service providers.
Email and internet services are offered by many hotels and lodges and in most towns there are cyber cafes offering email and internet access.

ELECTRICITY
The electricity supply in Kenya is 220/240 v 50hz.
Plugs are 3 point square (the same as the British plug)
If you are planning to bring a video camera charger or any other electrical advice, please bring voltage and plug adapters where appropriate.

LANGUAGE
The official languages are English and Swahili.
Generally English is well and widely spoken. Few words of Swahili, more than being helpful for the communication, will make the conversation much more friendly as local people will appreciate few words like “Jambo” and “Habari”, approximately “hello” and “how are you”.

(adapted from MagicalKenya, The official Kenya destination website)