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[] CONTENTS
KENYA IN BRIEF
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OUR TOP PICKS
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WHEN TO TRAVEL
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PASSPORT & VISA
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ARRIVING IN KENYA
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VACCINATION & TRAVEL INSURANCE
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MISCELLANEOUS
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KENYA IN BRIEF
Here’s a real-life experience of what it feels like on ‘Animal Planet’ live! The genuine heart of Africa, Kenya embodies everything you’ve imagined this wonderful continent to be, and some more. Granted, with its dense forests and abundant wildlife, it seems a scene right out of ‘Wild Kingdom’, but like nature itself, Kenya hides its treasures well. Spectacular sanctuaries aside, an hour’s flight out of Nairobi would take you to empty white sandy beaches at Diani, Watamu or Lamu. Home to the very notion of conservation itself, Kenya is all about wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. After a near holocaust thanks to poaching in 1980, Kenya is now a pioneer in the safety of
numerous endangered species. Once you’ve visited our recovering friends at National Parks like Amboseli, Masai Mara and more, complete with your fair share of history at the Lamu Museum, rediscover Kenya’s hidden attractions. Feed the endangered Rothschild giraffes through the windows of Giraffe Manor or try out exotic meats at the Carnivore Restaurant. Embrace your inner Indiana Jones as you drop in on the Ruins of Gedi, an abandoned city nearly lost in isolation. Pay your respects to one of Africa’s most famous conservationists at George Adamson’s grave, and maybe get a little love from our flightless pals over
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at Masai Ostrich Farm. ‘Bundu bashing’, what mere mortals call off-road driving, is huge here. Think champagne breakfasts in the bush and African sunsets with a ‘dawa’ in hand (Swahili for medicine, but really a vodka-based Kenyan cocktail) watching wildlife at a watering hole. Think Kenya. Un[travel] the wonders of this magical land from the perilous Mara River Crossing to the natural wonder that is the Mafara Depression with a healthy smattering of wildebeest thrown in beside alkaline lakes covered by bright red flamingoes.
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OUR TOP PICKS
Masai Mara
Malindi
The name ‘Kenya’ is almost synonymous with the word “safari”. The country offers a fantastic safari destination to enjoy a diversity of incredible and iconic African wildlife. The Masai Mara is a wildlife-filled savanna habitat contiguous with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.
The beaches of Malindi are some of the best in Africa with clear turquoise waters, white sands, world-class resorts and quiet relaxing hideaways. It is a paradise, with white sand continually lapped by azures tides and palm trees that perfectly frame the picture. un[travel]
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Lamu
Nakuru
Mombasa
The small, tranquil island of Lamu, on the northeast of Mombasa, oozes old world charm. The Island is a part of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago and has managed to stay unspoiled and untouched by the mass. Visiting here is like stepping back in time.
Providing a dramatic setting in the Rift Valley, the Nakuru Lake is home to huge flocks of pink flamingos. The pulsating rose tinted glows of a million flamingos feeding within blue hued alkaline waters create the greatest bird spectacle on earth.
An exotic paradise in the African tropics is what Mombasa is. The cosmopolitan city is filled with lots of fun-filled activities and some great sites. Known for its heavy historical Arabic influence, the Old Towns, amazing architecture with extravagant art designs that teleport you back in time. un[travel]
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WHEN TO TRAVEL Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
January is an excellent time to spot wildlife. Temperatures are hot but there will be slight drizzles to cool things down. Summer, from December through March is the optimum and the best time for safari and wildlife viewing. The annual migration of wildlife beasts between Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya takes place between July and October. Migration reaches the Masai Mara in July and remains until October when they recede to the Serengeti in Tanzania. The southern part of Kenya enjoys rainy seasons at the end of April to midJuly and from September to mid-October. In the north, it is from July to September. December can good view of migratory birds and newborn animals. The rains are pretty much unpredictable here in Kenya. If you are planning to hit the beaches, untravel recommends you to avoid the coastline during the March to late May season, as temperatures and rainfall are at their peak.
Best Weather
Best Time To Visit
June - October
June - October January - February
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High Season
%
Low Season
July -November January - February
March - May
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PASSPORT & VISA
Getting an E Visa is simple enough and since September 01, 2015, it has been made mandatory. Get to www.ecitizen.go.ke. It usually takes 2 business days to process. The Visa fee is USD 50 per person (for Indian citizens). Here’s how to go about it: Visit the electronic visa page at http://www. ecitizen. go.ke/ . Select Register as a Visitor. As part of this process, you will receive a confirmation email that you need to click on to verify and confirm your registration. At this point, you will be asked to UPLOAD A DIGITAL PASSPORT PHOTO (Maximum size 500 px by 500 px). Once logged in, select Department of Immigration Services. Select Submit Application. Select Kenyan Visa. Select the type of visa (visitor) and read the instructions carefully. Complete the application form - please note that incomplete applications will be rejected
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and you will lose your processing fees. You will need a scan of the main page of your passport (with your name, date of birth and other information). You will need to re-upload your passport photo. Pay using your Visa card, MasterCard or other debit card- Visa will cost USD 51. Await your approval which will be sent to you by email. This will take 2 to 3 days to process so, ensure that you plan in advance. Print a copy of your visa to present to the immigration officer at your point of entry into Kenya. The E-Visa will be valid for 90 days from the date of approval and not from the date of arrival in Kenya. The traveller should, therefore, ensure that the visa will still be valid at the time of travel. The Applicant should have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of application for the visa. One visa form. Two passport-size photographs. A covering letter from the applicant on company letterhead stating the purpose and duration of stay along with applicant’s personal and passport details. The letter should be addressed to the Visa Officer, Kenya High Commission, New Delhi. Leave letter from the company. For groups please provide a travel itinerary. Onward visa and proof of funds or
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Sponsorship declaration from the sponsor in Kenya. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is mandatory. A Yellow fever vaccination certificate is valid for 10 years, beginning 10 days after vaccination. Vaccination shot to be taken accordingly. A valid Polio (OPV) Certificate is required. The dose of OPV should be taken at least four weeks prior to the departure from India. Hotel confirmation. Proof of sufficient funds (Credit card copy, Bank statement of last six months). Return air ticket. Visa validity is for 3 months and period of stay is given at the time of entry into Kenya.
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ARRIVING IN KENYA
Tourists may import local and foreign currency without restrictions. However, for amounts greater than USD 5,000, tourists would need documents on the source and purpose for this amount. Currency may be exchanged at major banks, bureaux de change or authorised hotels. The banks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Moi International Airport have 24-hour exchange services. The easiest currencies to exchange are US Dollars, Pounds Sterling and Euros. If you need the help of a porter to carry your luggage, please hire porters provided by the airport only. English and Swahili are the two official languages here. You can get by with English in larger cities and when dealing with those connected to the tourism industry as well as the average Kenyan. However, a few words of Swahili will go a long way with a couple of extra wide smiles thrown in. Keep copies of your passports and visa handy, you’ll require them to check in to your hotels and at other places too.
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VACCINATION & TRAVEL INSURANCE
Though there are numerous vaccinations that are suggested, but the mandatory ones remain the Yellow Fever Vaccination and Oral Polio Vaccination. Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate is to be at least 10 days old before departure and Oral Polio Vaccination certificate has to be at least 4 weeks before departure. un[travel] suggests you also get the following vaccinations in case you haven’t already had them - Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus and Typhoid.
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MISCELLANEOUS PERSONAL SECURITY Though security conditions have improved, crime is still a problem in Kenya. un[travel] strongly recommends that you don’t carry extra cash and other valuables while out on the streets; expensive jewellery, cameras and watches are usually targeted. Most upmarket hotels have electronic safes, so use them. A good idea would be to keep a copy of your passport in your luggage. It would be best to avoid dingy places after dark, and choose a taxi over public transport as well.
YOUR HEALTH While in your hotel you may have access to clean water, but out on the streets and in the market you would need to be very careful of what you drink. Carry bottled water whenever you head out of your hotel. Ensure you have adequate insect repellent spray to ward off those lethal mosquitoes. A small first-aid kit with painkillers, antibacterial ointments, anti-malaria pills, oral rehydration sachets, iodine tablets and paracetamol is always handy. Consult a doctor in case of rash, fever or prolonged stomach pain.
FOOD IN KENYA Kenyan beer is always worth a try. Tusker Lager is usually the beer of choice, but White Cap Lager is just as good. Imported beers are available in supermarkets and better hotels, but prices could run high. Interestingly, imported Tanzanian beer like Kilimanjaro and Safari tend to be cheaper than even Tusker. Do not expect to pay more than around 250 Kenyan Shillings for a bottle in local bars, anything more is a tourist rip-off. Imported and local wines and spirits are widely available, but it is advisable to avoid local brews such as “changaa” and “busaa,” where breweries are suspicious and their consumption has led to deaths on occasion. An easy way to remember this is that “changaa” literally means “kill me quick”, and this could help you with your decision when you’re proffered glass of the beverage.
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TIPPING Since wages in Kenya are relatively low, tips do come in handy. Porters at hotel can be tipped anything between 50-200 Kenyan Shillings. Waiters expect you to tip 10% of your food bill, you could always opt to tip more if service exceeds your expectations. Tour operators and drivers expect a tip, and you can choose to tip them at your discretion.
SHOPPING IN KENYA Kenya is famous for many handicrafts, which are often the signature of a particular tribe or region. Look for Kisii stone (soap stone) carvings, Maasai jewellery, Mkonde wood carvings, Lamu chairs and batiks. Khanga, kitenge and kikoi cloths are ideal to use as sarongs (common in East Africa for both men and women). The largest selection of handicrafts can probably be found at the Masai Market which can be found at different locations within Nairobi. Here, Masai items like beaded jewellery, decorated gourds and the distinctive red-checked blankets worn by all Masai men make good souvenirs. For example, on Sundays, the Masai Market is at Yaya Centre near Hurlingham, and on Saturdays, they can be found at the Central Business District near the law courts parking space. The city and town centres usually have markets that sell curios such as African drums, old brass and copper, batiks, soapstone knick-knacks, carved chess sets, and large wooden carvings of animals or salad bowls carved from a single piece of teak, mninga or ebony. Almost all the prices in roadside curio shops are inflated. While negotiating is expected, even the negotiated price is normally significantly higher than the prices quoted for similar souvenirs in the duty free section of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. As a rule of thumb, start your offer at 20-25% of the quoted price and never pay more than 50% of the originally quoted price at any roadside curio shop.
FOOD IN KENYA Kenya has some of the finest eating establishments in Africa. Expect cuisine from Thai to Chinese and American as well as traditional Kenyan fare. There is no staple Kenyan dish; however, you can expect a good meal with steaks, a grain of some sort (couscous, rice, etc.) with a portion of meat or fish. Perfectly seasoned, ingredients are fresh from the market with a lot of meat on the menu. Coffee culture is huge here with numerous local establishments around every corner. Java House operates 29 branches in Nairobi and more in major towns and cities across the country. No visit to Nairobi is complete without a mandatory meal at the renowned unforgettable Carnivore Restaurant. Exotic meats like the crocodile, ostrich, camel and more are part of the menu here, depending on game is brought in. The meat is all-you-can-eat and comes with salad and a variety of dips. Not usually the best choice for vegetarians, there is vegetarian option available, however. Like in most developing countries, stay cautious with ‘street food’. The large majority of the time street food is fine, but you wouldn’t want to risk it if you have a sensitive stomach or that which do not acclimatise to the cuisine yet want to sample some, make sure you’re eating food cooked at very high temperatures and is still hot when you buy it. The large majority of the time street food is fine, but you wouldn’t want to risk it if you have a sensitive stomach or are not acclimatised to the cuisine yet
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untravel is devoted to trips planned your way, and not fixed, restrictive itineraries made by someone else for you. untravel is about customizing every moment of each trip. Picking out experiences that excite you. Staying at places that are truly unique. And charting out every day, at your pace, on your terms. +91-9076-601-330 intlholidays@untravel.com www.untravel.com/international/kenya
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