KARIBUNI! Welcome to Kenya, the original home of the most authentic African safari. Our country is blessed with some of the world's richest wilderness areas,attractions and rarest creatures. To preserve these wonders of the world, we request all our visitors kindly to help us protect our natural heritage - for our sake, and the sake of all future generations.
WHEN VISITING OUR COUNTRY:
- Travel with reputable operators and that are fully approved by KATO, ASTA, TRAVELIFE,
- Respect local cultures and traditional livelihoods.
- Stay at eco friendly lodges and safari camps that take care of the environment and benefit local people.
- Remember to bring your camera to take magical and spectacular pictures for your fond memories. Kindly never take peoples pictures without their consent.
SAFARI AT THE PARKS:
- Keep to designated roads or tracks when visiting national parks or reserves. Off-road driving can cause extensive damage to grass and woodland habitats.
- Minimize disturbance to animals by: keeping a good distance away from animals, not surrounding animals with several vehicles, keeping noise to a minimum and not attracting the animal’s attention.
- Stay inside your vehicle at all times, only leave it in designated areas. Remember: wild animals at times can be dangerous!
- Keep the speed limit, usually 40 kph - and animals always have the right of way.
- Never feed any animal, this can upset their diet and lead to an unnatural dependence upon people.
- Take care not to disturb natures balance. Please do not purchase, collect or remove any animal products, rocks, plants, seeds or birds' nests from the wild.
- Take all your litter with you; it is dangerous to wild animals. Please be extremely careful with cigarettes and matches, which can cause major bush fires that extensively damage the ecosystem.
SAFARI AT THE COAST:
- Protect the marine environment. Please do not touch or stand on the coral reefs.
- Take all your litter with you, never dispose of it on the beach or in the sea.
- Never buy or remove starfish, shells, or any products that derive from turtles, whales or other endangered species.
- Avoid buying undersized crabs and lobsters in restaurants/hotels that serve them, as they are contributing to the rapid demise and extinction of these species.
- Support designated market areas, where traders are making an effort to keep their business off the beaches.
- Please do not give money or gifts to children at the beaches, which encourage them to stay away from school.
- Please dress in a respectful way when visiting towns and villages - and never bathe topless on the beach.
HEALTH / IMMUNIZATION:
Good medical facilities are available in our main cities, however we advice that you take medical insurance before your arrival. Bring any special medication you may need. We recommend that you drink only bottled mineral water that’s available in the hotels as well as in your safari car. Before you travel consult with your medical centre regarding the necessity for any vaccination such as yellow fever.
WHAT TO WEAR:
Kenya being along the Equator has favourable weather all year round. The country is very informal and for day time wear, you need only ordinary shirts and shorts. It might be the most comfortable thing in the world to wear just normal casual wears. On the Kenya trails, we recommend cotton clothing which is light and easy to wash. Bright colours are not recommended if you want to blend into the landscape! Ladies need little more than light cotton dresses, skirts and tops. Make sure you bring a strong pair of walking boots or sports shoes. Do not forget sun glasses and a hat as protection against the equatorial sun. In the evening you may need a sweater on game drives and trails, and in the cities a little more formality is required. Don’t forget your swimwear as many hotels and lodges have swimming pools that one can enjoy in the evening after game drives.
CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE BUREAUS:
Kenya is a free economy where one can change different currencies, the Currency in Kenya is the Kenya Shillings (Ksh), and we recommend that you travel with Euros, Sterling pounds or Dollars that you may exchange easily to get shillings. However, at the airport banks the rates are normally lower. Other best places are the major banks in major cities or even the local banks in the smaller towns. They will give you a better echange rate. Also look at the difference between exchange rates for traveler’s cheques, cash, credit cards and different currencies. Some of the best rates you can get are taking out a cash advance on your credit card or through an ATM.
CRIME AND VIOLENCE:
After many years of stability, Kenya is now one of the safest country in Africa (possible the safest). However it’s sensible to take the same precautions that you would in any foreign country where you are a guest. Do not carry large rolls of money and especially when you are walking on the streets, you will be expected to be careful, civil and respectful.
WHAT TO BUY:
A souvenir is an essential purchase during your visit to Kenya, to bring back many happy memories when you get back home and some wonderful handcrafts can be found all over the country. In every village local people are skilled in creating colourful arts and crafts, both traditional and modern, which are hand worked to a very high standard. Many of the items are useful; but all of them are items of beauty with patterns and colours that reflect local amazing cultures. Many of these souvenirs will be found in village markets and on road side stalls, also in Nairobi city there are several shops and markets that specialize in crafts. If there is something special that you want, you can also ask for it to be made.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
There are a number of Tele communication companies in Kenya that you can quickly get a hand set, fixed lines and internet services which include:- Pre-paid plans, Post-paid plans, International roaming, one rate to all networks, Fax and Data. You will also access Whatsapp in most of the Kenya hotels, camps and lodges.
‘’ The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page’’ Saint Augustine.