Kenya Travel Tips

Social Conventions
Western European habits prevail throughout much of Kenya as a result of British influences in the country. Kenyans are generally very friendly. The standard greeting of ‘hello’ when addressing an individual is Jambo, to which the reply is also Jambo. The greeting for a group is Hamjambo to which the reply is Hatujambo. People are delighted if visitors can greet them in Kiswahili. Dress is informal and casual lightweight clothes are accepted for all but the smartest social occasions. Because of its Muslim influence, the coast is a little more conservative than the rest of the country. Away from the beach, women and men should dress respectably and cover up bare arms and legs. Alcohol is only available in the tourist areas on the coast.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
The national airline is Kenya Airways (KQ) (website: www.kenya-airways.com).

Departure Tax
None.

Main Airports
Nairobi (NBO) (Jomo Kenyatta International) (website: www.kenyaairports.co.ke) is 16km (10 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: A Kenyan Bus Services bus and a Kenyan Airways bus leave every 20 minutes (journey time - 40 minutes). Scheduled bus service to and from the town center is available at unit 1 and 2 bus stops. Taxis are readily available, but the fare should be established before getting into the vehicle (journey time - 15 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free shop, hotel reservation, bank/bureau de change (open 24 hours), post office, restaurant/bar, car hire, Internet cafe and Wi-Fi hotspots.

Mombasa (MBA) (Moi International) (website: www.kenyaairports.co.ke) is 13km (8 miles) west of the city. To/from the airport: There is a regular bus service by Kenya Airways to their city center office in Mombasa (journey time - 20 minutes). Taxis are also available. Fares should be negotiated in advance. There are also a number of shuttle bus companies in the arrivals hall that will take people directly to their resorts on the north and south coasts. Fixed prices to these destinations are clearly written up on boards. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank, restaurant/bar, tourist information and car hire.

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Mombasa. There are presently no international ferry services to Kenya but cruise ships dock at Mombasa.

Getting There by Road
The main crossing points from Tanzania are at Lunga Lunga south of Mombasa, and Namanga on the road to Arusha, with smaller posts at Isebania and Taveta. From Uganda there are crossing points at Buisa and Malaba. Note that at Malaba, the Kenyan and Ugandan customs posts are about 1km (0.6 miles) apart and, other than bicycle taxis, there is no transport between them.

Coach: Scandinavia Express (tel: (020) 242 523; website: www.scandinaviagroup.com) runs coaches between Nairobi and Mombasa and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi and Kampala (Uganda).

Overview
The following goods may be imported into Kenya by passengers over 16 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
• 1l of spirits or 2l of wine.
• Perfume and toilet water not exceeding 0.5l, of which not more than a quarter may be perfume.

Prohibited Imports
The import of fruit, plants, seeds, live animals, ammunition and imitation firearms is prohibited.

Prohibited Exports
The export of gold, diamonds and wildlife skins or game trophies not obtained from the authorized Kenyan government department is also prohibited.

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
Kenya Airways (website: www.kenya-airways.com) operates scheduled services to Kisumu (on the shore of Lake Victoria), Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa. Air Kenya (website: www.airkenya.com) offers scheduled flights from Nairobi to Amboseli, Lamu, Malindi, Masai Mara, Mombasa, Lewa, Nanyuki, Meru, Samburu and Kilimanjaro (in Tanzania). Safarilink (website: www.safarilink-kenya.com) operates scheduled services between Nairobi’s Wilson Airport and the popular safari destinations; Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Chyulus, Naivasha, Nanyuki, Lewa, Samburu, Lamu, Kiwayu and Kilimanjaro (in Tanzania). Based on the coast, Mombasa Air Safaris (website: www.mombasaairsafari.com) has scheduled services linking Mombasa, Diani Beach and Malindi with Lamu, Amboseli and Masai Mara. In addition there are several private charter companies that serve over 150 airstrips around the country.

Getting Around by Water
Local dhows run between Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu, but it is not permitted for foreigners to take these. However, you can go on short sightseeing dhow rides from Mombasa. Ferries meet buses from Malindi and Mombasa on the mainland and take people the 7km (4.5 miles) to Lamu town. In Mombasa the Likoni Ferry links the short distance from Mombasa Island with the mainland to the south, which gives access to the beach resorts on the south coast.

Getting Around by Rail
Kenya Railways Corporation (tel: (020) 221 211; website: www.kenyarailways.co.ke) runs passenger trains between Nairobi and Mombasa; trains generally leave in the evening and arrive the following morning after a journey of around 13 to 14 hours. There are three classes: first class is excellent, with two-berth compartments, wardrobe, etc; second class in four-berth compartments is more basic but comfortable; third is basic seating. In first and second class, doors can be locked from the inside, but when leaving the compartment valuables should not be left unattended. The dining-car service on the Nairobi-Mombasa route is very highly regarded. Sleeping compartments should be booked in advance. Children under three years of age travel free. Children between three and 15 years of age pay half fare. Tickets can be booked at Nairobi and Mombasa railway stations or through local travel agencies. 

There is also a railway connecting Nairobi with Kampala in Uganda with branch lines in Kenya to Nanyuki, Kitale and Kisumu. In recent years, because of poor funding for the railways and a spate of accidents and derailments, passenger services on these lines have been largely suspended. In 2006, Kenya Railways Corporation signed an agreement with a South African company, Rift Valley Railways Consortium to run a concession to improve both Kenyan and Ugandan railways over a 25-year period.

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the left. All major roads are paved and many of the others have been improved, particularly in the southwest, although vast areas of the north still suffer from very poor communications. Care should be taken when leaving trunk roads as the surfaces of the lesser roads vary greatly in quality, particularly during the rainy season. There are petrol stations on most highways.

Bus: Buses run regularly between most cities and towns, and also run across the borders to Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Regular buses cover the longer routes and tickets are bought from kiosks at the bus stations, while shared minibuses (matatus) hop from town to town and fares are paid to the conductor. Both the buses and matatus share the same terminus, which are often called ‘bus stands’ or ‘bus stages’ in Kenya. Since 2002, all vehicles have been fitted with seatbelts and it is compulsory to wear them, standing in buses has been banned, and vehicles are limited to 80kph (50mph) by law. This has greatly decreased problematic overcrowding and high accident rates.

Car hire: Self-drive and chauffeur-driven cars may be hired from a number of travel agents in Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi. This can be expensive, and rates (particularly the mileage charges) can vary a good deal. Most companies insist that only 4-wheel-drive vehicles should be hired. International car hire companies are represented in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Regulations: In non-residential areas, speed limits are 120kph (75mph) and 60kph (35mph) in built up areas. It is compulsory to wear a seat belt and obligatory that all vehicles carry two red triangles to be placed 20m (66ft) in front and behind the vehicle in the event of a breakdown.

Emergency breakdown assistance: Automobile Association of Kenya (tel: (020) 825 060-6; website: www.aakenya.co.ke).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended although it is not legally required, and a valid national driving license is accepted as long as it is in English.

Tours and safaris: Many tour companies in Nairobi offer package arrangements for visits to the game parks and other attractions. Before booking it is very important to know exactly what the all-in price provides. For further information contact Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) (tel: (020) 713 348/86; website: www.katokenya.org).

Getting Around Towns and Cities
Nairobi and Mombasa have efficient bus systems, with regular buses running along set routes and single tickets are sold on the bus by conductors. There are also frequent matatus, 15-seat light pickups and minibuses, that run up and down main roads and charge similar fares. The three-wheel bajaj auto rickshaw or tuk tuk of South-East Asia is becoming increasingly popular.

In Kisumu, cycle rickshaws and bicycle taxis are popular. They are locally known as boda-bodas (from the time when they used to take people across no-mans land on the border with Uganda).

The newer fleets of taxis, which are usually white with a yellow band, are very reliable and have meters. The older all-yellow taxis do not have meters, so fares should be agreed in advance. In Nairobi, there is also a fleet of London-style black metered cabs.  A 10% tip is expected. Taxis cannot be hailed in the street but they are found parked up at intersections and outside hotels and restaurants.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Nairobi to other major cities/towns in Kenya.

	Air	Road	Rail
Kisumu	1.05	7.00
Mombasa	1.00	6.00	14.00
Nakuru		3.00	5.00
Eldoret		7.00

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