Kenya Travel Guide

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) (www.kenya-airways.com).

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Nairobi (NBO) (Jomo Kenyatta International) (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). Package holidays routinely include airport transfers by minibus or coach. 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) (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. Package holidays routinely include airport transfers by minibus or coach.
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; www.scandinaviagroup.com) runs coaches between Nairobi and Mombasa and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi and Kampala (Uganda).

Duty Free

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 (www.kenya-airways.com) operates scheduled services to Kisumu (on the shore of Lake Victoria), Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa. Air Kenya (www.airkenya.com) and Safarilink (www.safarilink-kenya.com) between them offer scheduled services between Nairobi's Wilson Airport and all the popular safari destinations: Amboseli, Chyulus, Kilimanjaro , Kiwayu, Lamu, Malindi, Masai Mara, Mombasa, Lewa, Naivasha, Nanyuki, Meru, Samburu and Tsavo. Based on the coast, Mombasa Air Safari (www.mombasaairsafari.com) has scheduled services linking Mombasa, Diani Beach and Malindi with Lamu, Amboseli, Tsavo 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 0111; www.krc.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. 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 but 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. Tickets are bought from kiosks at bus stations, often called ‘stands’ or ‘stages’. It is compulsory for bus passengers to wear seatbelts, standing is banned, and vehicles are limited to 80kph (50mph).

Bicycle/moped hire: Cycling in Kenya demands an above-average level of fitness. Rental businesses are located in the major towns and resorts. Moped hire is not recommended.

Taxi: Shared minibus taxis (matatus) hop from town to town, starting and finishing at bus stations. Fares are paid to the conductor. Private taxis can also be hired for long-distance journeys.

Car hire: Self-drive and chauffeur-driven cars may be hired from travel agents and international hire companies 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.

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) 825 067; 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) 271 3348; 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	-