What You Need To Know Before Travelling To Kenya
What You Need To Know Before Travelling To Kenya : Kenya is a beautiful safari destination with a variety of attractions ranging from diversity of wildlife and birds, physical features such as Mount Kenya, the beautiful Kenyan Coast filled with crystal white beaches and cities such as Nairobi cities among others.
Are you planning on visit Kenya for your next travel, here is your guide detailing things you need to know before your visit to Kenya?
What can tourists see and do in Nairobi?
Nairobi City is the largest city and capital of Kenya, however Nairobi is more than just a city – it is a great tourism destination in Kenya. Nairobi City offers amazing experience in various destinations and sites ranging from local markets, wildlife parks, and delectable stable food to fascinating African tribal exhibitions in historic museums.
What to see and do in Nairobi include
- Visiting Nairobi national park for wildlife sightings such as zebras, rhinos, gazelles, buffaloes, giraffes, ostriches on game drives and nature walks.
- Visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – an orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program
- Visit the Giraffe Center where you will get an up-close look at the giant giraffes
- Visit the Karura forest reserve – one of the largest urban forests in the world and a home to duikers/small antelope, many species of birds and butterflies
- Visit the Karen Blixen Museum – situated on the foot of Ngong Hills and a home to Author Karen Blixen known for her pen name Isak Dinesen.
- Visit the Nairobi national Museum
- Visit the Bomas of Kenya for entertainment and insight about each and every tribe in Kenya.
- Visit the Kazuri Beads Factory for a tour looking for some unique souvenirs
- Visit the Kenyatta International Conference Centre
- Visit the Ngong Hills
What are the must-see Kenyan destinations?
Kenya is a fascinating destination and one of the World’s leading safari destinations in the world with a variety of safaris fitting all ages and interests, for tourists who are interested in the Big Five – elephants, Best places to see the big Five in Kenya include Amboseli national park, Maasai Mara national reserve, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Lewa Wilderness Conservancy, Tsavo national park (Tsavo East and Tsavo West) and Lake Nakuru national park.
Kenya is an incredible destination to observe the Great Migration the world’s largest movement of wildlife on earth usually referred to as the greatest wildlife show on Earth, the great migration in Kenya is observed in the world famous national reserve “Maasai Mara national reserve” happening each year from July – October. In the Great Migration over 12 million wildebeests and hundred thousands of zebras, Grants and Thomson gazelles migrate from Serengeti national park in Tanzania to Maasai Mara national reserve through what is termed as Mara River crossing.
Kenya is also a great birding destination hosting a total of 1149 species including 11 endemic species and 3 species introduced by humans, birds in Kenya include flamingoes, Abyssinian crimsonwing, Bar-tailed trogon, Blue-headed bee-eater, Friedmann’s lark, Golden-breasted starling, Golden-winged sunbird, Great blue turaco, Kori bustard, Red-naped bush-shrike, Secretary bird, Somali courser, Somali sparrow, Taita apalis, Turner’s eremomela, Vulturine guineafowl, Yellow-bellied wattle-eye among others. The best birding spots in Kenya include Lake Nakuru national park, Lake Naivasha, Lake Baringo, Kakamega forest, Maasai Mara national reserve among others.
Other spectacular sites to visit in Kenya is Mountain Kenya – the Africa’s second highest mountain standing at the altitude of 5199 meters in height with snow caped peak, this mountain is perfect for mountain climbers.
What kind of traditional Kenyan foods should I try out?
Kenya has a variety of mouth watering dishes which are a mix of tradition and ethnicity, the popular dish Kenyan dish is the Nyama Choma a Kenyan version of roasted meat on the grill which is also the translation in Swahili. Nyama Choma is served in various restaurants and can be found along most roadside in cities and towns in Kenya.
The most popular meat in Kenya is the goat meat, however, chicken and beef are usually available to in Kenya.
Other well-known and amazing street foods to try out in Kenya include
- Bhajia’s – a thick potato slice dipped in a chickpea flour batter then fried
- Grilled Maize (roasted or grilled corn)
Note: while on a safari in Kenya, never drink tap water. The only water to drink is boiled and bottled water.
What are local Kenyan people like & what language do they speak in Kenya?
Kenyans are generally hospitable and easy going people towards strangers including tourists, Kenyans are respectful people ad most of them speak English which easies communication.
Kenya is a multilingual country with about 68 different languages, however English and Swahili are the two major activities spoken in Kenya and thus What You Need To Know Before Travelling To Kenya
What currency is used in Kenya?
It is important to change your currency while visiting Kenya, the local currency used in Kenya is Keniaanse Shilling (KES).
Some of the safari lodges, restaurants, hotels and tour operators accepted USD Dollar currency in Kenya. Payments using Debt cards such as MasterCard, Visa and others accepted.
Note: always remember to inform your tour operator during your Kenya safari tour.
What’s the best time to visit Kenya?
The best time to visit Kenya for a Kenya safari is during the dry season that is from July to October.
Other important points to note about Kenya and its seasons
- April is the wettest month in Kenya, for tourists who are not fan of rain should avoid visiting Kenya in the month
- Intense heat in Kenya is the month of February (February is the hottest month)
- July is the coldest and driest month
Will I need a visa to visit Kenya?
For all international travelers/guests you need you need a visa when travelling to Kenya, a visa is a mandatory requirement. A traveler can apply for Kenyan visa online at www.ecitizen.go.ke. and get it upon arrival at the Airport
Visas in Kenya are of different types such as
- the single entry visa
- transit visa
- multiple-entry visa
- 5yr multiple entry visa
- a courtesy visa
Note: Visitors below the age of 15 years or younger travelling to Kenya, do not require to hold a visa as long as they have a valid passport.
How can I apply for a Kenya eVisa?
All the travelers above the age of 15 years have to be in possession of a visa, to make the process of applying for a visa easier for travelers, Kenya introduced the e-visa where you can apply for the Visa online. E-visa is applied for on www.ecitizen.go.ke. As you are applying for this visa, here are the equipment and thus What You Need To Know Before Travelling To Kenya.
- a valid passport with blank pages from en eligible country
- passport photographs
- a fully filled application form
- one photo taken within the past 6 months to show your current appearance
- Additional documents such as Kenya safari itinerary, hotel reservations and others supporting your visit to Kenya.
