Feel at Home (5*) on a Luxurious Safari with Friends around Kenya and Tanzania

Kenya is the most famous destination for safaris in the world for endless reasons, the scenery, the incredible opportunity for viewing all African wildlife in particular the ease in which to see the ‘Big 5’. It is still the best country for adventure travel in Africa; it offers high levels of service; it still offers 'Out of Africa' scenic beauty, diverse cultures and abundant wildlife.

Safari is however, by no means the only reason to visit Kenya, the coastline and tropical beaches are amongst the world’s most beautiful.

Name: The Republic of Kenya

Time Zone: GMT + 3

Capital City: Nairobi, meaning “place of cool waters” in the Maa language

Independence gained on: 12 December 1963 (from Great Britain)

National Language: Kiswahili

Official Language: English

Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES) and cents

Land Area: aprox.586,600km sq

Drives on the: Left

Country Code: + 254

Location

On the Equator on the eastern coast of Africa. Kenya is bordered by Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, Somalia and the Indian ocean to the east, Ethiopia to the north and Sudan to the northwest.

Population & People

The population is estimated at 43,500,000 as of 2013.

There are about 52 tribes in Kenya.

Vegetation & Special Natural Features

Kenya is home to the famous Masai Mara game reserve, Mount Kenya and Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake).

The Great Rift Valley, which runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in East Africa, bisects the country from North to South and is dotted with lakes and extinct volcanoes, is one of Kenya's most fascinating physical features.

Kenya’s natural vegetation is diverse. Truly a ‘world within one country’. Tropical rainforests, sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, desert, wide savannah plains teeming with wildlife, freshwater lakes and salt lakes.

A valid passport is required.

Visitors require a visa to enter Kenya, which they must obtain online https://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html at least two weeks ahead of the start of their safari.

Those requiring a visa (including all British citizens) are now advised to have at least two blank pages available in their passport on arrival and a minimum of six months validity on their passports; failure to meet these requirement could mean that entry may be refused.

Please ask about about the latest COVID policies for entry to Kenya.

The currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling (KES; symbol KSh). 1 Kenyan Shilling = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of KSh1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of KSh20, 10 and 5.

Foreign currency can be exchanged at the 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.

There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency. However, amounts exceeding US$5,000 or equivalent must be declared.

Banking hours: Monday-Friday 09h00-16h00, Saturday 09h00-12h00. Banks in Mombasa and the coastal areas typically open and close half an hour earlier.

Credits Cards are widely accepted in all major hotels and more upmarket establishments, with the most recognized being Master Card and Visa. American Express and Diners Club cards are occasionally accepted. However, you will need some cash handy because smaller shops will only accept cash.

Almost every bank now has an ATM, and they are increasingly being installed at petrol stations in cities and large towns.

Nairobi has two airports for domestic and regional flights: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport. Kenya has over 150 domestic airports and airstrips and there are daily flights to the most popular destinations. In addition to the scheduled airlines, several private charter companies operate out of Wilson Airport.

Kenya Airways, Air Kenya, Fly 540, Mombasa Air Safari, and Safarilink serve the most popular safari destinations, plus many others such as Lake Victoria. 

All other types of transport are good and efficient. Quality on trains can differ depending on which ‘class’ you buy. 

Drive on the left side of the road.

Road conditions vary, and are improving.

Insurance

There is no national welfare scheme and visitors to Kenya are responsible for their own medical expenses. We insist on our clients being covered by the Flying Doctors’ Service.

Please leave a copy of your travel insurance with us at the beginning of your holiday, along with copies of your airline tickets and passports.

Kenya is considered a generally healthy place to travel. The SAFARI Company’s clients automatically become members of the Flying Doctors Rescue Service for emergency evacuation. However, you should carry your own complete holiday/medical insurance.

Health Precautions

In Kenya, we do have good medical facilities and a good hospital.

Malaria protection is imperative. We recommend Malarone as a prophylactic…. But please consult with your preferred medical practitioner.

There are no mandatory inoculations required for Kenya but please contact your doctor or a specialised travel clinic for further advice.

Theft

The first thing most visitors notice is that Kenyans as a whole are extremely friendly, helpful people. Much of Kenya’s population is extremely poor though so take good care of your valuables, especially money and Travellers Cheques. Please do not leave money in your room or unattended in a safari vehicle.

If you are walking around, please do not wear flashy jewellery or have expensive electronic equipment on display, and hold on tight to your bags.

We cannot accept responsibility for theft and all hotels and lodges have a security box for valuables and lock-up rooms for excess luggage storage.

Food & Water

Please do not drink tap water; we recommend you drink bottled water which is readily available in all lodges and camps.

Please advise us of any allergies, likes or dislikes before you embark on your holiday.

Kenya enjoys an equatorial to a tropical climate experiencing moderate temperatures averaging about 22C throughout the year. It is hotter and more humid at the coast, temperate inland and dry in the north and northeast parts of the country.

There are two wet seasons: short rains (October to December) and long rains (March to June). Our hottest season is from January to March.

For Nairobi and the coast: lightweight cotton and linens are advised. Warmer clothing is needed in June and July, while rainwear is advisable between March and June, and October and December.

For safari: loose-fitting and light neutral tones are recommended. If you are visiting a luxury lodge, pack a nice set of clothes for dinner is recommended.

Voltage is 220-240 AC. Most of the safari vehicles have a cigarette lighter socket operation on a 12-volt system.

Please bring sufficient batteries for photographic equipment; most lodges have limited power supply but all are capable of re-charging your electrical items for you.

Please also bring adapter plugs (square pin, English standard).

Communications

All camps and lodges have radio communication with Nairobi.

Most lodges do have a mobile phone signal (Airtel, Orange, Safaricom or Yu) in the lodge or nearby (under a tree or on a hill) which sometimes can be weak, so please do not always rely on it.

Safaricom generally has the widest coverage.

Most lodges and hotels also have internet access in case of emergencies.

Photography

Please respect the local people with regards to photography and only use cameras if you have the permission of the subject/s to do so.

ever try to “steal” a photo against the will of the person concerned. Let your guide help negotiate terms before you start shooting!

Luggage

If you are taking a local flight within Kenya, please ensure that baggage is packed in soft bags and should weigh no more than 15kg per person.

The airlines will make you re-pack you luggage if your luggage is in hard suitcases or if it is over 15kgs.

It is possible to store luggage not required during the safari with us at The SAFARI Company, at the airport or at your hotel if you are returning there after your trip.

Please refer to our recommended packing list.

Safari Etiquette

Kenya offers a treasure-trove of experiences, ecosystems, wildlife and cultures. The SAFARI Company encourages our guests to support our guides by learning and honouring their policies which helps preserve our precious environment. In order to promote responsible tourism, we ask that you join us in observing the following tips.

Whilst on a game drive

Please do not interfere with animal behaviour.

No more than 5 vehicles around an animal at one time (please accept the decision of your guide to leave an animal if he feels it is becoming overcrowded).

Please do not get too close to the animals as this may distress them.

Please do not get out of the vehicle without consulting your guide.

Please try to be as quiet as possible when viewing wildlife close up. Your guide will turn off the vehicle’s engine whenever possible.

Please minimize off-road driving.

No speeding! The speed limit in the parks is 40kph.

Protect the Environment

Please do not litter, especially cigarette butts.

Please do not collect bones, feathers, stones or plants etc; they are all mini ecosystems.

Please do not buy bones, stones, feather displays or plants etc.

Cultural Exchange

Please do not take photographs of the local people without asking their permission first.

Please do not encourage trade or give personal items away to the local people (if we support begging we promote begging).

If you have brought gifts to give to the local people, please give them to your guide for proper distribution.

Beware of anyone asking you for gifts or money and do not feel obliged to donate anything.

Please report back to us if you are harassed.

Television & Music

Most places do not have either and some safari vehicles do not have radios.

The sounds of the bush are so special, unique and memorable that we advise against either, but if you are a ‘music addict’, we suggest you bring an iPod and sufficient power supply.

Guide to Tipping

Although tipping is a safari tradition, it is never compulsory and should only be done if you feel you have received good service. People working in the tourism industry earn decent salaries compared to local standards. While there are no standard tips within the industry, we can offer the following suggestions:

Most lodges have a staff tip box located at reception, or in a central location. We recommend $10 per group per day in the tip box. These tips will be divided among all lodge staff.

For local guides for a day, the equivalent of US$5 is fine.

For drivers who are with you for an extended time, US$5-8/day is a good tip.

If you are particularly satisfied with assistance received from someone in particular, a personal tip is also acceptable.

In many restaurants, a 10% tip is suggested.

If service charge is added, while this is meant to go to the staff, giving a few extra shillings for good measure is acceptable.

Staff very much appreciate receiving gratuities from you, our guests, because it is one way of assuring them they are doing a good job.

The name Tanzania conjures up images of wildebeest stampeding across vast savannah, rain forests teeming with monkeys and birdlife, and great plains brimming with legions of game. All of these natural wonders and more are on offer in this exceptionally diverse African nation. Visitors typically visit Tanzania to partake in at least one of the four well-known Tanzanian tourist experiences: a relaxing seaside vacation on the picturesque island paradise of Zanzibar, an underwater tour of some of the world’s most renowned dive sites around the gorgeous Spice Islands, a safari adventure in some of Africa’s most impressive game reserves, or a hiking excursion around Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Whichever of these incredible holidays you choose, you will undoubtedly be welcomed by some fabulously friendly and peaceful inhabitants who, despite being divided into 120 different ethnic groups and cultures, live in harmony with one another and provide some of the most wonderfully exotic local cuisine you could imagine. With all of this diversity on offer, the most difficult part of your Tanzanian holiday experience is likely to be deciding where to go!

Currency

In Tanzania, the unit of currency is the Tanzanian Shilling, which is divided into 100 Cents. Notes are issued in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10000 Shillings. Coins are issued in denominations of 50, 100 and 200 Shillings.

Banking

Banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Many banks are equipped with 24 hour ATM machines. 

Credit cards and travellers checks are not widely accepted in Tanzania. Where they are accepted can high service fees and poor exchange rates be expected. Major foreign currencies - particularly US $ - are accepted in Tanzania and are convertible at banks and bureau de changes in the main towns and tourist areas. If bringing cash in US $, please make sure bank notes are in good condition, with no cuts or damage and are not older than 2006. Most banks offer higher exchange rates for US $ 100 / US $ 50 bank notes compared to US $ 20 / US $ 10 or US $ 5 bank notes.

If you are visiting a number of parks and reserves in Tanzania, you can either drive or fly between them. Roads in most of the wilderness areas are in poor condition and unmarked, and self-driving is not recommended. Operators will supply you with a driver who doubles as an informal guide; alternatively, you can arrange to fly to your destination and utilize a car and driver supplied by the lodgings. Elsewhere in Tanzania, towns and cities are linked by a steady stream of buses and dala-dalas (minibuses), and in the cities, there is public transport in the way of buses, dala-dalas, taxis, and, in some places, bicycles or tuk-tuks.

Precision Air run regular services, mostly via Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar, to all main towns and other destinations in East Africa and beyond. All national parks and some of the top-end luxury lodges have airstrips and Coastal Air operates between these and the main airports on the mainland and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. ZanAir has frequent connections between Zanzibar, Pemba and the mainland.

Driving is on the left hand side of the road

Most camps, lodges or hotels cater specifically to tourists and serve Western-style food, ranging in standard, but generally are excellent. Game lodges tend to offer a daily set menu with a limited selection, so it is advisable to have your tour operator specify in advance if you are a vegetarian or have other specific dietary requirements. First-time visitors to Africa might take note that most game lodges in and around the national parks have isolated locations, and driving within the parks is neither permitted nor advisable after dark, so that there is no realistic alternative to eating at your lodge. 

Tap water in Tanzania is generally not safe to drink, and most travellers try to stick to mineral water. Filtered and bottled water can be difficult to find you are travelling outside of main town and so it is advisable to stock up. Most camps, lodges and hotels have bottled water readily available.

Please note that, as of 2016, Tanzania has banned the use of plastic bags in a bid to tackle pollution and protect the environment. Travellers' to Tanzania will no longer be allowed to bring plastic carrier bags into the country. This ban targets all plastic bags that are imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used. 

Just south of the equator, Tanzania is huge and its sheer size means that the climate varies considerably within it. However, generally the main rainy season, or the 'long rains', lasts during about March, April and May. Afternoon tropical downpours are the norm – which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The humidity is high and daily temperatures reach the low-mid 30°s.

The long dry season lasts throughout June, July, August, September and October is when rainfall is unusual, even on the islands. Temperatures vary hugely with altitude and location, but it's usually a fine, clear sky and sunny weather – it's a great time to visit Tanzania. During November and December there's another rainy season: the 'short rains'. These are much lighter than the main rains and less reliable.

If it has rained during the short rains, then it normally dries up for a few months, January and February, which is Tanzania's 'short dry season', before starting to rain again in earnest in March.

It never gets really cold in Tanzania so lightweight clothing, preferably cotton or linen, is recommended. While on a game viewing safari, avoid brightly coloured clothing, stick to whites, beiges, khakis and browns. There may be long days sitting in safari vehicles, so it is advisable to wear light comfortable clothing such as short sleeved shirts and cotton/linen trousers or shorts. Denim will become too hot and extremely uncomfortable. Walking shoes and socks will be required.

The evenings will be chilly, so long sleeved shirts and trousers should be worn. A sweater may be needed. These will also prevent you being bitten by insects. A hat should be worn at all times outside. The sun may sometimes not feel hot, but it can still easily burn, especially if it is cloudy and overcast.

If visiting Zanzibar or any coastal town don't forget to take a swimsuit, as it is invariably warm. Ladies are recommended to take cotton skirts, blouses and dresses. Sandals are a must for this environment! On the beaches and within the confines of hotels, normal swimwear is acceptable but nudity is not.

As over a third of the population in Tanzania is Muslim, it is therefore not etiquette for ladies to walk around in public displaying their legs and shoulders. Remember to dress modestly as short shorts, miniskirts, vests and tank tops will be frowned upon.

Tanzania has good Internet Service Providers with email and internet services offered by many hotels and lodges (free / paid). In most towns there are plenty of private business centres and cyber cafes offering email and internet access, although the speeds might be somewhat slower than what you are used to. 

Electrical sockets in Tanzania are one of three: Type G (BS-1363) and Type C (CEE 7/16 Europlug) and Type D (BS-546) electrical socket types: If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all types.

Electrical sockets in Tanzania usually supply electricity at 230 volts AC / 50 Hz frequency. If you're plugging in an appliance that was built for 230 volt electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need. If your appliance isn’t compatible with 230 volts, a voltage converter will be necessary.