Travel Advice
Things To Know Before You Go
Visa/Passport Information
In order to enter Kenya, all visitors are required to have a valid passport with at least two blank pages and six months validity as well as a visa. Your visa is valid for 90 days and the cost is $51. You can apply on-line at the Kenyan embassy website, using this link:
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The visa will be available for printing from your account after a few days. Please be aware that there are visa services available but they charge a fee on top of the cost of the visa. It is possible to get a visa upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Airport but many times there is a long wait.
Before traveling, make a copy of your passport to leave at home. Once you arrive at your destination, keep your passport with you or locked in a safe at all times.
Currency
The monetary unit in Kenya is the shilling, designated as KSh and the exchange rate varies, with recent rates averaging around 100 KSh to 1 US dollar. Although most places accept credit cards, it is advisable to have some Kenyan shillings for local marketplaces. However, currency exchanges in the US do not offer the best rates and also charge a service fee.
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The currency exchange at Jomo Kenyatta Airport offers the daily rate without a service charge and is in a convenient location to change money before exiting the airport.
Be sure to call your credit card company before you leave and authorize them to accept charges in Kenya.
Vaccinations/COVID
No vaccinations are required to enter Kenya. However, if you enter from another country where yellow fever is prevalent, you will need to show proof of vaccination for yellow fever. Anti-malaria pills are recommended as well as vaccines for typhoid, tetanus, and Hepatitis A-B. Please seek the advice of your physician before traveling.
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We follow all required COVID protocols. Due to rapidly changing regulations, we will advise you as to current requirements when you book your safari.
Weather
Because Kenya sits on the equator there is no real summer or winter and temperatures are constant throughout the year. However, there are wet and dry seasons. Generally, the rainy season is April through the end of May, followed by intervening dry months, and "short rains" in November and December when it rains for a short period of time in the afternoon or evening. Usually, temperatures are between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit but early mornings and evenings are cooler. September is one of the best months with little rain and moderate temperatures.
What to Take
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Binoculars
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Camera
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Sunscreen
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Sunglasses
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Closed walking shoes such as sneakers/running shoes
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Flip flops
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Socks
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Comfortable clothes you can layer
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Avoid bright colors, white and camouflage or military-inspired clothing
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Pack in soft-sided, small/medium bags if traveling on small aircraft
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Thin rainjacket
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Small flashlight
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Converter plug to fit local sockets
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Mosquito repellent
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Band-aids, Aspirin/Motrin/Tylenol for pain/headaches
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Anti-diarrhea medicine
When to Travel
The best time to visit Kenya depends on what you want to see and your budget. July through October is the dry season but also the peak travel season when accommodation rates are the highest. If you want to see the Great Migration as wildebeest make their way north from the Serengeti in Tanzania to find more plentiful grazing lands in the Masai Mara, the best months are usually late July through early September but these times vary according to the weather. From November to April rates are lower and there are fewer tourists.
"When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled."
Kenyan proverb