Kenya: Useful travel information for adventurers, hunters and travellers
Nairobi is Mordern cosmopolitan city with Lots to offer. It is one of the Largest and most interesting cities on the continent and far surpasses its reputation as the Safari capital of Africa.
When railway construction workers reached this area in 1998, they set-up a basic camp and supply depot, simply called “Mile 327″. The local Masai tribe called this highland swamp Ewaso Nai’beri meaning the place of cold water.
The Camp became a rustic village and then a shanty town, which by 1907 was the capital of all of British East Africa. This was soon an important centre for the colony and a mecca for adventurers, hunters and travellers from all over the world.
VISA AND PASSPORT
A valid passport is required for all foreigners entering Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Visa requirements vary according too country of origin. Most nationality however, require visa to enter Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. We advise that you check with the nearest Consulate of Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda, if traveling to the respective country. Visa can be processed at the airports upon arrival but this can be very slow. We therefore advise clients to purchase them from their countries of origin before traveling.
VACCINATIONS
A yellow fever and Cholera vaccination certificate is required in Kenya if visitors are arriving from a country where these diseases are present. Yellow fever certificate is required in Tanzania regardless of country of origin. We advise that all clients seek advice from their doctors when planning to travel. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended
HEALTH
Malaria is endemic to certain areas of Kenya all visitors should begin taking anti-Malaria prophylactics two weeks before arriving in Kenya, throughout their stay and for a minimum of three weeks after leaving Kenya. Bottled mineral water, both local and imported, can be purchased in hotel sundry shops and other tourist kiosks. You will find filtered and safe drinking water in thermos, bottles in your hotel or lodge rooms, but it is advisable not to drink water from the taps, rivers or lakes. Do not bathe in rivers and lakes.
CURRENCY
Kenyan currency is based on the decimal system. The unit of currency is the Shilling divided into 100 cents. Visitors are advised to check currency exchange rates regularly. Banks give slightly better rates of exchange than hotels. It is a serious offense to deface or knowingly damage Kenyan currency. Visitors are strongly advised to avoid street dealers and to transact all currency dealings through official dealers.
BANKING
Nairobi, Mombasa and most other principal centers in Kenya have banks with Bureau de Change. Banking hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, though some open between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on the first and last Saturday of each month. Banks at Jomo Kenyatta and Moi International Airports operate a 24-hour service.
GETTING AROUND
- Transportation around is easy and generally safe. Make sure to only use official liscensed taxis, which have a yellow band along each side. Taxis are not meterd and a rate should be agreed on with the driver before departure.
- Buses can be boarded at any stop and tickets purchased from the conductor.
- Public mini-buses, known as matatus, operarte on city routes throughout the day and are the most popular form of local trasport.
SECURITY
- Visitors are advised not to leave cash and valuables in their hotel rooms but make use of hotel safe deposit boxes or safes.
- Visitor should not carry large sums of cash while walking on the streets. Jewelery and other valuables should be left home or kept in the hotel custody.
- Walking at night alone should be avoided. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have an efficient police force as well as a special “Tourist Police Unit” with highly trained officers. in additional, most hotels employ expirienced security personnel. However, it is advisable to always take those precautions you would take anywhere else in the world.
- Keep Kopies of your important documents in the event you misplace the originals.
COMMUNICATION
- East Africa has an established postal service for both local and international post. It is advisable to use a courier company for important documents that are time – sensitive.
- If you have a mobile phone with a roaming connection, you can make use local celluar networks, which covers most of the country.
- Most hotels offer international telephone and communication center whcih offer internet service at affordable rates, it adivisable to check the relative prices in advance.
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SAFARI SHOPPER
AFRICA SAFARI DEALS
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12 / 18 / 2011 2:05 pm
Its important to know about Africa. Because I know its important to undergo treatment test to fight malaria. To be safe. Its dangerous to be there. So sorry to say that but it s true.
12 / 25 / 2011 10:39 am
Kenya Tours
Tours to Kenya are immensely popular. Kenya’s temperate climate, vast wildlife and sunny beaches make it a popular tourist destination.
Though Kenya lies on the equator, most of its terrain is high-altitude, so it does not experience the typically hot and humid weather prevalent in other typically equatorial regions. The coastal region has more or less equatorial climate, and warm, sunny beaches. There are varied species of wildlife present in the dense tropical jungles that abound in Kenya. These make Kenya a delight for tourists.
There are some beautiful and refreshing beaches in Kenya. Places like Mombasa, Malindi and Watumu offer real scenic beauty, as well as recreational activities like diving and fishing.
The Masai Mara is a fascinating location, with opportunities to view a wide variety of wildlife. The annual migration of wild beasts and other herbivores across the Serengeti ecosystem is one of the greatest natural spectacles. The Great Rift Valley is another popular tourist destination, as are Mount Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain peak, and Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest fresh water lake.
Other locations include natural reserves like the ones is Amboseli, which has buffalo, zebra, giraffes and gazelle, Samburu, which has a great number of lions and leopards, and Shimba Hills, which has a very large population of elephants.
There are locations as diverse as the Nairobi city, full of typical urban hustle and bustle, Aberdares, with mountains, moorland, ice-cold streams and dense forests, and Tsavo, a solitary and private location amid the wilderness.
There are a number of safaris which cover most of the aforementioned locations, and present tourists with a complete picture of Kenya.
12 / 25 / 2011 10:41 am
Kenya Tourist Board is the official travel and tour organizer in Kenya. All aspects of Kenya travel are covered by the Kenya Tourist Board when someone takes a tour in Kenya. Kenya Tourist Board has several safari programs to get the travelers and the tourists introduced with the natural treasure house that Kenya is blessed with. Moreover, arrangement of accommodation, dining and other site seeing, all are arranged properly by the Kenya Tourist Board.
Kenya Tourist Board is well known for arranging a number of exciting safari adventures for the travelers. The safari programs that Kenya Tourist Board arranges are wildlife safari, beach safari, scenic safari, cultural safari, sport safari and some more safari programs. Kenya is known for its amazing range and variety of wildlife forms. Wildlife safari introduces the travelers with these exciting and springy worlds of wilderness in Kenya. There are a number of national parks and reserve forest in Kenya where several types of wildlife can be observed. Kenya Tourist Board helps the tourist to get the enjoyment of witnessing all these through their safari programs.
Other safari programs that are arranged by the Kenya Tourist Board, opens up new dimensions of Kenya life to the visitors in this country. Like the beach safari has its own charm with the colorful and exciting marine lives that can be observed near the coastal areas. Scenic safari arranged by the tourist board takes the travelers to a number of breathtaking natural scenes in Kenya like its range of majestic mountains, calm and serene lakes, enigmatic desert and many more.
12 / 25 / 2011 10:44 am
Kenya entertainment includes several activities that can make the stay at the place memorable. Kenya is a country that offers numerous attractions to the tourists. There are innumerable choices to be made regarding the various sources of entertainment in Kenya. Nightlife in Kenya is also highly active with various nightlife entertainment facilities for the tourists.
Kenya Entertainment in not only restricted to the capital city of the country, but is also spread to the various other regions in Kenya. There are many nightclubs, discos, bars and pubs in Nairobi as well as in Mombasa, which provide complete entertainment to both the local people and the tourists. The disc jockeys churn out lively and catchy music for the visitors.
The nightclubs and hotels of Kenya generally organize live music bands during evening and night. Many people gather in these places to get a flavor of live band music. The clubs and hotels are busier during the weekends. Many concerts are also held in Kenya, especially during the festive season in the country. There are also tribal and traditional dances and songs that are hosted and organized in various halls of the country.
Apart from the various nightclubs and casinos, there are also other entertainment sources in Kenya. These include various media sources like radio, television, films and newspapers. Numerous television channels broadcast myriad programs that cater to various types of people in the country. Some of the popular channels are as follows:
Nation TV
Kenya Television Network
Stella TV
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Metro TV
Family TV
Citizen TV
Radio in Kenya is also an important source that provides entertainment to the people. The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation provides various radio networks at the regional, national and local level. KBC English Radio Service and KBC Kiswahili Radio Service are the two radio stations that operate under the National Radio Network in Kenya. The FM channels that are broadcasted on Kenya radio include:
Kiss FM Kenya
Capital FM
Kameme FM
Newspapers are a source of entertainment as well as information in the country. The Kenyan newspapers cover topics related to politics, sports, regional news, entertainment and many more. Some of the renowned newspapers that are published and circulated in Kenya are as follows:
Kenya Times
Standard Kenya
East African Standard Kenya
Daily Nation Kenya
Last but not the least is Kenya films. Films are a major source of entertainment in the country. Many internationally renowned films have been made in Kenya. The settings of the films in the natural African landscapes have enhanced the beauty of the films to a great deal.
12 / 25 / 2011 10:46 am
The finance of Kenya is related integrally to the economy of this African country. The fiscal policy of the current Kenyan government can be divided into three major groups. Expansionary fiscal policy, contractionary fiscal policy and neutral fiscal policy are the three policies. The Kenyan economy had gone through a golden period after it achieved its independence. It must be mentioned that Kenyan economy is one of the most booming economies in all of Africa. The finance of Kenya stands on the pedestal of two main institutions the Nairobi stock exchange and the banks of Kenya.
Some of the eminent banks of Kenya are:
Kenya Commercial Bank
Fina Bank Limited
Commercial Bank of Africa
Barclays Bank of Kenya
Delphis Bank
Investment and Mortgage Bank Limited
National Bank of Kenya
Standard Chartered Bank
There are both government controlled and private banks in Kenya. The Nairobi stock exchange which is one of the major bases of finance of Kenya is also one of the largest in Africa. The Nairobi Stock exchange was established in the year 1954 when Kenya was still under colonial rule. The changes in the financial condition of Kenya took place in the last decade of 20th century when the economy of the country was liberalized. Apart from the banks there are also many financial institutions in Kenya. Insurance companies of Kenya are also a very important finance unit of Kenya.
12 / 25 / 2011 10:49 am
What is the economy of Kenya like?
Kenya’s economy is market-based economy. It is the largest by GDP in East and Central Africa. The GDP of the country is 32.163 billion dollars. Service sector is the largest component of GDP at 64.1% followed by agriculture(21.4%) and industry (16.3%). It has a liberalized external trade systems. The largest trade flows are with United Kingdom, Netherlands, Uganda, Tanzania, Pakistan, India, South Africa, UAE, China and Saudi Arabia. Kenya exports tea, coffee, petroleum products, fish and cement while it imports machinery, motor vehicles, iron and steel, plastics and resins.