Africa
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do require a visa for entry into Kenya and you should have a full passport with at least six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. The cost of a single entry visa from the Kenyan High Commission is £30, which is valid for stays of up to 3 months. Please note that World Odyssey offers an express visa service for all destinations.
Non-British passport holders should check their visa requirements with their local Embassy or High Commission. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter Kenya if you arrive from or via an infected country. There are no other mandatory vaccinations required although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meningitis are recommended. Malaria is present in many parts of Kenya and it is therefore essential that you seek qualified medical advice on its prevention.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 606 2782 for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT + 3 hours (+ 2 hours during British Summer Time)
Money - The currency is the Kenya Shilling.
Travellers’ cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is widespread and they are generally accepted in most of the larger establishments, but an alternative payment source such as cash or travellers cheques is sensible, especially when in remote areas.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Via |
|
British Airways |
Heathrow/Nairobi |
Daily |
Direct |
|
Kenya Airways |
Heathrow/Nairobi |
Daily |
Direct |
|
Virgin Atlantic |
Heathrow/Nairobi |
Daily |
Direct |
Climate - a rough guide
The geography and topography of Kenya are extremely diverse, ranging from the arid deserts in the north through the forested central highlands and Rift Valley plains, down to the tropical coastal region. The climate inevitably varies from one part of the country to another, but generally there are two distinct seasons as described below:
JUNE - OCTOBER The long rains usually finish in late June and the dry season lasts until October. This is when the country has warm, clear days and cool nights. The months of September and October see a rise in both day and night-time temperatures. On average, daytime temperatures can rise to around 80F and then fall to 60F or lower at night, whilst on the coast the higher temperatures and humidity are moderated by the 'kuzi' sea breeze. Some rain might fall during this period although usually in short, localized showers.
NOVEMBER Late October/early November is when the dry season comes to an end and the short rains occur. Temperature and humidity tend to rise slightly and there might be short heavy downpours throughout this period.
DECEMBER - MARCH This season is hot and dry with usually very high daytime temperatures that tend to rise as the long rains approach. At the coast the lighter monsoon 'kaskazi' wind generally brings very hot dry weather and any rain which does come during this period tends to fall in short, scattered showers.
APRIL - JUNE The long rains generally consist of short, heavy, but localized storms before the sun comes out again, although there can be periods when the rain can continue for several days at a time.
When to go - For safari the dry months from June to October are an excellent time to visit, as are the months from December to March, since the grass is generally thin and low and the water more scarce, which results in good animal concentrations and easier game viewing.
June can be a lovely month as the parks are generally less busy in the early part of the season after the end of the long rains, so although the bush is quite thick and the grass long, the countryside is normally green, lush and quite beautiful.
The Masai Mara is normally at its best from July to November as the vast herds of wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti in search of new food sources. At this time you will see the vast assemblages of plains game on the savannah plains, together with their associated predators, in the same super-abundance of a century ago.
The coast is excellent to visit throughout the year, but it is important to note that from April to October the south-east monsoon wind can bring deposits of seaweed onto some beaches. This wind also tends to be stronger than the north-east monsoon, which blows from November to March and causes stronger ocean currents.
Mount Kenya can be climbed throughout the year although the best months are generally when it is dry from January to March or July to October.
|
Nairobi |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
78/ |
80/ |
80/ |
75/ |
75/ |
72/ |
70/ |
70/ |
75/ |
77/ |
75/ |
75/ |
|
Rain (in) |
1.25 |
2.0 |
4.75 |
8.5 |
6.5 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
0.75 |
1.25 |
2.0 |
4.25 |
3.75 |
|
Mombasa |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
86/ |
86/ |
88/ |
88/ |
79/ |
80/ |
80/ |
80/ |
82/ |
85/ |
85/ |
87/ |
|
Rain (in) |
1.0 |
0.75 |
2.75 |
8.0 |
13 |
5.0 |
3.75 |
2.25 |
2.25 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
2.25 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
