Essential Travel Tips on Kenyan Safaris
Posted on January 19, 2009
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Travel visas to Kenya can be obtained at the Airport upon arrival for visitors from Europe, America and Asia. There is a fee for the visa, whether obtained in advance or at the airport. Citizens from Common Wealth Counties with a few exceptions; do not required visas to enter Kenya. It’s convenient to confirm with the Kenya’s Embassy, consulate, or high commission in your country while planning for travel to Kenya.
Visitors should ensure that their passports are valid (at least six months after planned stay) and have adequate blank pages to ensure immigration stamps. Up to date information on visas in additional to any other entry requirements can be sourced from the Embassy of Kenya in the various countries.
Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers to Kenya. Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel. Evidence of the yellow fever immunization may be requested on your arrival at the airport. Apart from Yellow fever, it is prudent to be up-to-date with routine inoculations such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, polio virus vaccine.
Those who will travel to the bush it is advised to make good the use of treated nets which protect against mosquitoes and a host of other insects. A prescription of antimalarial drugs are a must have for the traveler. It should be noted that chloroquine is not considered to be an efficient malaria drug and should not be taken as a preventive measure for those visiting this region.
Honesty, it is said is the best policy. Kenya remains to host a number of favorite tourist attractions but due to some political upheavals experienced early in 2008 as a result of the disputed elections held in 2007. Some western countries issued travel advisories for their citizens traveling to Kenya. The situation has since then improved and Kenya is once again a safe haven.
Parks, reserves, hotels, lodges and any location concerning tourists has high levels of security maintained at all times. Visitors have every reason to feel safe and secure. The Kenyan border with Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia is somewhat risky but this is not a major concern since none of the tourist sites are close to this region.
The driving rule in Kenya is ‘keep left’, this could prove daunting especially to those who are not accustomed. Vehicle travel outside major cities at night should be avoided mainly due to poor lighting on the roads plus poor road conditions. Some roads become virtually impassible especially during the rainy season. Road jams are usually a norm during the mornings and evenings.
Major credit cards are accepted as means of payment in hotels, travel agencies and shops. Travelers should be cautious not to walk with a lot of cash, instead use the cards. The major town of Nairobi and Mombasa have ATM machines that are located in well light, secure locations like near shopping malls.
Its good practice to keep in touch with your friends and family back home or even your local embassy in Kenya; just keep them updated on your journey. Phone companies offer reliable services, though mobile phones may be out of range in some camps and lodges in the parks. Most hotels especially in the major towns of Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru have internet cyber cafe or have Wifi hotspot in public areas. For writers, or photographers who blog, or send videos you can at least upload your video to your friends or onto your website while still in Kenya. Your friends or family will share part of your experience!
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