TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
U.S
Driving Permit accepted |
| Currency |
(KES)
Kenyan Shilling |
| Electrical |
240 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 254, City Code Nairobi 2+6/8D, Mombasa 11+6D, Kwale 40+4/7D |
Time:
GMT + 3 (Winter), GMT + 2 (Summer).
Electricity:
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are UK-type round two-pin or flat
three-pin. Bayonet-type light sockets exist in Kenya.
Telephone:
IDD service is available to the main cities. Country code: 254
(followed by 2 for Nairobi, 11 for Mombasa and 37 for Nakuru).
Outgoing international code: 000. International calls can sometimes
be made direct or operator-assisted by dialling 0196. Public telephones
work with coins or with phone cards (which may be purchased from
post offices or from international call services in major towns);
coin-operated phone booths are painted red, card-operated booths
are painted blue. Major hotels also offer a phone service, but
they usually charge up to 100 per cent more. For local calls,
it is useful to have plenty of small change available.
Climate:
The coastal areas are tropical, but tempered by monsoon winds.
The lowlands are hot but mainly dry, while the highlands are more
temperate with four seasons. Nairobi has a very pleasant climate
throughout the year due to its altitude. Near Lake Victoria the
temperatures are much higher and rainfall can be heavy.
Required
clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens with rainwear
are advised for the coast and lakeside. Warmer clothing is needed
in June and July and for the cooler mornings on the coast. Lightweights
are needed for much of the year in the highlands. Rainwear is
advisable between March and June and October and December.
Food
& Drink: Kenya’s national dishes appear on
most hotel menus. The country’s beef, chicken, lamb and
pork are outstandingly good, as is the wide variety of tropical
fruits. Local trout, Nile perch and lobster, shrimps and Mombasa
oysters are included on menus in season. Indian and Middle Eastern
food is available in most areas. Some game-park lodges serve game,
including buffalo steaks marinated in local liqueurs and berries,
often garnished with wild honey and cream. Most Kenyans eat maize,
beans and maize meal. At the small ‘hotelis’, chai
(tea boiled with milk and sugar) and mandazi (doughnuts) are popular.
There is a wide range of restaurants in Nairobi and Mombasa, otherwise
hotels in smaller towns offer restaurant service.
Locally brewed beer (Tusker and White Cap) and bottled sodas may
be found throughout the country. Kenya Cane (spirit distilled
from sugar cane) and Kenya Gold (a coffee liqueur) are produced
in Kenya. Traditional beer made with honey (uki) and locally made
spirit distilled from maize (changaa) may sometimes be found.
Shopping:
Khanga, kitenge and kikoi cloths may be bought in markets and
the Bishara Streets of Nairobi, Mombasa and the Masai market held
in Nairobi city centre on Tuesdays. There is a particularly good
cooperative shop in Machakos which sells kiondos, bags stained
with natural dyes and with strong leather straps. Makonde wood
carvings are sold throughout the country, and young Kamba and
Masai men sell carvings and necklaces on the beaches of the south
coast. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1230 and 1400-1730.
Note: The sale of souvenirs made of wildlife skins (this includes
reptiles) and shells is forbidden.
Tipping:
This is not required. Most hotels include a 10 per cent service
charge to the bill. If the service charge has not been included,
a KSh20 tip is usual, although the amount is entirely at the visitor’s
discretion.
Currency:
Kenyan Shilling (KSh) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations
of KSh1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50. Coins are in denominations of
KSh20, 10, 5 and 1.
Credit
& debit cards: MasterCard, American Express, Diners
Club and Visa are all widely accepted. Major hotels now also accept
payment by credit card. Check with your credit or debit card company
for details of merchant acceptability and other services which
may be available.
Travellers
cheques: These can be changed at banks. To avoid additional
exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers
cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.
