Volunteer Travel Guide Kenya

enya is the 'Land of the Lion King' and sits at the centre of the African safari experience, with an outstanding variety of wild animals and Big Five viewing opportunities. Although safaris are its greatest attraction, it is a country of great diversity with much more to offer than splendid wildlife. Essentially it is a place for outdoor living - the coast offers beaches and water-based activities, the mountains present a challenge to hikers and climbers, and the rolling savannahs are a game-viewers paradise.

The country sits astride the equator and offers fabulous scenery and a variety of tribal cultures. From its central location, the sacred peaks of Mt Kenya reign over a landscape primarily covered by grasslands and thorn trees, much of it enclosed within its many parks and reserves. To the west the spectacular Great Rift Valley is sprinkled with lakes teeming with a variety of birdlife, whose shores and surrounds are traversed by agricultural farmlands. To the east lies the promise of an idyllic beach holiday with the requisite white palm-fringed beaches and pristine coral reefs. Inhabiting the highlands and Rift Valley are two of the most well known of the numerous tribal cultures, the Kikuyu farmers and the tall, red-clad Masai cattle herders. The coast is home to ancient Swahili civilisations and old port towns that are rich in a history of exotic spice trading and fighting.

Kenya has a sophisticated tourism infrastructure, with two major cities controlling the majority of the tourism trade. Nairobi, the capital, is the safari and hiking hub, situated in the cool Central Highlands, while on the east coast the hot and humid trading port of Mombasa functions as the gateway to the resorts and pristine beaches of the area. Sadly the heavy influence of tourism has meant excessive prices for safaris, souvenirs and most activities of interest to foreigners, as well as the constant hassle by touts, guides and sellers to part with as much money as they can dupe the guilty traveller into spending.

Despite this, the people are friendly and visitors can choose to do as little or as much as they like, and the combination of wildlife, together with its beaches and mountains, make Kenya a fantastic holiday destination.

The Basics

Time:

Local time is GMT +3.

Electricity:

240 volts, 50Hz. UK-style square three-pin plugs are used.

Language:

English is the official language but Swahili is the national language, with 42 ethnic languages spoken.

Health:

Travellers should get the latest medical advice on inoculations and malaria prevention at least three weeks prior to departure. A malaria risk exists all year round, but more around Mombasa and the lower coastal areas than in Nairobi and on the high central plateau. Immunisation against yellow fever, polio and typhoid are usually recommended. A yellow fever certificate is required by anyone arriving from an infected area. Other risks include diarrhoeal diseases. Protection against bites from sandflies, mosquitoes and tsetse flies is the best prevention against malaria and dengue fever, as well as other insect-borne diseases, including Rift Valley fever, sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and Chikungunya fever. AIDS is a serious problem in Kenya and the necessary precautions should be taken. Water is of variable quality and visitors are advised to drink bottled water. Cholera outbreaks occur frequently, and travellers should take care not to drink contaminated water and be cautious of food prepared by unlicensed roadside vendors. There are good medical facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa but health insurance is essential.

Tipping:

Tipping is not customary in Kenya, however a 10% service charge may be added to bill in more upmarket restaurants. Otherwise small change in local currency may be offered to taxi drivers, porters and waiters. On safari, however, drivers, guides and cooks often rely heavily on tips to get by, but these are discretionary.

Customs:

The taking of photographs of official buildings and embassies is not advised and could lead to detention. It is illegal to destroy Kenyan currency. The coastal towns are predominantly Muslim and religious customs and sensitivities should be respected, particularly during Ramadan; dress should be conservative away from the beaches and resorts, particularly for women. Homosexuality is against the law. Smoking in public places is illegal, other than in designated smoking areas, and violators will be fined or imprisoned.

Business:

Business in Kenya tends to be conducted formally and conservatively, with the appropriate formal attire of a jacket and tie. Punctuality is important. Business cards are exchanged and handshakes are standard. English is the principal language of business. Business hours are usually from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Communications:

The international access code for Kenya is +254. The outgoing code is 000 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 00027 for South Africa), unless dialling Tanzania or Uganda when the outgoing codes are 007 or 006 respectively. City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)41 for Mombasa and (0)20 for Nairobi. International Direct Dial is available throughout most of the country, but the service is expensive and inefficient. Hotels usually add a hefty surcharge to their telephone bills; it is less expensive to either call from one of the international phone services, which are available in larger towns or buy a pre-paid calling card for use in the public telephone booths. For international operator-assisted calls call 0196. All major urban areas are covered by the mobile network; the local mobile phone operators use GSM networks that have roaming agreements with most international mobile phone operators. Internet cafes are widely available in most towns and tourist areas.

Duty Free:

Travellers to Kenya over 16 years do not have to pay duty on 227g tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars; 1 bottle of alcohol; and 473ml perfume. Prohibited items include fruit, imitation firearms, and children's toys pistols. No plants may be brought into the country without a Plant Import Permit (PIP).

Health

View information on diseases: Yellow fever, Typhoid fever, African Sleeping Sickness, Malaria, Leishmaniasis, HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Dengue Fever, Cholera

Yellow fever

Cause:

The yellow fever virus, an arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus.

Transmission:

Yellow fever in urban and some rural areas is transmitted by the bite of infective Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and by other mosquitoes in the forests of south America. The mosquitoes bite during daylight hours. Transmission occurs at altitudes up to 2,500 metres. Yellow fever virus infects humans and monkeys. In jungle and forest areas, monkeys are the main reservoir of infection, with transmission from monkey to monkey carried out by mosquitoes. The infective mosquitoes may bite humans who enter the forest area, usually causing sporadic cases or small outbreaks. In urban areas, monkeys are not involved and infection is transmitted among humans by mosquitoes. Introduction of infection into densely populated urban areas can lead to large epidemics of yellow fever. In Africa, an intermediate pattern of transmission is common in humid savannah regions. Mosquitoes infect both monkeys and humans, causing localized outbreaks.

Nature of the disease:

Although some infections are asymptomatic, most lead to an acute illness characterized by two phases. Initially, there is fever, muscular pain, headache, chills, anorexia, nausea and/or vomiting, often with bradycardia. About 15% of patients progress to a second phase after a few days, with resurgence of fever, development of jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and haemorrhagic manifestations; half of these patients die 10-14 days after onset of illness.

Geographical distribution:

The yellow fever virus is endemic in some tropical areas of Africa and central and south America. The number of epidemics has increased since the early 1980s. Other countries are considered to be at risk of introduction of yellow fever due to the presence of the vector and suitable primate hosts (including Asia, where yellow fever has never been reported).

Risk for travellers:

Travellers are at risk in all areas where yellow fever is endemic. The risk is greatest for visitors who enter forest and jungle areas.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):

Vaccination. In some countries, yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for visitors.

Precautions:

Avoid mosquito bites during the day as well as at night.

Endemic Countries:

The World Health Organization considers the following countries to be endemic for yellow fever: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkino Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Venezuela. Source: WHO.

Typhoid fever

Cause:

Salmonella typhi, the typhoid bacillus, which infects only humans. Similar paratyphoid and enteric fevers are caused by other species of Salmonella, which infect domestic animals as well as humans.

Transmission:

Infection with typhoid fever is transmitted by consumption of contaminated food or water. Occasionally direct faecal-oral transmission may occur. Shellfish taken from sewage-polluted beds are an important source of infection. Infection occurs through eating fruit and vegetables fertilized by night soil and eaten raw, and milk and milk products that have been contaminated by those in contact with them. Flies may transfer infection to foods, resulting in contamination that may be sufficient to cause human infection. Pollution of water sources may produce epidemics of typhoid fever, when large numbers of people use the same source of drinking water.

Nature of the disease:

Typhoid fever is a systemic disease of varying severity. Severe cases are characterized by gradual onset of fever, headache, malaise, anorexia and insomnia. Constipation is more common than diarrhoea in adults and older children. Without treatment, the disease progresses with sustained fever, bradycardia, hepatosplenomegaly, abdominal symptoms and, in some cases, pneumonia. In white-skinned patients, pink spots (papules), which fade on pressure, appear on the skin of the trunk in up to 50% of cases. In the third week, untreated cases develop additional gastrointestinal and other complications, which may prove fatal. Around 2-5% of those who contract typhoid fever become chronic carriers, as bacteria persist in the biliary tract after symptoms have resolved.

Geographical distribution:

Worldwide. The disease occurs most commonly in association with poor standards of hygiene in food preparation and handling and where sanitary disposal of sewage is lacking.

Risk for travellers:

Generally low risk for travellers, except in parts of north and west Africa, in south Asia and in Peru. Elsewhere, travellers are usually at risk only when exposed to low standards of hygiene with respect to food handling, control of drinking water quality, and sewage disposal.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):
Vaccination.

Precautions:
Observe all precautions against exposure to foodborne and waterborne infections. Source: WHO.

African Sleeping Sickness

Cause:

Protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei (T. b.) gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense.

Transmission:

Infection with African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) occurs through the bite of infected tsetse flies. Humans are the main reservoir host for T. b. gambiense. Domestic cattle and wild animals, including antelopes, are the main animal reservoir of T. b. rhodesiense.

Nature of the disease:

T. b. gambiense causes a chronic illness with onset of symptoms after a prolonged incubation period of weeks or months. T. b. rhodesiense causes a more acute illness, with onset a few days or weeks after the infected bite; often, there is a striking inoculation chancre. Initial clinical signs include severe headache, insomnia, enlarged lymph nodes, anaemia and rash. In the late stage of the disease, there is progressive loss of weight and involvement of the central nervous system. Without treatment, the disease is invariably fatal.

Geographical distribution:

T. b. gambiense is present in foci in the tropical countries of western and central Africa. T. b. rhodesiense occurs in east Africa, extending south as far as Botswana.

Risk for travellers:

Travellers are at risk of African sleeping sickness in endemic regions if they visit rural areas for hunting, fishing, safari trips, sailing or other activities in remote areas.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):

None.

Precautions:

Travellers should be aware of the risk in endemic areas and as far as possible avoid any contact with tsetse flies. However, bites are difficult to avoid because tsetse flies can bite through clothing. Travellers should be warned that tsetse flies bite during the day and are not repelled by available insect-repellent products. The bite is painful, which helps to identify its origin, and travellers should seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop subsequently. Source: WHO.

Malaria

General considerations:

Malaria is a common and life-threatening disease in many tropical and subtropical areas. It is currently endemic in over 100 countries, which are visited by more than 125 million international travellers every year.

Each year many international travellers fall ill with malaria while visiting countries where the disease is endemic, and well over 10,000 fall ill after returning home. Fever occurring in a traveller within three months of leaving a malaria-endemic area is a medical emergency and should be investigated urgently.

Cause:

Human malaria is caused by four different species of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae.

Transmission:

The malaria parasite is transmitted by various species of Anopheles mosquitoes, which bite mainly between sunset and sunrise.

Nature of the disease:

Malaria is an acute febrile illness with an incubation period of 7 days or longer. Thus, a febrile illness developing less than one week after the first possible exposure is not malaria. The most severe form is caused by P. falciparum, in which variable clinical features include fever, chills, headache, muscular aching and weakness, vomiting, cough, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; other symptoms related to organ failure may supervene, such as: acute renal failure, generalized convulsions, circulatory collapse, followed by coma and death. It is estimated that about 1% of patients with P. falciparum infection die of the disease. The initial symptoms, which may be mild, may not be easy to recognize as being due to malaria. It is important that the possibility of falciparum malaria is considered in all cases of unexplained fever starting at any time between the seventh day of first possible exposure to malaria and three months (or, rarely, later) after the last possible exposure, and any individual who experiences a fever in this interval should immediately seek diagnosis and effective treatment. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can be life-saving. Falciparum malaria may be fatal if treatment is delayed beyond 24 hours. A blood sample should be examined for malaria parasites. If no parasites are found in the first blood film but symptoms persist, a series of blood samples should be taken and examined at 6-12-hour intervals. Pregnant women, young children and elderly travellers are particularly at risk. Malaria in pregnant travellers increases the risk of maternal death, miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death. The forms of malaria caused by other Plasmodium species are less severe and rarely life-threatening. Prevention and treatment of falciparum malaria are becoming more difficult because P. falciparum is increasingly resistant to various antimalarial drugs. Of the other malaria species, drug resistance has to date been reported for P. vivax, mainly from Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea, with more sporadic cases reported from Guyana. P. vivax with declining sensitivity has been reported for Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand. P. malariae resistant to chloroquine has been reported from Indonesia.

Geographical distribution:

The risk for travellers of contracting malaria is highly variable from country to country and even between areas in a country. In many endemic countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean region, the main urban areas, but not necessarily the outskirts of towns, are free of malaria transmission. However, malaria can occur in main urban areas in Africa and India. There is usually less risk of the disease at altitudes above 1,500 metres, but in favourable climatic conditions it can occur at altitudes up to almost 3,000 metres. The risk of infection may also vary according to the season, being highest at the end of the rainy season. There is no risk of malaria in many tourist destinations in South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Source: WHO.

Leishmaniasis

Cause:

There are several species of the protozoan parasite Leishmania, including espundia or oriental sore, and kala-azar.

Transmission:

Infection is transmitted by the bite of female phlebotomine sandflies. Dogs, rodents and other mammals are reservoir hosts for leishmaniasis. Sandflies acquire the parasites by biting infected humans or animals.Transmission is also possible from person to person by injected blood or contaminated syringes and needles is also possible.

Nature of the disease:

Leishmaniasis occurs in two main forms: Cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis (espundia) cause skin sores and chronic ulcers of the mucosae. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a chronic, progressive, disabling and often mutilating disease. Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) affects the bone marrow, liver, spleen, lymph nodes and other internal organs. It is usually fatal if untreated.

Geographical distribution:

Many countries in tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa, parts of central and south America, Asia, southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. Over 90% of all cases of visceral leishmaniasis occur in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal and Sudan. More than 90% of all cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis occur in Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic.

Risk for travellers:

Generally low. Visitors to rural and forested areas in endemic countries are at risk.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):

None.

Precautions:

Avoid sandfly bites, particularly after sunset, by using repellents and insecticide-impregnated bednets. The bite leaves a non-swollen red ring, which can alert the traveller to its origin. Source: WHO.

HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The most important sexually transmitted diseases and infectious agents are HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia infections, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes and genital warts.

Transmission:

Infection occurs during unprotected sexual intercourse. Hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis may also be transmitted in contaminated blood and blood products, by contaminated syringes and needles used for injection, and potentially by unsterilized instruments used for acupuncture, piercing and tattooing.

Nature of the diseases:

Most of the clinical manifestations are included in the following syndromes: genital ulcer, pelvic inflammatory disease, urethral discharge and vaginal discharge. However, many infections are asymptomatic. Sexually transmitted infections are a major cause of acute illness, infertility, long-term disability and death, with severe medical and psychological consequences for millions of men, women and children. Apart from being serious diseases in their own right, sexually transmitted infections increase the risk of HIV infection. The presence of an untreated disease (ulcerative or non-ulcerative) can increase by a factor of up to 10 the risk of becoming infected with HIV and transmitting the infection. On the other hand, early diagnosis and improved management of other sexually transmitted infections can reduce the incidence of HIV infection by up to 40%. Prevention and treatment of all sexually transmitted infections are therefore important for the prevention of HIV infection.

Geographical distribution:

Worldwide. Sexually transmitted infections have been known since ancient times; they remain a major public health problem, which was compounded by the appearance of HIV/AIDS around 1980. An estimated 340 million episodes of curable sexually transmitted infections (chlamydial infections, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis) occur throughout the world every year. Viral infections, which are more difficult to treat, are also very common in many populations. Genital herpes is becoming a major cause of genital ulcer, and subtypes of the human papillomavirus are associated with cervical cancer.

Risk for travellers:

For some travellers there may be an increased risk of infection. Lack of information about risk and preventive measures and the fact that travel and tourism enhance the probability of having sex with casual partners increase the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections. In some developed countries, a large proportion of sexually transmitted infections now occur as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse during international travel. In addition to transmission through sexual intercourse (both heterosexual and homosexual-anal, vaginal or oral), most of these infections can be passed on from an infected mother to her unborn or newborn baby. Hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis are also transmitted through transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products and the use of contaminated needles. There is no risk of acquiring any sexually transmitted infection from casual day-to-day contact at home, at work or socially. People run no risk of infection when sharing any means of communal transport (e.g. aircraft, boat, bus, car, train) with infected individuals. There is no evidence that HIV or other sexually transmitted infections can be acquired from insect bites.

Prophylaxis:

There is a vaccination against hepatitis B. No prophylaxis is available for any of the other sexually transmitted diseases.

Precautions:

Male or female condoms, when properly used, have proved to be effective in preventing the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and for reducing the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Latex rubber condoms are relatively inexpensive, are highly reliable and have virtually no side-effects. The transmission of HIV and other infections during sexual intercourse can be effectively prevented when high-quality condoms are used correctly and consistently. Studies on serodiscordant couples (only one of whom is HIV-positive) have shown that, with regular sexual intercourse over a period of two years, partners who consistently use condoms have a near-zero risk of HIV infection. A man should always use a condom during sexual intercourse, each time, from start to finish, and a woman should make sure that her partner uses one. A woman can also protect herself from sexually transmitted infections by using a female condom - essentially, a vaginal pouch, which is now commercially available in some countries. It is essential to avoid injecting drugs for non-medical purposes, and particularly to avoid any type of needle-sharing to reduce the risk of acquiring hepatitis, HIV, syphilis and other infections from contaminated needles and blood. Medical injections using unsterilized equipment are also a possible source of infection. If an injection is essential, the traveller should try to ensure that the needles and syringes come from a sterile package or have been sterilized properly by steam or boiling water for 20 minutes. Patients under medical care who require frequent injections, e.g. diabetics, should carry sufficient sterile needles and syringes for the duration of their trip and a doctor's authorization for their use. Unsterile dental and surgical instruments, needles used in acupuncture and tattooing, ear-piercing devices, and other skin-piercing instruments can likewise transmit infection and should be avoided.

Treatment:

Travellers with signs or symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease should cease all sexual activity and seek medical care immediately. The absence of symptoms does not guarantee absence of infection, and travellers exposed to unprotected sex should be tested for infection on returning home. HIV testing should always be voluntary and with counselling. The sexually transmitted infections caused by bacteria, e.g. chancroid, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis, can be treated successfully, but there is no single antimicrobial that is effective against more than one or two of them. Moreover, throughout the world, many of these bacteria are showing increased resistance to penicillin and other antimicrobials. Treatment for sexually transmitted viral infections, e.g. hepatitis B, genital herpes and genital warts, is unsatisfactory due to lack of specific medication, and cure is difficult to achieve. The same is true of HIV infection, which in its late stage causes AIDS and is thought to be invariably fatal. Antiretroviral drugs cannot completely eradicate the HIV virus; treatment is expensive and complex and most countries have only a few centres that are able to provide it. Source: WHO.

Dengue Fever

Cause:

The dengue virus - a flavivirus of which there are four serotypes.

Transmission:

Dengue fever is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which bites during daylight hours. There is no direct person-to-person transmission. Monkeys act as a reservoir host in south-east Asia and west Africa.

Nature of the disease:

Dengue occurs in three main clinical forms: Dengue fever is an acute febrile illness with sudden onset of fever, followed by development of generalized symptoms and sometimes a macular skin rash. It is known as "breakbone fever" because of severe muscular pains. The fever may be biphasic (i.e. two separate episodes or waves of fever). Most patients recover after a few days; Dengue haemorrhagic fever has an acute onset of fever followed by other symptoms resulting from thrombocytopenia, increased vascular permeability and haemorrhagic manifestations; Dengue shock syndrome supervenes in a small proportion of cases. Severe hypotension develops, requiring urgent medical treatment to correct hypovolaemia. Without appropriate treatment, 40-50% of cases are fatal; with timely therapy, the mortality rate is 1% or less.

Geographical distribution:

Dengue fever is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of central and south America and south and south-east Asia and also occurs in Africa; in these regions, dengue is limited to altitudes below 600 metres (2,000 feet).

Risk for travellers:

There is a significant risk for travellers in areas where dengue fever is endemic and in areas affected by epidemics of dengue.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):

None.

Precautions:

Travellers should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites both during the day and at night in areas where dengue occurs. Source: WHO.

Cholera

Cause:

Vibrio cholerae bacteria, serogroups O1 and O139.

Transmission:

Infection occurs through ingestion of food or water contaminated directly or indirectly by faeces or vomit of infected persons. Cholera affects only humans; there is no insect vector or animal reservoir host.

Nature of the disease:

An acute enteric (intestine) disease varying in severity. Most infections are asymptomatic (i.e. do not cause any illness). In mild cases, diarrhoea occurs without other symptoms. In severe cases, there is sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhoea with nausea and vomiting and rapid development of dehydration. In severe untreated cases, death may occur within a few hours due to dehydration leading to circulatory collapse.

Geographical distribution:

Cholera occurs mainly in poor countries with inadequate sanitation and lack of clean drinking water and in war-torn countries where the infrastructure may have broken down. Many developing countries are affected, particularly those in Africa and Asia, and to a lesser extent those in central and south America.

Risk for travellers:

The risk of cholera is very low for most travellers, even in countries where cholera epidemics occur. Humanitarian relief workers in disaster areas and refugee camps are at risk.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment):

Oral cholera vaccines for use by travellers and those in occupational risk groups are available in some countries.

Precautions:

As for other diarrhoeal diseases. All precautions should be taken to avoid consumption of potentially contaminated food, drink and drinking water. Oral rehydration salts should be carried to combat dehydration in case of severe diarrhoea. Source: WHO.

Contacts

Visa Agencies

Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com

Tourism

Kenyan Tourist Board: +254 (0)20 271 1262 or www.magicalkenya.com

Kenya Embassies

Kenyan Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 387 6101.

Kenyan High Commission, London, United Kingdom (also responsible for Ireland): +44 (0)20 7636 2371.
Kenyan High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 563 1773.
Kenyan High Commission, Canberra, Australia (also responsible for New Zealand): +61 (0)2 6247 4788.
Kenyan High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 362 2249/50/51.

Foreign Embassies in Kenya

United States Embassy, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 363 6000.

British High Commission, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 284 4000.
Canadian High Commission, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 366 3000.
Australian High Commission, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 444 5034/9.
South African High Commission, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 282 7100.
Honorary Consul of Ireland, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 556 647.
New Zealand Consulate, Nairobi: +254 (0)20 271 2466.

Kenya Emergency Numbers

Emergencies: 999.

Airports

Moi International Airport (MBA)

Location: The airport is situated six miles (10km) north west of Mombasa.

Time: GMT +3.

Contacts: Tel: +254 (0)41 433 211.

Transfer to the city: Public buses go regularly to the city centre, but most travellers take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by their hotel or tour operator.

Car rental: Avis, Europcar and Hertz are represented at the airport.

Facilities: Facilities at the airport are fairly limited by international standards but include left luggage, disabled facilities, first aid, banks, a bureau de change, bars, a restaurant, duty-free, a post office, curio shops, tourist information and hotel reservations.

Parking: Short- and long-term parking is available.

Departure Tax: US$20, but this is usually included in the ticket price.

Website: www.kenyaairports.co.ke

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)

Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south east of Nairobi.

Time: GMT +3.

Contacts: Tel: +254 (0)20 822 111

Transfer to the city: The KBS bus service 34 leaves fairly regularly for the city centre; most travellers however take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by their hotel or tour operator. The Mercedes taxis take passengers to the central city hotels for a fixed fare.

Car rental: Avis, Europcar and Hertz, among others, are represented at the airport.

Facilities: The facilities at the airport are fairly limited, but include a bank and bureau de change, left luggage, telephones and fax, medical aid, a bar and restaurant, duty-free shops selling curios, a post office, tourist information and hotel reservations. There are disabled facilities, but passengers should advise their airline in advance of any special needs.

Parking: Short- and long-term parking is available.

Departure Tax: US$20, but this is usually included in the ticket price.

Website: www.kenyaairports.co.ke

Climate

Situated at a high altitude, Nairobi has a moderate climate. The summer months are sunny and warm without blistering temperatures, while winters are mild to cool, with very chilly evenings. Rainfall is also moderate, the wettest part of the year being late summer to autumn, when cloudy, drizzly days are common.

Passport & Visa

Visa Agencies:

Avoid the stress and queues, get a visa agency to arrange your visa.
Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com
Global Visas, London, UK. 0207 190 3903 or www.globalvisas.com

Entry requirements for Americans: United States citizens require a valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens require a valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians require a valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Australians: Australians require a valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to three months.

Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens require a valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport and a visa.

Passport/Visa Note: Visas can be obtained by most nationalities on arrival for a fee of US$50, which is valid for a period of three months and must be paid in a convertible currency. This may result in passenger delays and it is preferable to arrange a visa in the country of origin. Required by all passengers are onward or return tickets, documents needed for next destination and sufficient funds for length of intended stay (at least US$500). Passports must be valid for at least the period of stay.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.