Alphadean - for all the safaris, tours and trips in Kenya and Tanzania

TOP 10 TRAVEL TIPS IN KENYA

1.Passport and ETA

Getting your passport is very crucial to traveling across the world, Kenya is no exception to this rule. For this reason, the immigration officials require that your passport has a validity of at least 6 months prior to your departure, make sure you have some blank pages on your passport say two blank pages.
That sorted, the next most vital document is the entry authorisation to Kenya. All individuals, including infants and children, who plan to travel to Kenya must obtain an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before their journey commences.

Those who are exempt from obtaining the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) include:

Holders of valid Kenya Passports or one-way Emergency Certificates issued by Kenya Missions abroad.
Holders of Kenya Permanent Residence, valid Work Permits, and Passes.
Holders of valid Kenya eVISAs.
Holders of valid United Nations Conventional Travel Documents issued by the Government of Kenya.
Members of Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations Accredited to Kenya (exempt from payment only).
Citizens of the East African Partner States, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda (exempted for six months).
All passengers in transit through Kenya arriving and departing on the same aircraft or transferring to another aircraft and not leaving the precincts of airports in Kenya.
All passengers arriving and departing on the same ship and not leaving the ship.
Members of the crew of any ship, aircraft, train, vehicle, or carrier whose name and particulars are included in the crew manifest of the ship, aircraft, train, vehicle, or carrier and who are proceeding in such a ship, aircraft, train, vehicle, or carrier to a destination outside Kenya.
Owners of private aircraft stopping over for refuelling in Kenya and not leaving the precincts of the airport.

eTA applications must be completed exclusively through the official website or the "Kenya Travel Authorisation" official mobile application, and must be completed for each individual intending to travel to Kenya.

Here are the steps to follow:

Visit the official website at www.etakenya.go.ke.
Click on "Apply Now" and follow the instructions provided.
Ensure that all data is entered accurately.
Submit your application.
You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.
If applicable, you will receive an email confirming receipt of payment.
Upon a decision by the Immigration officer, you will receive an email confirming Approval or Refusal.
If your application is approved, please either print the attached PDF document, download it to your mobile device, or save it in the "Kenya Travel Authorisation" mobile app. This document serves as your electronic travel authorisation and must be presented at all departure and arrival points.
If your application is denied, you will not be able to travel to Kenya at this time.
For further assistance, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to report your situation and receive additional information.
You can check the status of your application at any time by visiting https://www.etakenya.go.ke.

2. Weather

Kenya is a country located in Africa with a particular positioning in the eastern part of this great African continent. It happens to lie on the equator which divides the earth into two equal parts. The equator greatly has influence over the climate of Kenya, hence the country experiences 3 dominant types of climates: hot and humid mainly in the coastal region, temperate in the rift valley region, the concentration of mountains and plateaus is more in this region and finally the hot and dry climate that is in the northeastern part of the country, the region that is close to The Ethiopian country.

The warmest months are February to March, the coolest being July to August. Short rains October to December long rains March to May, the sunniest months are from January to February. The climate patterns are irregular hence in a month that is dominantly sunny there may be some rains, or the reverse may happen experience sun in a month that is majorly cold.

The capital city, Nairobi due to its altitude has daytime temperatures that are pleasant and cool nights.
The warmest months are January to March at lows of 27 to highs of 28 Celsius
Coolest Month June to August at lows of 23 to highs of 24 Celsius

Access detailed Weather Charts for Kenyan climate.

3. MAJOR NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES CLIMATE

MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE 
At an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level
Generally, the driest month is July
April is the rainiest month
Detailed weather charts about Masai mara.

Explore Masai Mara National Reserve with our various tours and safaris.

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
At an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level
The environment is dominantly dry savannah
Driest seasons in June to September, less dry Jan to February
Rainy season March to May, less rains October to December

Explore Amboseli National Park with our various tours and safaris.

Useful Tips:

4. Health

Malaria Endemic
To enjoy and make the most of any vacation health is paramount. While traveling to Kenya you need to be aware of Malaria disease which is endemic to most tropical African nations. Measures for prevention of malaria are many just to mention but a few are the use of repellent, particularly the deet based repellent, another method is sleeping under a treated mosquito net this we provide for in our safaris, use of antimalaria tablets these come in a variety and you should consult your doctor on which type is best suited for you.
Incolutions
In recent times, the only required vaccinations needed to be yellow fever, the certificate for yellow fever becomes valid 10 days after the vaccination, the validity of the certificate is up to 10 years.
Since the covid pandemic travelers to Kenya are required to obtain a covid negative test 96 hours before travel and issue the same on their departure to their resident country.
Vaccinations and health requirements change from time to time hence it's advisable to check with the center of disease control and prevention to be updated on the health requirements.

5. Money
The legal tender money, in Kenya, is Kenya shillings or KES. The highest note at 1000 and lowest at 50. Other notes include 500,200 and 50. For coins, the highest value of coin is 40 shs and the lowest is 1 shs, other coins are 5,10,20.
For tourism purposes, the most common payment is in dollars, dollars that are below the 1990's series or the white-colored dollar notes are no longer accepted and in cases attract a lower exchange rate however Kenya shillings can be accepted subject to the exchange rate of the day. Other international currencies that are acceptable as a means of payment for safaris are sterling pounds and euros.
For local purchases, most shops accept Kenya shillings with very few accepting dollars.

6. Exchanging money
International currencies can be exchanged at banks and forex exchange bureaus(forex) across major towns and cities in the country. Hotels also offer exchange service this is at a poor rate the same is also experienced in airports. Forex bureaus offer much better exchange rates than banks. Avoid unscrupulous means of exchanging money such as street exchanges it is illegal and you might be ripped off. Caution should be practiced when swapping currencies count to counter check and at ATMs wait to get all the cash-out.
7. Credit Cards
Debit and credit cards are the most secure form as compared to cash. These cards can be used at ATMs and used for purchases. Acceptable cards include Visa and Mastercards, as for Cirrus and Plus cards, these are accepted at a few select ATMs.Travel money cards or cash passports which are commonly referred to as prepaid currency cards and can be used to withdraw money at ATMs.ATMs are widely available from petrol stations, shopping malls, and secure booths in towns. Withdrawing cash from a local ATM from your international home bank attracts a charge and there may be a limit imposed for daily transactions. There is a 5% mark-up on top of the cost price when using your card to make payments. Machines are chip and pin and some are manual whereby you need to add zeros after inputting the initial digits, and the voucher takes a notice of the currency beforehand, other machines just require a $,€ or £ sign before the total.
8. Internet Access
Wi-fi is easily accessible in major towns, modern shopping malls, top-tier hotels, and resorts. Rural areas and remote camps however do not have internet access, for this reason, one may need a 3G to 4G mobile phone or device. It is most advisable to use a local Kenyan Sim than using your foreign home service provider roaming service, for laptops the Kenyan sim on your phone can be used to tether internet access or you could buy a modem. Kenyan sim can be loaded up with data bundles. Kenyan sim cards that are commonly used include Safaricom, airtel, orange. These service providers can be found in major towns or across franchises of the same distributed across the country.
9. Photography
There are various sites and sceneries in Kenya and you cannot afford to not capture the amazing sceneries. Any camera can for the job but for exquisite shots, you will need a camera with an optical magnification of 10X at the very least or 400mm-equivalent on DSLR. These camera specifications are necessary for animal pictures. Make sure you carry a spare battery if your camera uses a rechargeable battery, memory cards should be in plenty or a separate storage device. Taking photos of people you should be cautious and kind to ask for permission beforehand.
10. Crime and Insecurity
Petty crime in Kenya is an issue, not only in Kenya but across the world, we acknowledge that there are high chances of being a victim especially when you are a foreigner. That shouldn't deter you from visiting Kenya because a large number of tourists visit the country annually with no difficulties. Government official warnings are a great source of information this shouldn’t be your only source as they tend to be overly cautious, make a comparative analysis of information from other sources such as tour operators, locals, etc. Travel advisories to check out include UK and foreign commonwealth office, united states government advisories.

SAFARI PACKING LIST

Passports and the relevant visas
Health card and insurance details
Credit Card 
Money pouch with some cash in it
Prescription Glasses & Hard Glasses Case
Malaria prophylaxis for malaria areas
Motion sickness pills
Lip balm 
Shampoo/Conditioner
Deodorant
Toothpaste and toothbrush
Dental floss 
Hairbrush/comb
Electric/hand razor
Hand & body lotion
Ladies' hygiene supplies

Not staying long in Kenya? Be sure to check out our day trips, we also offer Multi-day trips in Kenya as well as Kenya and Tanzania safaris, Tanzania safaris.
Hiking expeditions are also our specialty with coordinated Mt.Kenya climbing tours and Mt.Kilimanjaro trekking expeditions.
For inquiries or consultations feel free to contact us, we are also available on WhatsApp 24/7