KENYA DESCRIPTION  

Revered by many anthropologists as the 'cradle of humanity', Kenya is wild and a little dangerous. If you're adventurous - and sensible - it promises the globe's most magnificent wildlife parks, unsullied beaches, thriving coral reefs, memorable mountainscapes and ancient Swahili cities.

The Swahili word safari (literally, journey) wouldn't mean much to most people if it wasn't for this East African adventure land. No matter how many Tarzan movies you've seen, nothing will prepare you for the annual mass migration of wildebeests in the Masai Mara.

When To Go
The main tourist season is in January and February, since the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally considered to be the most pleasant. It's also when Kenya's birdlife flocks to the Rift Valley lakes in great numbers. June to September could be called the 'shoulder season' as the weather is still dry. The rains hit from March to May (and to a lesser extent from October to December). During these months things are much quieter - places tend to have rooms available and prices drop. The rains generally don't affect travellers' ability to get around.

Weather Overview
With pleasant overall conditions all year round, Kenya's southern highlands and coastal lowlands see little variation in conditions; each has a wet season between March and May and a second one in November and December. Temperatures are consistent throughout the year and cool for an equatorial region, ranging from high 20°Cs to low 30°Cs (80°Fs to low 90°Fs) on the coast, dropping slightly inland and then raising again closer to Lake Victoria.

Geography
On Africa's east coast, Kenya straddles the equator and shares a border with Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. Its coast is lapped by the Indian Ocean and it shares the vast waters of Lake Victoria with its western and southern neighbours. The Rift Valley and Central Highlands area form the backbone of the country, and this is where Kenya's scenery is at its most spectacular. The humid coastal belt includes the Tana River estuary and a string of good beaches. Western Kenya takes in the fertile fringes of Lake Victoria and, with the southern part of the country, some prime wildlife parks. The vast, arid region is where Kenya is at its wildest and most untouched by the modern world.

Visas Overview
Visas are now required by almost all visitors to Kenya, including Europeans, Australians, New Zealanders, Americans and Canadians, although citizens from a few smaller Commonwealth countries are exempt. Visas are valid for three months from the date of entry and can be obtained upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for KSh50 for a single-entry visa, double for multiple entries. Visas are also easily obtained at land crossings with Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda. Tourist visas can be extended for a further three month period, but not seven-day transit visas.

It's also possible to get visas from Kenyan diplomatic missions overseas, but you should apply well in advance, especially if you're doing it by mail.

Overview
There are more than 70 tribal groups among the Africans in Kenya. Distinctions between many of them are blurred - western cultural values are becoming more ingrained and traditional values are disintegrating. Yet, even though the average Kenyan may have outwardly drifted away from tribal traditions, the first question asked when two of them meet is 'What tribe are you from?'.

English and Swahili are the languages taught throughout the country, but there are many other tribal languages. These include Kikuyu, Luhia, Luo and Kikamba as well as a plethora of minor tribal tongues. It's useful for the traveller to have a working knowledge of Swahili, especially outside the urban areas and in remote parts of the country. Another language you'll come across is Sheng, spoken almost exclusively by the younger members of society. A fairly recent development, Sheng is a mixture of Swahili and English along with a fair sprinkling of other languages.

Most Kenyans outside the coastal and eastern provinces are Christians of one sort or another, while most of those on the coast and in the eastern part of the country are Muslim. Muslims make up some 30% of the population. In the more remote tribal areas you'll find a mixture of Muslims, Christians and those who follow their ancestral tribal beliefs.

Kenyans love to party, and the music style known as benga is the contemporary dance music that rules. It originated among the Luo people of western Kenya and became popular in the area in the 1950s. Some well-known exponents of benga include Shirati Jazz, Victoria Kings, Globestyle and the Ambira Boys. If you're not a jive bunny, your most likely experience of Kenya is the 1985 movie Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.

Kenyan cuisine generally consists of stodge filler with beans or a meat sauce. It's really just survival fodder for the locals - maximum filling-up potential at minimum cost. If you had to name a national dish in Kenya, nyama choma (barbecued meat, usually goat), would probably be it. Kenyan food is not exactly designed for gourmets - or vegetarians. Beer drinkers, on the other hand, are well supplied. Kenyans love their beer almost as much as their dancing and there's a thriving local brewing industry. Kenya, regarded by many as the ‘jewel of East Africa’, has some of the continent’s finest beaches, most magnificent wildlife and scenery and an incredibly sophisticated tourism infrastructure. It is a startlingly beautiful land, from the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast to the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds and bejewelled by strange giant alpine plants. Between these two extremes is the rolling savannah that is home to game parks such as Amboseli, the Masai Mara, Samburu and Tsavo; the lush, agricultural highlands with their sleek green coat of coffee and tea plantations; and the most spectacular stretch of the Great Rift Valley, the giant scar across the face of Africa. One-tenth of all land in Kenya is designated as national parks and reserves. Over 50 parks and reserves cover all habitats from desert to mountain forest, and there are even six marine parks in the Indian Ocean. Tourist facilities are extremely good. There are many organized safaris, but visitors with the time and money may choose to hire their own vehicle and camping equipment.
Kenya also has a fascinatingly diverse population with around 40 different tribes, all with their own (often related) languages and cultures. The major tribes include the Kikuyu from the central highlands, the Luyia in the northwest, and the Luo around Lake Victoria. Of them all, however, the most famous are the tall, proud, beautiful red-clad Masai, who still lead a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle of cattle-herding along the southern border.
Kenya does have its downside as a tourist destination. Rampant corruption means that many of the roads are in poor condition and driving can be a chore. Urban crime is high and continuing inter-tribal skirmishes and banditry are a threat in some areas of the North. More prosaically, the tourist trade has taught people there to think of foreigners as open wallets. Prices for everything from park fees to hotel rooms are set way above the local level. There is enormous pressure to buy anything and everything, often at ridiculously inflated prices, and even taking a photograph in the local market is likely to incur a cost.

The Coast
Mombassa
The second-largest city in Kenya, 500km (300 miles) from Nairobi, Mombasa town actually sits on an island. Until the ascendancy of the Western powers in the Indian Ocean, Mombasa was second only to Zanzibar as a center for trade with Arabia, India and the Far East – slaves and ivory were exchanged for spices and small goods, and later for gold dollars. Mombasa is still an important port, prospering from its position at the head of the only railway into the Kenyan interior, but visitors are likely to find the rakish grey forms of foreign warships to be more typical of modern Mombasa than the flotillas of Arab dhows that still collect in the Old Harbour. Mombasa is the headquarters for Kenya’s coastal tourist trade, but has none of the fine beaches to be found to the north and south. There are, however, several places of interest: the Old Town retains a strongly Arab flavor, with narrow, crowded streets and street vendors selling all manner of local and imported craftwork; Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese in 1593 and taken by the Omani Arabs in 1698 after a 33-month seige, is now a museum and worth visiting (open 0830-1830 every day of the year, including son-et-lumière shows); the Old Harbour is an interesting place for early morning and late afternoon strolls, and is often filled with sailing dhows from the Yemen and Persian Gulf. For those who want to go shopping with atmosphere, Biashara Street is probably the best place to go to buy kikoi and khanga cloths; the main city market is the Makupa Market, off Mwembe Tayari and there is a floating market at Tudor Creek, to the north of the city. There are plenty of dhow trips here, and around the harbor if you fancy a spell on the water. The tourist office is on Moi Avenue near the Giant Tusks (Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0800-1200; tel: (11) 315 922 or 223 465). Staff are very helpful. Alternatively, there is also excellent information about the city online (website: www.mombasaonline.com).

Resorts
Most of the beach resorts which are actually listed as Mombasa are some way out of town, along a 120km- (70 mile-) stretch of coast. To the north of the city, resorts such as Bamburi Beach, Casuarina Beach, Kenya Beach and Nyali Beach are amongst the older developments with easy access to the city center and activities, restaurants and clubs. The Kenya Marineland and Snake Park, Bamburi Quarry Nature Trail, which also has a butterfly farm, the Mamba Crocodile Village in Freretown, and the Ngomongo Villages cultural park, showing off the lifestyle of 11 different Kenyan tribes, are entertaining for children and adults alike. Serious souvenir shoppers should head for Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Village, where 260 disabled men and women produce high-quality leatherwork, jewelry and other crafts. There is some good diving on the somewhat damaged coral reef of the Mombasa Marine National Park, off the Nyali headland.
The best beaches, such as Likoni and Tiwi (popular with backpackers), stretch out for some distance along the South Coast, reached only by ferry from the city center. The best and most famous of them all is the 10km long, dazzlingly white Diani Beach, some 40km (24 miles) south of the city, lined by a string of large resort hotels. A short way inland, the 192 sq km Shimba Hills National Reserve is the most accessible place to see big game for those staying on the coast, although the wooded vegetation does not always make it easy. It does, however, boast a lot of leopard and Kenya’s only population of sable antelope. In the far south, little Shimoni is an increasingly popular center for diving and deep sea fishing, with three small marine parks, Kisite Marine National Park, Mpunguti National Reserve and Wasini Marine National Park within easy boat-trip distance. The coral reefs around here are spectacular and there are dhow trips to go dolphin-watching.

Malindi
Malindi, 125km (80 miles) north of Mombasa, was once the center of a powerful kingdom. Today it is a small, somewhat tatty resort town, but the Malindi and Watamu Marine National Parks are nearby. Here the coral reef is close enough to the white sand beach to walk out at low tide and you can snorkel, dive or watch the technicolor fish through a glass-bottomed boat. There are also several operators running deep-sea fishing charters. A small white cross on the bay marks the arrival in 1499 of Vasco da Gama, the first European ever to visit the Kenyan coast. Close to Watamu, the Gedi National Park protects the well-preserved ruins of a Swahili city, founded in the 13th century and destroyed by Somali raiders in the 17th century. The Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, south of Watamu, and the little village of Mambrui, north of Malindi, are also worth a visit.

Lamu Island
Lamu Island, 200km (125 miles) north of Malindi, is an exceptionally beautiful place with fine, white sandy beaches, sailing dhows and a fascinating town. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the island and the streets are so narrow that donkeys and hand-carts are the only vehicles that can negotiate them. The area is strongly Muslim and the only places on the island to buy alcohol are in a couple of the larger tourist hotels.
Lamu Town was founded in the ninth century and is one of a handful of Swahili towns whose many mosques and fine old Arab houses with impressive carved wooden doors have survived intact. There are a couple of excellent museums; the Lamu Museum and the Swahili House Museum. The Fortress is also open to the public. Other attractions in the city include the Hindu Temple in Mwagogo Road, off Treasury Square, and the bazaars. The best beaches are about 2km (1.2 miles) south of the town at Shela, or on the nearby islands.

Excursions
Fishing trips may be taken by dhow, and day trips to the 14th- and 15th-century ruins on the nearby islands of Manda and Pate can be arranged with local boat owners. On the Prophet’s Birthday there is a week-long festival with dancing, singing and other celebrations. Many Muslims come to Lamu from all along the coast to enjoy this celebration. The best time to visit the island is outside the main tourist season (April to November).

The Southeast
Southeastern Kenya is low, dry, flat savannah country, much of it taken up by the vast Tsavo National Park, a collection of privately owned game ranches in the Taita Hills and the smaller Amboseli National Park, on the Tanzanian border.

Tsavo National Park
The largest park in Kenya, Tsavo covers a mammoth 21,000 sq km (8000 sq miles). It is actually managed as two separate parks - Tsavo East, most of which is closed to the public, and Tsavo West. Between the two, the Taita Hills are the setting for most of the local game lodges, all of which stand on private concessions run as part of the same ecosystem as the park itself. Despite a drastic fall in the elephant population, caused by massive poaching in the 1970s and 80s, numbers are again on the increase and it is possible to see large herds. Much of the land is open savannah and bush woodland inhabited by buffaloes, a few rhinos, lions, antelopes, gazelles, giraffes and zebras. Crocodiles and hippos can be seen at Mzima Springs in the northwest of the park. Nearby, the Shetani Lava Flow is a 50 sq km lava bed formed by an eruption in the Chyulu Hills. As well as being rich in wildlife, Tsavo has a wealth of birds, with over 440 species recorded.

Amboseli National Park
A small park by Kenyan standards, covering 329 sq km, Amboseli lies on the Tanzanian border 220km (140 miles) from Nairobi. The fine view it affords of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain (5895m/19,340ft), draws many visitors, but the park itself has seen better days. The once-lush savannah is now largely a dust-bowl and most animals have retreated into areas of scrub forest and marshland.

Central Highlands
Nairobi
The ‘Green City in the Sun’ is an attractive city with wide tree-lined streets and spacious parkland suburbs. Its pleasant nature together with judicious investment in facilities such as the Kenyatta Conference Center have made Nairobi an important center for international business and conference activities. However, despite the capital’s appearance, urban crime is on the increase and visitors are advised to take precautions such as avoiding certain areas, or walking anywhere at night (travelers are advised against walking alone through Uhuru Park at any time). There is a full range of shopping opportunities, from purpose-built American-style malls to African markets, and a variety of restaurants and nightclubs. There are open-air swimming pools at the Boulevard, Jacaranda and Serena hotels – non-residents may pay to swim.
Other places of interest in or near Nairobi include the Bomas of Kenya, a short distance outside the city center, where displays of traditional dancing are put on for visitors; the Kenya National Museum with its particularly good ethnographic and archaeological exhibits (this is where many of the earliest human remains, discovered by the Leakeys at Olduvai, Koobi Fora and other well-known prehistoric sites, are displayed); and the Snake Park, opposite the museum, which houses snakes indigenous to East Africa and a few from other parts of the world. Adjacent to Snake Park is a collection of traditional mud and thatch huts and granaries containing tools characteristic of different tribes. In the suburb of Karen, the Karen Blixen Museum occupies the farmhouse made famous by the author’s book, Out of Africa.

Excursions
Although it is just 8km (5 miles) from Nairobi city center, Nairobi National Park still seems a savage and lonely place during the week (carloads of city-dwellers invade at the weekend). It was Kenya’s first national park and today still looks much as it did in the early photographs – wild, undulating pasture dotted with every kind of East African plain-dwelling animal except elephants. At the gates to the park is the Animal Orphanage where young, sick and wounded animals are cared for. Also near here, the Langata Giraffe Center offers the enchanting opportunity of hand-feeding the resident Rothschild giraffes.
North of Nairobi, the road climbs steadily through the suburb of Thika and rich agricultural lands, offering excellent views of the Great Rift Valley. The eastern wall of the Rift is made up by the Aberdare Mountains, while further east still looms the vast bulk of Mount Kenya. Between the two are several attractive small towns such as Nyeri; Nyahururu, home of the Thomson’s Falls; Muranga’a, whose cathedral tells the story of the Mau Mau rebellions in a series of colorful murals; Nanyuki and Naro Moru, both acting as starting points for those wishing to climb the mountain.

Aberdare National Park
The park is set amidst a densely wooded mountain range rising to over 4000m (13,000ft), adjacent to Mount Kenya. It is possible to see elephants, rhinos, dik-dik, leopards, lions and monkeys as well as rare forest antelopes such as the bongo. However, the thick vegetation and misty alpine climate hides most wildlife from the inexpert observer, the exceptions being giant forest pigs, baboons and buffaloes, which often sleep or feed beside the many dirt tracks. Most visitors prefer to watch for animals from the comfort of the park’s two lodges, ‘Treetops’ and ‘Ark’, both built on platforms overlooking clearings which are floodlit at night. On the higher slopes, giant alpine plants sprout from an almost perpetual fog. There are many waterfalls, the greatest being Guru Falls, which drops over 300m (1000ft). The western face of the mountain range is the sheer Mau Escarpment, which falls dramatically to the floor of the Great Rift Valley.

Mount Kenya National Park
Conical Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano, is the second-highest mountain in Africa, at 4986m (16,358ft) above sea level. The national park covers 600 sq km (230 sq miles) of forest and bare rock straddling the equator, all above 1800m (6000ft). The mountain may be climbed without special equipment, but it is advisable to take time so as to avoid altitude sickness. The ascent is very beautiful with the vegetation ranging from farmland to thick forest, bamboo forest, open moorland, giant alpine vegetation, sheer rock and finally, at the summit, year-round snow fields. The lower slopes are one of the last haunts of the black leopard and the black and white colobus monkey. Climbers should be accompanied by a guide. Porters are also available and there are huts to stay in along the way. Plenty of warm clothes are required as well as one’s own food supplies. A Rockclimber’s Guide to Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro can be bought from the Mountain Club of Kenya, PO Box 45741, Nairobi (tel: (20) 602 330; e-mail: MCKenya@iname.com; website: www.mck.or.ke).

The Great Rift Valley
About 20 million years ago, a vast seismic scar was torn across the face of Africa, stretching for nearly 6000km (3600 miles), from the Red Sea to the Drakensberg in South Africa. Known today as the Great Rift Valley, it is at its most dramatic and visible in central Kenya where escarpment walls 2000m high plunge to the flat-bottomed valley floor, decorated by a small string of volcanoes and brackish soda lakes.
Driving down into the valley from Nairobi, the first landmark on the valley floor is the almost perfect cone of Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano (2885m/9466ft), that has recently been gazetted as a national park. The walk up is hard, but worth it both for the wildlife and the final spectacular views of the crater and along the Rift.
Known for the abundance and variety of its birdlife and spectacular views, freshwater Lake Naivasha, is one hour’s drive from the capital, and the center of a booming horticultural industry. The south shore is lined by hotels and guest houses, popular as a weekend retreat from Nairobi, with the option of boat trips to little Crescent Island. Also on the south shore is Elsamere, home of Joy and George Adamson and the real setting of Born Free, their effort to return the lioness, Elsa, to the wild. It is now a small museum, guest house and conservation center. Nearby, Crater Lake is another small volcanic crater and Hell’s Gate National Park, both of which allow you to walk amongst the wildlife. Happy Valley, center of the ‘White Mischief’ scandal is a short distance north of Naivasha, in the foothills of the Aberdares. Much of the socialising in the 1920s took place in the mansions surrounding Lake Naivasha, notably the Djinn Palace (still there, but closed to the public).
Lake Elementeita is the first of the brackish soda lakes in the string. There is a small game reserve on its shores and excellent birdwatching. Also nearby is a small but fascinating prehistoric site, Kariandusi.
Kenya’s third-largest city, Nakuru is situated a little further north still, about 230km (140 miles) west of Nairobi. A vibrant town, with a huge central market, it is a good place to hunt down souvenirs (keep an eye on wallets and bags). Lake Nakuru National Park was once said to be home to half the world’s total population of pink flamingos and, even today, visitors in winter will encounter these ungainly birds in vast numbers, along with around 450 other species of bird. Although tiny, this gem of a park has huge concentrations of game (everything except elephant). Above all, it is one of Kenya’s rhino sanctuaries, and it is possible to see up to 15 of these magnificent animals in one game drive. Also near Nakuru are Hyrax Hill, another important prehistoric settlement, and the Menengai Crater, an extinct volcano with a vast caldera. You can drive right up to the rim.
Lake Bogoria National Park, about 70km (42 miles) north of Nakuru, surrounds a long thin soda lake, dramatically set at the foot of the 600m-high Laikipia Escarpment. It also has good game-viewing and giant flocks of flamingos, and area of belching geysers and hot springs lie in one corner of the park, which have dyed the surrounding rocks a kaleidoscope of colors.
Of the most northerly of the string of lakes (approximately 118km (65 miles) north of Nakuru), Lake Baringo is a large, beautiful freshwater lake with excellent birdlife. There is a permanent tented camp on the island at the lake’s center where boats may be hired to cruise through the reeds at the northern end, a habitat rich in water fowl, egrets, giant herons and fish eagles. With village tours on offer and a huge variety of local tribes, this is one of the best places in Kenya to explore the rich human culture of the country.

Western Kenya
With the exception of the magnificent Masai Mara, Western Kenya is rarely visited by tourists and there are fewer hotels and lodges of international standard. On the plus side, the area is stunningly beautiful, culturally diverse and offers a real chance to explore the country away from the crowds.

Masai Mara National Reserve
Situated 390km (240 miles) from Nairobi in the southwest corner of the country, this reserve, owned by the local Masai Council but operated as a national park by Kenya Wildlife Services, is a slice of Africa as seen by Hollywood (much of the film Out of Africa was shot here) – a vast rolling plain beneath the Oloololo escarpment that forms part of the vast Serengeti plains in neighboring Tanzania. Each year, this is the spectacular setting for the great migration, the constant clockwise motion of an estimated two million wildebeests and zebra who arrive in the Mara from late June onwards, heading south again in September. Continually harried by predators, thick columns of exhausted animals eventually converge at one spot on the Mara River and wait nervously to cross. A panic anywhere within the herd is transmitted flank-to-flank until it reaches those by the river, who fall 6m (20ft) into water already bloodied and bobbing with bloated carcasses. The inelegant beasts must swim past crocodiles, hippos and flapping vultures to join the sparse but growing herd on the other side. The stench is unimaginable and while it is undoubtedly fascinating, also requires a strong stomach to watch the immense distress.
During the migration season (July/August), the reserve’s resident lions lounge prominently in the sun, fat and seemingly placid, and apparently indifferent to tourists. Other animals to be seen, at any time of the year, include elephants, cheetahs, baboons, gazelles, giraffes, jackals, hyenas, water buffaloes, ostriches and several types of antelope. There are numerous lodges and tented camps both within the park and on its immediate borders. Mara Serena Lodge, Mara Sopa Lodge and Keekorok Lodge are the best known of the hotel-style properties. Governor’s Camp is the largest of the camps. For true luxury, try Bateleur’s Camp or Cottars 1920s Safari Camp. Most of the small lodges and camps have their own airstrips. A highlight for any visitor is the hot air balloon trips which operate from Governor’s Camp, Sarova Camp and Fig Tree Camp. Masai tribespeople live on the reserve’s fringes. They are very keen to sell traditional bead necklaces and decorated gourds to tourists, or to pose for tourist cameras in return for a fee.

Lake Victoria
West of the Mara, on the Ugandan border, Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa, a vast inland sea that is also the source of the fabled Nile River. Kisumu, Kenya’s fourth city, made its reputation as the inland end of the Lunatic Line railway and a trading center with Tanzania and Uganda. These days, the lake steamer and trade have gone and the city struggles to survive on the few tourists who head over to the lake. Three islands, a little further south, near Homa Bay – Rusinga Island, Mfangano Island and Takawiri Island – have luxury lodges which provide excellent fishing and birdwatching. In the far south, tiny Ruma National Park (painfully reached by an appalling road) protects several rare species such as the roan antelope and Rothschild giraffe.
Inland, Kisii is the center of production for most of Kenya’s trademark pink and white soapstone, while the area around Kericho and the Nandi Hills is tea country, with vast estates flowing across rolling hills.
The Kakamega Forest Reserve is Kenya’s last surviving patch of primeval rainforest, a wonderful cool green cave of soaring trees and tangled vines, with hundreds of species of birds, around 60 of which are found nowhere else in the country.

The Northwest
The northwest of the country is largely agricultural, its steep hills patchworked by terraces and villages. The two main towns of Eldoret and Kitale act as jumping off points for many stunning scenic tours. The most important attraction in the region is Mount Elgon National Park, the Kenyan half of a giant forested volcano (4321m/14,178ft), famous for its mountain flora and fauna, its wonderful birdlife and for the elephants who scratch salt from the walls of Kitum Cave. To the north, the Cherengani Hills offer excellent mountain hiking and the tiny Saiwa Swamp National Park. To the east, bordering the Rift Valley, are the Tugen Hills and the dramatic escarpments of the Kerio Valley.

Northern Kenya
Due north of the Central Highlands is a belt of savannah which provides a home to several game-rich, if less visited, national parks, including Samburu, Meru and Kora, plus a whole host of small game reserves, few of which have any tourist facilities. The far north of Kenya is largely desert, difficult to travel, remote and wild. Unfortunately, much of the area is also troubled by inter-tribal violence and banditry and tourists should take local advice before traveling in the region. It is possible to fly up to Lake Turkana, the largest of the Kenyan soda lakes, on the Sudan border.

Meru and Kora National Parks
Located 400km (250 miles) from Nairobi, Meru National Park remains one of the more unspoilt parks, an oasis within the parched land all round, with 13 rivers lined with Doum palms and mountain-fed streams watering richly tangled woodlands on the slopes of the Nyambene Mountain Range. To the east, the park is adjoined by Kora National Reserve, a largely dry area bisected by the great Tana River. Both areas have plenty of game but were badly affected by poaching in the 1970s and 80s. Security has been strengthened these days and there are three lodges and several campsites in Meru, all operating happily. However, security is still a concern in less well-trodden areas.

Samburu Game Park
An area of semi-desert halfway between Nairobi and Lake Turkana (see below) that provides a rare chance to see the oryx, gerenuk, reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra. Ostriches and elephants are easily spotted in this open habitat. There are two lodges, Samburu Lodge and River Lodge, both of which hang out bait to attract leopards for the guests to study whilst sitting at the bar. The park takes its name from the Samburu people, distantly related to the Masai.

Lake Turkana
There are several parks and reserves in the far north of Kenya, gathered around Lake Turkana (formerly Lake Rudolph). This extraordinary lake has recently been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Running for several hundred miles through windswept and largely uninhabited deserts, the lake contains many unique species of fish and marine plants and has recently gained a reputation as a fishing resort. Several lodges have sprung up on the eastern shore to cater for this trade and, consequently, general tourism is expected to increase. Despite the harsh climate, many of Kenya’s better known animals manage to survive here, as do the tiny people of the El Molo tribe, who fish the eastern waters. There are two large volcanic islands in the lake. The flooded crater of the southernmost island has a resident population of unnaturally large crocodiles. The lake is subject to violent storms that disturb algae to produce remarkable color changes in the water. Those who wish to visit Turkana are advised to fly. The road takes two days, crosses immensely harsh landscape and there is danger of violence.

The most common way to see Kenya’s rich wildlife is by organized tours in small vans (which typically carry six to eight people). Private drives and walking safaris are also possible, although both require armed guides. Aeroplane or hot-air balloon trips are available at the Masai Mara National Reserve. Camel safaris can be organized in the Samburu and Turkana areas between Isiolo and Lake Turkana. Each park or game reserve offers different types of animals and vegetation. For further details, see the Where to Go section or contact the Kenya Wildlife Service (see General Info section). A list of safari tour operators can be obtained from the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, KATO (see Travel - Internal section).

Watersports
The coastal resorts on Kenya’s Coral Coast, north and south of Mombasa, have fine sandy beaches and there are several coral reefs. The most popular resorts include Bamburi, Kikambala, Kilifi, Malindi, Nyali, Shanzu, and Wasini Island. A wide range of watersports is available, including scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, water-skiing, swimming and surfing. The coast around Malindi is renowned for game fishing. Trout fishing in the lakes (notably at Lake Naivasha and Lake Victoria) is particularly good between November and March. Deep-sea fishing is good along the coast between July and April. Sailfish, marlin, wahoo, swordfish, kingfish, barracuda and tuna are all available. Whitewater rafting is popular on the Athi/Galana River.

Other
Kenya has a total of 39 golf courses ranging from minigolf to 18-hole courses. The most popular destination for trekking is Mount Kenya, although the trails tend to get fairly busy. Other trekking destinations include Mount Elgon (on the border with Uganda) and the Ngong Hills (near Nairobi). Tennis, squash, bowls, horse riding and polo are all popular. Kenya also has good athletics facilities and the Kenyans have a fine record in world competitions. Sports clubs accept visitors. 

Location
East Africa.

Area
582,646 sq km (224,961 sq miles).

Population
32.8 million (UN, 2005).

Population Density
56.29 per sq km.

Capital
Nairobi.
Population: 2.14 million (1999).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1963.

Language
Swahili is the national language and English is the official language. There are over 42 ethnic languages spoken, including Kikuyu and Luo.

Religion
Mostly traditional but there is a sizeable Christian population (both Catholic and Protestant) and a small Muslim community.

Time
GMT + 3.

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are UK-type square three-pin. Bayonet-type light sockets exist in Kenya.

Head of State
President Emilio Mwai Kibaki since December 2002.

Telephone
Country code: 254 (followed by 20 for Nairobi, 41 for Mombasa and 51 for Nakuru). International calls can sometimes be made direct or operator-assisted by dialing 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 an international phone service, but they usually charge up to 100% more. In larger towns, private telecommunication centers offer international services. For local calls, it is useful to have plenty of small change available.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. The main network providers are Celtel (website: www.celtel.com), which has extensive coverage in the south west and around the coast and Mombasa, and Safaricom (website: www.safaricom.co.ke), with coverage in from Mombasa to Nairobia and in the southeast.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in major cities and hotels.

Media
Kenya enjoys a more diverse media scene than many other African countries, although some media have been harrassed for upsetting the government. Most Kenyans rely on the broadcast media, particularly radio, for news. The print media is dominated by two publishing houses, the Nation Media Group and Standard, which also have broadcasting interests.


Post
Post offices are identified by Telkom Kenya (Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation). Post boxes are red. Stamps can usually be bought at post offices, stationers, souvenir shops and hotels. Airmail to Western Europe takes up to four days, and the service is generally reliable.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0900-1200 (main post offices).

Press
• The main dailies (all published in English) include Daily Nation, The East African Standard, Kenya Times and The People Daily.
• Taifo Leo is the only Swahili-language daily, published by the Nation Media Group.
• Nairobi is the main publishing center.  

Social Conventions
Western European habits prevail throughout Kenya as a result of British influences in the country. Kenyans are generally very friendly. Dress is informal, and casual lightweight clothes are accepted for all but the smartest social occasions.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
The national airline is Kenya Airways (KQ) (website: www.kenya-airways.com).

Departure Tax
None.

Note
Immigration procedures in Kenyan airports are likely to be extremely slow, so it is advisable to arrive early.

Main Airports
Nairobi (NBO) (Jomo Kenyatta International) is 16km (10 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: A Kenyan Bus Services bus and a Kenyan Airways bus leave every 20 minutes (journey time – 40 minutes). Scheduled bus service to and from the town center is available at unit 1 and 2 bus stops. Taxis are readily available, but the fare should be established before getting into the vehicle (journey time - 15 minutes). The state-controlled Kenacto taxis work on a fixed rate as do the British-style black cabs, and Dial a Cab, which are legally required to charge per kilometer. Facilities: Duty-free shop, hotel reservation, bank/bureau de change, post office, restaurant/bar, car hire, Internet cafe and Wi-Fi hotspots.

Mombasa (MBA) (Moi International) is 13km (8 miles) west of the city. To/from the airport: There is a regular bus service by Kenya Airways to their city center office in Mombasa (journey time – 20 minutes). Taxis are also available. Fares should be negotiated in advance. State-controlled Kenacto taxis and British-style black cabs work on a fixed rate. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank, restaurant/bar, tourist information and car hire.

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Mombasa. Short-distance ships sail between Mombasa, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Zanzibar. The ports in the Lake Victoria passenger service include Homa Bay, Mfangano and Port Victoria/Kisumu. The ferries in Lake Victoria connect Kisumu in Kenya to Mwanza, Musoma and Bukoba in Tanzania. Fares are paid for in the currency of the port of embarkation. It is also possible to get ferries from Mombasa to Pemba and Zanzibar in Tanzania, and also to Chiamboni in Somalia.

Getting There by Rail
Kenya is serviced by a single railway system running from Mombasa through Nairobi to Uganda, with branches to Nanyuki, Kitale and Kisumu. Another branch connects Kenya to Tanzania through to Taveta. Train services operate between Voi and Moshi (Tanzania) and between Nairobi and Kampala (Uganda). The sea port of Mombasa is linked to surrounding areas of Kenya and Uganda by rail. Travelers should check beforehand as these rail services may be subject to disruption. For more information contact Kenya Railways, Nairobi (tel: (020) 221 211).

Getting There by Road
The main crossing points from Tanzania are at Lunga Lunga and Namanga, with smaller posts at Isebania and Taveta. Some direct coach services operate. From Uganda there are crossing points at Buisa and Malaba. Note that at Malaba, the Kenyan and Ugandan customs posts are about 1km (0.6 miles) apart and no transport between them is available.

For all road frontier crossings, it is advisable to contact the Kenya AA (tel: (020) 825 0606) prior to departure from the country of origin for up-to-date information concerning insurance requirements and conditions.

Overview
The following goods may be imported into Kenya by passengers over 16 years of age without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 1l of spirits or 2l of wine; perfume and toilet water not exceeding in all 0.5l of which not more than a quarter may be perfume.

Firearms and ammunition require a police permit. Pets require a good health certificate, a rabies certificate and an import permit.

The import of fruit, plants, seeds, children's toys and imitation firearms. The export of gold, diamonds and wildlife skins or game trophies not obtained from the authorized Kenyan government department is also prohibited.

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
Kenya Airways (website: www.kenya-airways.com) operates an extensive network of flights, which includes scheduled services to Eldoret, Kisumu (on the shore of Lake Victoria), Lamu Island, Lockichogio, Malindi and Mombasa. Air Kenya (website: www.airkenya.com) offers scheduled flights from Nairobi to Amboseli, Kilimanjaro, Kiwayu, Lamu, Malindi, Masai Mara, Mombasa, Nanyuki and Samburu. Air Kenya also operates into all of Kenya’s game parks. Regional Air also operates from Nairobi. There are also private airlines operating light aircraft to small airstrips. Planes can be chartered and are useful for transport into game parks.

Getting Around by Water
Local ferries run between Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu. For details, contact local authorities and tour operators. It is also possible to hire a traditional Kenyan sailing boat (dhow) in Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa. This is a very basic form of sea travel which requires travelers to take their own food and drinking water. Trips can be arranged directly with the captain or through local travel agencies. There are several popular anchorage points for yachts at Mtwapa, Kiliti, Mnaroni and Lamu.

Getting Around by Rail
Kenya Railways Corporation runs passenger trains between Mombasa and Nairobi; trains generally leave in the evening and arrive the following morning after a journey of around 13 to 14 hours. There are also branches connecting Taveta and Kisumu to the passenger network. There is a daily train in each direction on the Nairobi–Kisumu route, and also an overnight service (travel time – approximately 14 hours). There is also a service through to Kampala. Trains are sometimes delayed, but most of the rolling stock is modern and comfortable, and most trains have restaurant cars. There are three classes: first class is excellent, with two-berth compartments, wardrobe, etc; second class is more basic but comfortable; third is basic. In first and second class, doors can be locked from the inside but when leaving the compartment valuables should not be left unattended. The dining-car service on the Nairobi–Mombasa route is very highly regarded. Sleeping compartments should be booked in advance. Sexes are separated in first and second class. Children under three years of age travel free. Children between three and 15 years of age pay half fare. Tickets can be booked at Nairobi railway station or through local travel agencies. For further information contact Kenya Railways (see address in Getting There).

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the left. All major roads are paved and many of the others have been improved, particularly in the southwest, although vast areas of the north still suffer from very poor communications. Care should be taken when leaving trunk roads as the surfaces of the lesser roads vary greatly in quality, particularly during the rainy season. There are petrol stations on most highways. The Kilifi Bridge linking Mombasa to Malindi serves as an alternative to the Kilifi ferry, and eases traffic flows to the northern circuit. Bus: Buses run regularly between most cities and towns. City buses operate in Nairobi and Mombasa at reasonable prices. Peak hours should be avoided as buses get very crowded. Buses also run across the borders to Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Fares are paid to the conductor. There is a network of regular buses and shared minibuses (Matatu); the fares do not vary greatly, but buses tend to be the safer method of transport. All bus companies are privately run. Local advice should be taken for bus companies with a better safety record and reputation. In some towns the different bus services and the matatu share the same terminus. Taxi: Kenya is very well served by long-distance taxis, carrying up to seven passengers. The best services are between the capital and Mombasa and Nakuru. Taxis are not metered and a price must be agreed before departure. Taxis and minibuses are a convenient method of travel on the coast. Car hire: Self-drive and chauffeur-driven cars may be hired from a number of travel agents in Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi. This can be expensive, and rates – particularly the mileage charges – can vary a good deal. Most companies insist that only 4-wheel-drive vehicles should be rented. Tours and safaris: Many tour companies in Nairobi offer package arrangements for visits to the game parks and other attractions. Before booking it is very important to know exactly what the all-in price provides. For further information contact Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO), PO Box 48461, 00100 Nairobi (tel: (020) 713 348 or 386; website: www.katokenya.org). Documentation: Visitors bringing in vehicles with registration other than Ugandan or Tanzanian must obtain an ‘International Circulation Permit’ from the Licensing Officer in Nairobi. This will be issued free of charge on production of a permit of customs duty receipt and a certificate of insurance. A full British driving license is valid, otherwise an International Driving Permit is required. For further details, apply to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles in Nairobi.

Getting Around Towns and Cities
Bus: Nairobi and Mombasa have efficient bus systems. Single tickets are sold (by conductors), but monthly bus passes are also available from the Kenya Bus Offices in the city center. There are also unregulated Matatu, 12- to 25-seat light pick-ups and minibuses. These are often severely overloaded and badly driven and therefore should be used with caution. The three-wheel Bajaj Auto Rickshaw or Tuk tuk of South East Asia is becoming increasingly popular. In Kisumu, cycle rickshaws and bicycle taxis are popular. They are locally known as Boarder-boarders. Taxi: Dial a Cab, Jatco and Kenatco run fleets of taxis and these are usually very reliable. The older yellow-band taxis do not have meters, so fares should be agreed in advance. A 10 per cent tip is expected. Taxis cannot be hailed in the street. Hotels and restaurants can order taxis