travel essentials

Telephone and Fax
Kenya has a well-developed communications system for both domestic and international services. Microwave relays provide direct dialing countrywide. Direct overseas dialing is possible from most major centers and increasingly from remote places such as game lodges. Fax services are widely available from hotels and principal post offices. Game lodges, which do not have direct telephone facilities, can be connected by radio-telephone to both the national and international service. Most lodges also have a daylight direct radio link with their Nairobi or Mombasa offices and messages can be passed in that way.

Mobile phones can be rented at specific agents in Mombasa and Nairobi. Please talk to our office in Kenya for assistance or let us know of your renting request. Kenya uses the GSM network for mobile phones.

Mail
Mail service from Kenya is good, taking five to twelve days to reach Europe, Asia, Middle East and North America. Most hotels in Kenya sell stamps for postcards and letters. Telegram services are also available from post offices.

Internet
Internet and e-mail services are available in all major towns and increasingly in smaller ones. Most hotels that Romantik Safaris promotes have business centers that include e-mail, and Internet access. Some lodges and camps have Internet access too. Internet Cafes are available in major towns and cities.

In respect to exchange of foreign currency for local Kenya Shillings, the best place is to go is either a major bank such as Barclays or Citibank, or the local banks in smaller towns. Traveler checks and most major credit cards are widely accepted in Kenya. Credit card usage normally requires that the visitor bear a service charge of between 5 to 10%.

If a guest is unable to get to a bank, there are foreign exchange tellers at the Nairobi and Mombasa Airports as well as most hotels and lodges; the airports normally provides a better rate than most hotels or lodges .

Banking hours are generally from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and some on Saturday mornings. Banks at some airports are open for longer hours.
The unit of currency is the Kenya shilling (Ksh) divided in to 100 cents. Currency Notes are in denominations of 1000, 500, 200, 100, and 50. There is no restriction to the amount of foreign currency a visitor may bring in during his stay in Kenya.
Destruction of Kenyan currency, even in small amounts, is illegal, and almost always results in arrest and a fine.

Personal effects, film and cameras, laptops may be brought temporarily free of duty. These and other related products for your use may not be sold in Kenya or Tanzania before your departure. Sometimes the customs officer may include this information in your passport to display during your exit, to the immigration or customs officer. Firearms need a special permit, which must be obtained prior to entry. Custom officials normally inspect baggage on arrival and departure. They normally ask you to open up your bag to check the contents inside. Please lock or seal with a cable tie all your baggages prior to your departure from your destination, and also on your return. Remember also to have your keys handy upon your arrival in Africa. Up to 100,000 Kenyan shillings may be legally taken out of the country.

Visitors require a visa to visit Kenya. For more information, check with your local Kenyan consulate, or visit the Kenya Embassy visa information web site below. Visas can be issued on arrival at the port of entry in Kenya only for nationals of selected countries . We highly recommend getting visas prior to your departure from your home country.

Visa Fees
Multiple entry visa U.S $100.00; U.S $105.00 for Canadian Citizens
Single entry visa U.S $50.00; U.S $51.00 for Canadian Citizens
Transit visa U.S $20.00. The Kenyan consulate does not accept personal checks.

A visa is required for entry by all visitors traveling to Kenya with the exception of the following:

If you hold a reentry pass, commonly referred to as reentry stamp, to Kenya.
If you are a citizen of a country which has a reciprocal visa abolition agreement with Kenya. (Check with your local Kenyan consulate or Romantik Safaris and Travel, if your country falls under this category.)
If you hold a multiple entry visa, normally issued for six months.

Visa Forms
The forms are available on our site. Click on US , UK Kenya consulate form to download it in pdf format. You will need " Adobe Acrobat Reader " to open the file.

Kenyan Consulate in the United States
Kenya Embassy, Washington, ; 2249, R. Street N.W. ; Washington D.C. 20008
Telephone: +1 (202) 387-6101 ; Fax: +1 (202) 462-3829

E-mail: info@kenyaembassy.com ; http://www.kenyaembassy.com/

Kenyan Consulate in the United Kingdom
Kenya High Commission, ; 45 Portland Place, ; London, W1B 1AS
Telephone: 020 7636 2371/5 ; Fax: 020 7323 6717
E-mail: consular@kenyahighcommission.net ; http://www.kenyahighcommission.net

Kenyan consulates around the world
Australia - QBE Building, 33 Ainslie Ave, Canberra ACT 2601 - Tel: (062) 474788
Belgium - 1-5 Ave de la Joyeuse, 1040 Brussels - Tel: (02) 230-3065
Canada - 415 Laurier Ave, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 6R4 - Tel: (613) 563-1773
Egypt - 20 Boulos Hanna St., PO Box 362, Dokki, Cairo - Tel: 704455
France - 3 rue Cimaros, 75116 Paris - Tel: 45-53-35-00
Germany - Villichgasse 17, 5300 Bonn-Bad Godesburg 2 - Tel: (0228) 356042
India - E-66 Vasant Marg, 110057 New Delhi - Tel: 672 280
Italy - Icilio 14, 00153 Rome - Tel: 578-1192
Japan - 24-20 Nishi-Azobu 3-Chome, Minato-Ku, Tokyo - Tel: (03) 3479-4006
Netherlands - Koninginnegracht 102, 2514 A1, The Hague - Tel: (070) 504 215
United Arab Emirates - P.O. Box 3854, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 (2) 6666300
Sweden - Birger Jarlsgatan 37, 2tr, 10395 Stockholm - Tel: (08) 218 300

Both mains electricity and generated supply in lodges provide 240 volts AC 50 cycles. Most large hotels and some game lodges provide shaving points with 110 volts. Sockets are normally three pin and of the 'square' variety so an adaptor to suit this format may be necessary if there is an intention to use personal electrical apparatus or to charge video batteries. A multi-pin voltage converter has always been helpful to our clients from North America; a local electronics store would have the converter in stock.

Consulate: British High Commission
Address : Upper Hill Road. P O Box 00100 30465 Nairobi Tel: (254) (20) 714699 Emergency: (254) (20) 714699
E-mail: bhcinfo@iconnect.co.ke Web: www.britain.or.ke

Consulate: U.S Embassy
Address: United Nations Avenue Nairobi. ; P. O. Box 606 Village Market 00621 Nairobi, Kenya ; Telephone: (254) (20) 3636000 ; Emergency Cell: (254) (722) 204445
E-mail: kenya_acs@state.gov ; Web: http://usembassy.state.gov/nairobi

Consulate: French Embassy
Address : Barclays Plaza, 9th Floor, Loita St. P O Box 41784 Nairobi
Telephone: (254) (20) 339783 / 339784
E-mail: ambafr@iconnect.co.ke ; Web : http://www.ambafrance-ke.org

Consulate: Switzerland - Ambassade de Suisse
Address : International Hse 7th Floor. Mama Ngina St. P.O. Box 30752 Nairobi
Telephone: (254) (20) 228735 / 228736 ; E-mail: sdckenya@form-net.com

Consulate: Canadian Consulate
Consulate: The Canadian High Commission
Address: Limuru Road, P.O. Box 1013 Nairobi, Kenya 00621
Telephone: (254) (20) 366-3000 ; E-mail: nrobi@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Consulate: Netherlands Embassy
Address: Riverside Lane - off Riverside Drive. P.O. Box 41537, 00100 Nairobi
Telephone: +254 (20) 4450129 Fax: (254) (20) 4447416
E-mail: nlgovnai@africaonline.co.ke ; Web: http://www.netherlands-embassy.or.ke

Consulate: Italy - Ambasciata d'Italia
P.O. Box 30107 ; Mama Ngina Street - International House - 9th floor ; Nairobi
Tel: + 254 (20) 337356

Consulate: Germany - Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
P.O. Box 30180 ;Williamson House, 4th Ngong Avenue ; Nairobi ; Tel: 254 (20) 712527
GER-EMB@form-net.com

Consulate: Austria - Botschaft der Republik Österreich
P.O. Box 30107 ; Corner Wabera Street/Standard Street - City House - 2nd floor
Nairobi ; Tel: +254 (20) 247365

Emergency Contacts
Kenya Country Code: 254
Emergency Dial Ambulance / Police / Fire:
Country Wide: Dial 999.

Ambulance Services:
Nairobi: AMREF Dr. Vadera. Tel: (020) 501280 / 602492; Cell: (0733) 628422
St. Johns Ambulance. Tel: 224066 / 222396 / 216573.
Medivac Emergency. Tel: 566683 / 562696; Non-Emergency: 564412 / 564487.

Mombasa: Coast Ambulance Service. Tel: (041) 432411.
AAR Ambulance. Tel: (041) 312405.

Hospitals:
Nairobi: Nairobi Hospital. Argwings Kodhek Road. Tel: (20) 2722160.
Aga Khan Hospital. 3 rd Parklands Ave. Tel: (20) 3742531 / 3740000.
M.P. Shah Hospital. Shivachi Road. Tel: (20) 3742763.
Pediatric Hospital. Muthaiga Road. Tel: (20) 3763474 / 3763477.

Mombasa: Mombasa Hospital. Tel: (041) 312191 / 312099.
Aga Khan Hospital. Tel: (041) 226950.
Pandya Hospital. Tel: (041) 314140

Laboratory:
Nairobi: Nairobi Hospital Lab. Argwings Kodhek Road. Tel: (20) 2722160.

Pharmacies:
Nairobi: Mansion Chemist. Mansion House, Wabera St. Tel: (020) 222680.

Police Posts:
Nairobi: Police Headquarters. Tel: (020) 240000 / 607561
Nairobi Area Headquarters: Tel: (020) 2724201 through 2724208.

Airports:
Nairobi: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Tel: (020) 825400
Wilson Local Airport. Tel: (020) 501658/ 501943.

Getting to Kenya
International airlines that have scheduled flights to Kenya include Kenya Airways, British Airways, Sabena, Swiss, KLM, Emirates, South African Airlines, East African Airways and Ethiopian. These airlines fly with airline partners from all six continent of the world.

Local Airlines include Precision Air, Air Kenya, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, Regional Air and South African Airlines.

For flights to Kenya, click here

Flying Time From:
London takes about 9 hours.
New York takes about 18 hours.
Los Angeles takes about 20 hours.

Getting Around Kenya
Air
Kenya Airways, British Airways and other light aircraft charter companies offer scheduled flights within Kenya. Light aircraft are available for charter out of Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi. There is a range of single and twin-engine aircraft offering a minimum of three passenger seats and up to 27. All the principal lodges and many of the tented camps have their own airstrips suitable for light aircraft. Where a lodge or camp has its own strip, it will also provide a limited number of vehicles to visitors arriving by air. At some destinations, an aircraft can taxi to walking distance to the lodge but where that is not possible, the lodge provides transfer vehicles. Several destinations are served by scheduled services provided by private air operators.

From Nairobi, private air operators offer scheduled flights to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Nyeri, Nanyuki, Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu and Kiwayu. From Mombasa, it is possible to fly by scheduled service provided by private air operators to Malindi, Lamu, Nairobi and the Masai Mara The national airline Kenya Airways flies domestic services from Nairobi to Mombasa, Malindi and Kisumu; and from Mombasa and Malindi to Nairobi. For flight destinations within Kenya, click here for details

Rail
Kenya Railways operates over 2630 kilometers of track. There are regular train services between Nairobi and Mombasa, departing around 7 pm arriving the following morning around 9 am. There are three class compartments available: First, Second and Third. Most RomantikSafaris guests and other visitors to Kenya select the first class cabin, which is a standard compartment with two beds and a wardrobe as compared to the second class that has four beds. Dining services are available on the train. All restroom services are shared as public facilities during the train ride. For rail bookings, e-mail info@romantiksafaris.com

Road
Safaris organized and operated by RomantikSafaris are in 4 wheel drives, Land Cruisers, Jeeps, Range Rovers, Land Rovers or in front wheel drive safari engineered mini buses. Our safari engineered mini buses are more comfortable when compared to any another vehicle used in the safari industry; it also has more viewing space because of the customized open roof-hatch top.

Kenyans operate their vehicles on the left side of the road. Visitors intending to drive in Kenya may use a valid license issued in the visitor's country of residence, for three months, if endorsed by the Kenya Road Transport Office. However a less tedious course of action may be to obtain an International Driving License before leaving home. The maximum permitted speed on any Kenya road is 100 kph and 50 kph in built up areas.

For point-to-point - short distance road travel, we recommend licensed taxis or pre-booked taxi transfers with RomantikSafaris. If you need to travel all day, afternoon or morning, we recommend that you hire a vehicle of your preference, click here for car hire details

Buses service operates between major towns in Kenya, which is the preferred mode of transportation for Kenyans; many visitors' select air services because of the convenience and short travel time.