TRAVEL TIPS

TELEPHONE SERVICE IN NAIROBI
Most hotels in Nairobi offer phone service. International access when dialing from abroad is COUNTRY CODE +254 and CITY CODE 20. If calling from within East Africa, you should omit the country code and dial 005 followed by 20. If calling from elsewhere in Kenya, add a 0 before the city code.

Many businesses and people in Kenya have cellular service. There are currently two companies operating in Kenya. To call someone with mobile service, the CITY CODE is 0720, 0721, 0722, 0723, 0733, 0734 or 0735 depending on the service they subscribe to. International callers use the COUNTRY CODE +254 and drop the '0' before the CITY CODE.

IMPORTANT: Telephone service in Africa, especially calls to international locations are very expensive.

TELEPHONE SERVICE IN MOMBASA
The CITY CODE for Mombasa is 41.

MOBILE PHONE SERVICE
Kenya's mobile phone service is GSM compatible and international roaming is available in many areas. Though local users do not pay for incoming calls, you may be charged for incoming calls on your roaming plan. Check with your service provider.

If you use a telephone that takes sim cards, you may choose to purchase a pre-paid account in Kenya for your incoming calls. These are available for as little as $5.00.

INTERNET
There are a number of Internet Cafes in towns and cities. Hotels also may offer Internet service in their business centre.

POST
The postal service from Kenya is slow and not reliable. Valuables should never be sent by post.

CLIMATE
NAIROBI
At over 5,000 feet, Nairobi seldom becomes hot and during May, June, July and August, it may get a bit chilly. It can rain at any time, but chances are greater in May and November.

MOMBASA
Being on the coast and near the equator, Mombasa is warm as you should expect. The breeze of the Indian Ocean can make for pleasant days, however; especially if you are staying near the beach.

ON SAFARI
Kenya has a variety of climates to contend with in the National Parks and Game Reserves. Most are in a comfortable temperature range throughout the year.

CURRENCY
The currency used in Kenya is the shilling. Current exchange rates are featured on the home page. The currency is available in notes of 1,000/-, 500/-, 200/-,. 100/-, 50/- and 10/- shilling denominations as well as coins of 40/-, 20/-, 10/-. 5/- and 1/- shilling values and a coin of 50 cents (1/2 shilling).

Currency may feature photographs of one of the three presidents of Kenya. It is a serious offense to deface or destroy currency. There are also limitations as to the amount of Kenya currency that can be exported.

CHANGING MONEY
Many of the restrictions on foreign currency and currency exchange have been lifted in Kenya. It is still recommended that currency be changed only at official places such as hotels and bureaus. We do not recommend changing at banks as this can be a very time consuming process.
We suggest you do not change money on the street and especially at places such as the Namanga border. Several con artists still work in these areas and often cheat on rates or use fake notes in their dealings.
Older US currency (with small photos of presidents) are not accepted by many businesses and should be avoided. Also, the exchange value for smaller notes ($5.00 to $20.00) is often less than the value for $50.00 and $100.00 bills.
Traveller's cheques used to be as good as cash, but now attract a much lower rate. This is because banks now charge a fee to businesses for depositing traveller's cheques and also delay their payment by as much as two weeks.

SHOPPING
Nairobi and Mombasa both have hundreds of shops and there is a pretty good chance that you will find anything you might need in these cities. When travelling to the bush, finding certain items might be more difficult. In these cases, it is suggested you plan ahead and bring what you might need from home or purchase the items in advance in Nairobi or Mombasa.

Shops in town are not as open to bargaining.
If you are in search of some of the wonderful African art (carvings, batiks, paintings, jewellery, etc.) there are many shops that can offer some great values. We suggest you look around and compare (and bargain) before making your final decision. That said, if you find something unusual at a price you think is a good value - buy it. It may be difficult to return to that shop if you are on a schedule.

Also, your safari guide may be very helpful in finding you what you are looking for but remember that they often get commissions from the shops they take you to. Don't let them push you into making a purchase you are not 100% happy about. (And don't let him know we told you this.)

GETTING AROUND
The local people often get around on matatus. These local buses are often overcrowded and their safety records is dreadful. Taxis are available at a reasonable rate, but are not metred and the rate should be negotiated before the start of the trip.
Hotels can arrange a chauffeur driven car on request. We can also make your booking for chauffeur or self-drive cars through this web site.
Travel between Nairobi and Mombasa can be made by bus, train or one of several daily flights. Because of the poor accident record of the train service, we do not recommend travel by train.

PACKING AND OTHER TRAVEL TIPS
Assuming that your intend on traveling on safari during your stay in Africa, you should make every effort to pack your belongings into one soft sided bag and one 'carry on' style bag for cameras, valuables and day trips. Chances are you will have limitations in your safari vehicle and, in some cases, travel on small aircraft (if part of your itinerary) limits you to 15 kgs / 33 pounds. If you plan on doing a lot of souvenir shopping, you might consider carrying another bag tucked in your suitcase to help judge your limits. Important - For persons crossing the Atlantic Ocean from North America and connecting in Europe to Africa, International air carriers limit carry on bags to one and checked bags to two per passenger. Persons departing from Europe have weight restrictions on bags as well, varying with the carrier.

If you are doing a lot of traveling and need to carry more than the suggested items, keep in mind that you may be required to leave them at the town hotel.

Laundry service in Africa is often a bargain. Camping safaris generally include laundry service free of charge.

Advice - The customs and culture of East Africa, especially in coastal areas and Zanzibar are conservative. Revealing or very tight clothing should be avoided.

MEN'S CLOTHING (suggestions)
1 pair of comfortable shoes that would be appropriate for a nice restaurant
1 pair of sturdy shoes or boots for hiking*
1 pair of sandals to use when walking to the shower at camps, etc.
3-4 pair of socks
1 nicer long slacks for use in restaurants (please note that shorts are not appropriate in Zanzibar Town)
1-2 pair of long casual slacks
1-2 pair of shorts
1-2 belts
1-2 swimming suits
3-4 pair underwear
3-4 golf/tee shirts
2 long sleeve casual shirts
1 dress shirt (tie optional depending on if you think you might visit a top restaurant)
1 sweater or light jacket
1 rain poncho
1-2 hats (VERY IMPORTANT FOR SUN PROTECTION)*
1 pair sunglasses*
Prescription glasses if used with back-up pair suggested (note: contact lenses are difficult to use on safari due to the high amount of dust.)

WOMEN'S CLOTHING (suggestions)
1 pair of comfortable shoes that would be appropriate for a nice restaurant
1 pair of sturdy shoes or boots for hiking*
1 pair of sandals to use when walking to the shower at camps, etc.
3-4 pair of socks
1-2 pair of panty hose
1 nicer skirt for use in restaurants (please note that shorts are not appropriate in Zanzibar Town)
1-2 pair of long casual slacks
1-2 pair of shorts
1-2 belts
1-2 swimming suit
3-4 pair underwear
1 bra (recommended during game drives over bumpy roads)
3-4 casual short sleeve blouses
2 long sleeve casual blouses
1 sweater or light jacket
1 rain poncho
1-2 hats (VERY IMPORTANT FOR SUN PROTECTION)*
1 pair sunglasses*
Prescription glasses if used with back-up pair suggested (note: contact lenses are difficult to use on safari due to the high amount of dust.)

TOILETRIES
You should bring a tooth brush, tooth paste, razor, shaving cream and other toiletries with you as those available in Africa are expensive and often not of good quality.

Insect repellent with Deet.*
Sun screen with high level of protection*
Common drugs such as aspirin, cough drops, Pepto Bismol, etc.
Vitamins that you might normally take
* These items are very strongly suggested.

MEDICATIONS
Don't forget to visit your doctor before you travel. You will probably receive inoculations and preventative medication for malaria. Make sure you bring these and a good supply of any medications you take on a regular basis with you. Make a list of any medications, including their strengths, and carry the list in a separate place in the event your bag gets lost.

Many travelers bring their own disposable hypodermic needles in the event an injection is required. Disposable needles are available, but carrying your own is not a bad idea.

If you suffer from motion sickness, don't forget to use your preferred medication – patch or tablets.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Some of the happiest travelers I have met are those that don't take a camera with them and just enjoy what they see, but most people want a record of some of the fantastic sights along the way. You will get fairly close to a lot of the wildlife, but a good 35 mm camera with a 75-300 zoom lens will certainly help you take some great shots. It is always best to buy your film before you travel, because film here is expensive and not as fresh. 100 – 200 ASA is a good speed for general photography here. Though it can get bright, you might want to be able to get some action shots and the higher speed film will be helpful. Some people also like to use 400 ASA for fast moving animals and evening shots. A beanbag is much better than a tripod for photos from the car. (The safari vehicle should have a pop-up or removable roof to make photography easier.) A cable release is useful to get shots without camera motion. Also, a flash can help with indoor and campfire shots. Remember to bring extra batteries for your camera equipment. Most people find they take 2 to 3 rolls of film per day whilst on safari.

If you bring a video camera, don't forget the tapes (very expensive here) and the recharging accessories. You can generally recharge the camera at lodges and from the vehicle.

ACCESSORIES
Some other things you might consider for your trip:binoculars
water bottles
pens, paper, journal
a good novel or two
Zip-Lock type bags to keep the dust and moisture out of stuff and keep your wet swimsuit in
A couple large plastic trash bags to wrap stuff in should it rain (your bags may travel on racks on top of the vehicle)
Money belt or similar. The best is a pouch that fits in front inside your shirt or slacks.

FOR CAMPING (on the more basic trips)
Two or three medium size towels
camp mattress (the roll up hard sponge type)
soap (in a plastic soap dish for easy travel) & shampoo
sleeping bag
Tip - If you are not planning on camping often, you can usually find buyers for sleeping bags and other items if they are in good, clean condition.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW (also, see the other travel tips found in this site)You will need visas for entry to Kenya and Tanzania. Though you can get these in Africa, your travel will go smoother if you get them in advance through the respective embassies.

You MUST HAVE a yellow fever vaccination to enter Zanzibar. It may also be required on arrival to Kenya, though rarely is. The book must reflect receiving the vaccination at least ten days before travel.

Make a photocopy or list of the following items: Passports (including the page with the visa stamped in them and the pages with photos and data), plane tickets, yellow booklet showing your yellow fever vaccination, list of all medications you might require, listing of all travelers’ cheque numbers, list of serial numbers for cameras, etc. Keep this list someplace apart from where you keep these other items.
Keep track of your passport above all. Loss of a passport can destroy your trip and cost considerable money during the time required to replace it.

On your international flight, pack as if the airline is going to lose your bags. It seldom happens, and almost always the bags arrive a couple of days later, but this way, you will be able to continue on your safari while the airline finds them.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BAGS GET LOST AT THE AIRPORT
We naturally hope you don't lose your bags, but it does happen. If your bags do not show up, do the following:

Report the problem to your air carrier and fill out the required paperwork
Request compensation for your inconvenience (often $50.00 for emergency purchases and a bag with simple toiletries and a tee shirt)

Ask them when they expect the bag will arrive and tell them where you will be based on your itinerary

LEAVE THE KEYS AND/OR COMBINATIONS WITH THE AIRLINE
so they can clear the bags through customs. Ask the airline to go with you to advise Customs Officer that bags were lost so there will be no problems further in getting your bags cleared when they arrive
Tell your safari driver and ask his office work with the airline to get your bags to you at the earliest convenience.