© zambofishing Italy
NEED INFORMATION? READ BELOW
EVERYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE YOU LEAVE
THERE ARE DOUBTS THAT EVERYONE HAS BEFORE LEAVING FOR OUR AMAZING COUNTRY.
WE’VE GATHERED THEM IN THIS SECTION SO YOU CAN CHECK THEM WHENEVER YOU WANT
TROPICAL MOSQUITO NET
HIGH SUN PROTECTION AND AFTER-SUN
It’s extremely important to bring tropical mosquito repellent before departure. We recommend Autan Extreme or Tropical or Jungle, easily found at pharmacies or on Amazon.
Apply it every 8 hours or after a shower/swim in the sea. It’s essential especially in the evening and during safari. In any case, tourist areas are often treated with targeted pest-control spraying.
HIGH SUN PROTECTION AND AFTER-SUN
Depending on your skin type. Remember you are on the equator and the sun is much stronger and more direct than in Europe!
IS IT CUSTOMARY TO LEAVE A TIP?
MEDICINES AND HEALTH ADVICE
As in any other part of the world, if the service has been particularly satisfactory, a small token of appreciation for the staff is welcome in this amount: from €1 to €5 per person/ per day for the staff working in the lodges (based on the service received and the type of facility) and from €5 to €10 per person/ per day for drivers and tour guides. Of course, each person is free to give what they consider most appropriate.
It’s useful to bring a small toiletry bag with common medicines: anti-diarrheal, antipyretic, generic painkiller, mineral salts supplement, cream for sunburn.
Hoping you won’t need them, you can leave them with local people before returning.
These are our tips to keep in mind during your holiday:
- buy drinks in sealed containers/bottles;
- avoid vegetables and seafood if not cooked;
- drink bottled water and soft drinks without added ice;
WHAT TO WEAR FOR BEACH HIKES
WHAT TO WEAR FOR THE SAFARI
On beach outings, it is very important not to forget:
swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, beach towel, reef shoes, sunscreen (we remind you that Kenya is on the equator, therefore the sun is much stronger as it is direct. We recommend using total protection 50+ and total protection for children).
The safari is a trip that takes place mostly on the jeep. Therefore we recommend comfortable clothes, sneakers (better if well worn because on safari there is red soil and they can get stained), some warm and long clothing for the evening (in case it cools down or it’s windy), sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, swimsuit (the lodges/tented camps have a swimming pool). Beach towels are provided in the hotels.
WHAT TO WEAR FOR THE BLUE SAFARI
CAMERA
Our blue safari boats are equipped with mask and snorkel that you can borrow during the excursion for snorkeling, but you can also bring your own so you can use them throughout the whole holiday. For the rest of the clothing, you can read the FAQ: “what to wear for beach excursions”.
It will be your greatest friend on this holiday, to capture the stunning sunsets we’ll see, enchanting landscapes, the many savannah animals you may have seen only on TV, and every moment you’ll want to keep in your heart forever!
WHAT TYPE OF CURRENCY IS USED?
WEATHER IN KENYA
Kenyan Shilling (KES) which equals about 1 Euro = KES 113.00 (this is an average, you should always check the rate valid at the time of need).
Euros and US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere, but dollars issued before 2009 are not accepted. We recommend exchanging small amounts, although it is always possible to convert any leftover money back at the end of the holiday. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels, even if they often charge a fee between 2 and 7%, therefore we always recommend having cash to avoid unnecessary extra costs.
Kenya has a particularly pleasant climate all year round. Influenced by the Indian Ocean, the heat is never excessive and temperatures range between 20 and 30 degrees.
Given that the country is crossed by the equator, the length of the day equals that of the night, throughout the year.
There are two rainy seasons: in spring, heavier, between March and June; and in autumn, short-lived, from October to December. They are always sudden, heavy downpours but brief, and then the sun quickly shines again.
In the central highlands the climate stays pleasant, but at night temperatures drop as altitude increases. These are ideal areas for farming and livestock.
FLIGHTS TO KENYA
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS (WITH VISA FORM TO DOWNLOAD)
Kenya Airways (Nairobi, Mombasa)
Turkish Airlines (Nairobi, Mombasa)
Swiss Air (Nairobi)
Ethiopian Airlines (Nairobi, Mombasa)
Emirates (Nairobi)
Klm (Nairobi)
Qatar (Nairobi, Mombasa)
There are also various charter airlines such as Neos and Air Italy.
On scheduled tickets, the country departure tax is always included (about 40 euros), while with charter flights it must be paid at the airport at check-in.
The Nairobi-Mombasa route is operated at a good price by Silverston Air (about 50 euros per ticket)
Domestic flights from one park to another and from inland to the coast are mostly operated by AirKenya and Safari Airlink. On these small aircraft (mostly 8-12 seats) the baggage allowance is 15 kg.
Our country can be reached from the main European cities with the following flag carriers:
To travel to Kenya you must have a passport valid for more than 6 months from the date of entry into the country and at least one completely blank page where the visa will be affixed. The cost for issuing the visa is 50.00 dollars or 40.00 Euros. It is mandatory to have a return within 3 months from the day of arrival.
Those who hold an Italian/EU passport and a certificate of residence in Kenya may also have a one-way ticket.
Link to access the visa application
Click below on the link and it will open the Official Kenya page to apply for the Visa or Eta
TELEPHONY & INTERNET
WHAT IS THE ELECTRICAL VOLTAGE?
To call Kenya from Italy: 00254 followed by the local area code, without zero, and the phone number.
To call Italy from Kenya: 0039 followed by the city area code with the zero and the phone number.
Calling from hotels is very expensive, so it is recommended to buy prepaid phone cards in order to spend much less when calling and avoid very high charges when receiving calls from Italy.
There are internet data bundles up to 4G that will let you stay always connected with your loved ones.
Coverage is decent, except in savannah areas where reception is much lower. However, in lodges/camps WIFI coverage is always available in the common areas.
The electric current is 220-240 Volts. It is advisable to get an adapter, as power outlets are the English type with 3 flat pins. Resorts often provide adapters to their guests, but it is better to get one before departure.
In some lodges, especially in the parks, the electricity is switched off from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am.
SPOKEN LANGUAGE AND TIME ZONE
SPOKEN LANGUAGE AND TIME ZONE
English and Swahili are considered the official languages.
However, in tourist areas (parks, coast, etc...) many people speak a bit of Italian, so you won’t have communication problems during your stay in Kenya.
The time zone is +2 hours compared to standard time in Italy and +1 hour compared to daylight saving time. Being on the equator, the country has 12 hours of daylight all year round, with sunrise at 6 and sunset at 18:00.
English and Swahili are considered the official languages.
However, in tourist areas (parks, coast, etc...) many people speak a bit of Italian, so you won’t have communication problems during your stay in Kenya.
The time zone is +2 hours compared to standard time in Italy and +1 hour compared to daylight saving time. Being on the equator, the country has 12 hours of daylight all year round, with sunrise at 6 and sunset at 18.00.
MORBI IN SEM
BEST TIME TO GO TO KENYA
CHE TIPO DI CUCINA C'E'?
I lodge utilizzati durante i safari o soggiorno mare e gli alberghi in città offrono una buona cucina internazionale unita a piatti della tradizione locale. Molta varietà di frutta tropicale come mango, ananas, papaya, cocco, frutta della passione. E’ possibile trovare ogni tipo di bevanda, buona la birra locale Tusker; è facile trovare buoni vini sudafricani o europei.
La cucina del Kenya è un mix di tradizioni diverse, araba, inglese e indiana. E’ varia e speziata ma non piccante.
I piatti principali della cucina keniota, sono:
– l’irio: zuppa di fagioli, mais, spinaci e patate servito sotto forma di morbido composto
– l’ugali: la tipica polenta africana di mais accompagnata da carne o pesce
– il matoke: una purea di banane verdi molto consistente
– lo mkate mayai: una frittella di farina di grano farcita con uova e carne trita
– i samosa: gustosi triangoli di pasta ripieni di carne macinata, verdure o pesce (di solito granchio)
– i mandaazi: focacce non molto lievitata e poco dolce.
Ottimi sono il pesce, i frutti di mare e i crostacei che si trovano prevalentemente nella zona vicino alla costa ovviamente freschi.
Anche le carni, considerate simbolo di agiatezza, sono buone.
Tipico esempio è l’agnello allo yogurt o la nyama choma (carne alla griglia).
La carne più utilizzata è quella di capra seguita da quella di pollo e manzo.
Ottimo e da provare è sicuramente il kuku wakupata, il pollo alla marinara tipico di Lamu sulla costa. Le verdure più usate sono i fagioli, le patate, i piselli, la cipolla; in particolare lo stufato di fagioli.
Nella cucina keniota è molto usato anche il latte di cocco, che viene messo sia sui piatti di carne che di pesce, sulle verdure e nelle minestre.
Ottima è la crema di cocco, servita nei gusci e spolverata abbondantemente di cannella. Anche la banana è molto impiegata sia sulle carni che sul pesce.
Un tipo di pane molto diffuso è il chapati, frutto dell’influenza indopakistana e prodotto con farina di grano ed aromatizzato anch’esso al cocco.
Chai (tè), sempre servito con il latte e con l’aggiunta di spezie, e caffè sono molto diffusi, ma anche tipici del Kenya sono: lo squisito vino di palma, il vino di papaia e il distillato di mango.
Fra le bevande alcoliche la migliore è la birra che si può scegliere fra fredda e tiepida, che pare essere stranamente la preferita dai kenianiAnche i succhi di frutta sono molto diffusi, che si possono trovare in tanti diversi gusti e sono quasi sempre deliziosi, vengono prodotti al momento con mango, papaia, ananas, frutto della passione (il più diffuso chiamato semplicemente passion).
In genere nei resort e negli alberghi della costa, la cucina è prevalentemente italiana, anche se non mancano le serate con cena africana a base di piatti tipici.
Le famiglie kenyote consumano il pasto tutti seduti su una unica stuoia attorno ad un grande piatto centrale servendosi direttamente da esso usando le tre dita della mano destra. Di solito la portata è unica ma molto spesso ci sono dolci di paste fritte e frutta come banane, ananas, papaia, con aggiunta di miele.
A fine pasto spesso si beve il caffè, il kahawa, di cui il Kenya è un grosso produttore, oppure il chai, il tè prodotto in abbondanza sugli altipiani interni (in particolare sulle Nandi Hills). Si prepara il tè come infusione direttamente nel latte e poi viene zuccherato moltissimo.
The best time to go to Kenya is from November to March, at most early April before the rainy season. The rainy season is from April to June/July
CLIMATE IN KENYA
Kenya is a country that can be visited all year round. However, keep in mind that this African country has many climate variations under the influence of humidity, altitude, and monsoon winds. There are basically two seasons in Kenya: the dry season and the wet season.
The dry season falls between June and September, with average temperatures between 23ºC and 28ºC. However, at higher altitudes and at night temperatures can drop to 10ºC.
During the wet months (from November to May) temperatures can reach 30ºC in coastal areas and rainfall is heavy but short.
The months of January and February are slightly drier. The best time to travel to Kenya therefore depends on the activities you want to do and the regions you wish to visit.
THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO
Kilimanjaro, located in Amboseli National Park, is one of Kenya’s most important attractions. Many people wonder when the best time is to climb this mountain, given the country’s climate. Although it is possible to climb Kilimanjaro at any time of the year, the best period to enjoy its beauty and wildlife is between December and February. Another good option is to visit it between June and September. The months from March to June should be avoided due to heavy rains that make the trail muddy and the mountain hard to climb.
THE BEST TIME TO GO ON SAFARI
Kenya has several national parks where you can experience a safari. One of the best periods for a safari is between January and March, when temperatures are warm and rainfall is low. However, if you want to see the Great Migration up close in parks like the Masai Mara, the ideal time for a safari is the dry season (especially August or September). During these months animals gather around lakes and waterholes and the bush is thinner, making animals like zebras and wildebeest easier to spot. Although safaris are also possible during the rainy season, it is usually harder to spot animals during these months.
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