Kenya Experience extraordinary wildlife, sweeping savannahs and vibrant cultures

The Kenyan Shilling (KES) is the official currency and the one you’ll use for almost every transaction, from curio stalls to camp tips. US dollars are accepted at some lodges and for park fees, but shillings are far more practical day to day, and ATMs in Nairobi and larger towns dispense them readily.

English and Swahili are both official languages, and English is used throughout the tourism industry, so communication with guides and staff is never an issue. Learning a few words of Swahili, such as “asante” (thank you) or “jambo” (hello), tends to be warmly received and opens conversations with staff who speak it as a first language.

Kenya operates on East Africa Time (EAT, UTC+3) throughout the year, with no daylight saving changes. This consistency means you can set your watch once on arrival and not think about it again for the rest of the trip.

Tap water is not recommended for drinking anywhere in Kenya, including Nairobi. Bottled or filtered water is provided at all reputable lodges and camps and should be your default throughout the trip, including for brushing teeth in more remote areas where the water source is a borehole rather than mains supply.

Cards are accepted at hotels, larger restaurants and shops in Nairobi and Mombasa, but many safari camps and rural areas operate on cash only, particularly for tips and small purchases. Kenyan Shillings in smaller denominations are the most useful currency to carry once you leave the main cities.

Tipping is an established and expected part of Kenyan hospitality, particularly for safari guides, drivers and camp staff. Most camps provide guidance on recommended amounts, generally paid in cash at the end of your stay, and it’s worth carrying enough small-denomination shillings or dollars to cover this comfortably across a multi-camp itinerary.

Kenya uses Type G sockets, the same three-pin square design used in the UK, running at 240V. Most lodges have sockets in-room, though some remote tented camps limit charging to a communal area powered by solar or generator, so it’s worth charging devices whenever the opportunity arises rather than waiting until they’re empty.

Mobile coverage from Kenya’s main networks reaches further into the bush than many travellers expect, including around a number of safari conservancies, making a local SIM a genuinely useful option for calls and data. Wifi at camps tends to be reserved for communal areas and can be slow, so treat connectivity in the bush as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

Neutral, muted clothing works best for game drives, paired with a warm layer for early starts when temperatures at altitude can be sharply cooler than the afternoon heat suggests. Comfortable closed shoes, a hat, and strong sun protection matter as much on safari as they do on the coast, where the equatorial sun is intense even on overcast days.

Greetings matter in Kenyan culture, and taking a moment to exchange pleasantries before getting to business, even a simple hello, is noticed and appreciated. On safari, guides set the rules for staying in the vehicle and keeping noise down during sightings, and these should be followed closely, both for safety and out of respect for the animals’ natural behaviour.

Yes. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, while most domestic and safari flights depart from the separate Wilson Airport across the city, so a same-day connection needs a comfortable buffer for the transfer between them. Your specialist will build this into your itinerary, but it’s worth knowing why the timings look the way they do.

Many safari camps are unfenced, and wildlife, including elephants and hippos, moves freely through camp grounds once the light fades. Staff will always escort you between your room and the main areas after dark, not as a formality but because animals genuinely do pass through, and this is one of the few strict rules worth following without exception.

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if you are arriving from, or have transited through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, rather than as a blanket requirement for all visitors. Requirements can change, so this is worth confirming with your specialist or a travel health clinic close to departure rather than relying on older guidance.