Currency

Kenya’s unit of currency is the shilling (Shs) (slang Bob). The shilling is divided into 100 cents. There are copper coins of 5c and 10c and silver coins of 50c and Sh 1/- and 5 /-. Bank notes are available in denominations of 10/- 20/- 50 /- 100/- 200/- and 500/-.

Banking Hours

Banks in Nairobi and other large towns open from 09.00 hours to 15.00 hours Monday to Friday and 09.00 hours to 11.00 hours on the first and last Saturday of every month. Banks in Mombasa and the coastal areas close and open half and hour earlier. Some of the banks at the international airports open round the clock every day. You can exchange money in most of the hotels and resorts within the country at disadvantageous rates.

Credit Cards

Most international credit cards are accepted in Kenya. Travelers checks are also readily recognizable and accepted at most places.

Currency Restrictions

Import and export of Kenya shillings is not permitted. Leaving the country you must not take out more than one unit of each denomination coin and note, otherwise the authorities will confiscate the whole amount. You are advised to change your money or spend it before reaching the airport on departure.

Security

Be wise as in other countries, and deposit your passport, excess money and valuables at reception desks for placing in safes, on receiving receipt. As elsewhere in the world, do not walk alone in isolated towns or beach areas. Ask for advice from your hotel manager or tour leader.

Water

Nairobi and Mombasa are virtually 100% safe for drinking water. However if in doubt, bottled water is available in most places. Most of the lodges keep filtered water in jars which is a direct warning that the water is not safe even for brushing teeth.

Posts and Telephone Services

Post offices are identified by the letters KP & TC and mail boxes are red. Usually you can buy stamps at stationers and souvenir shops.  Post Office hours from 8am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am until 12 noon on Saturdays in main post offices. Faxes can be sent from your hotel or telexes direct dialed operator assisted by dialing 0196. To use a pay phone, simply insert the coin and dial. The coin will drop automatically as soon as the call is answered. Pay phones are also painted red although you can make use of a hotel phone but the charges are usually 100% or more. Local dialed calls cost a minimum of $2 so have plenty of change.

Language

Kiswahili is the lingua franca, a phonetic language formed from Bantu and Arabic and spoken nationwide. English is the official language.

Health Regulations

Certificates of Inoculations against yellow fever and malaria are advised though not mandatory except for some instances for example arrivals from the Far East, Central America, South, Central and West Africa (yellow fever). Main towns have good hospitals while Nairobi has excellent specialist medical facilities. For a small fee visitors can enjoy membership of the Flying Doctors Society. This entitles a seriously ill person to free emergency evacuation by air from any part of Kenya to Nairobi. Pharmaceutical facilities are adequate. There are chemists (drug stores) in all urban centers but a visitor requiring special and continuing medication should bring sufficient quantities.

Climate

The temperature rarely falls below 24 degrees centigrade during the day and 10 degrees at night. Warm clothes are advised for late evenings. Kenya has two rainy seasons – the short rains usually fall between October and December and the long rains from March to early June.

Departure Tax

On departure from Kenya, an airport tax of USD 20 per person is payable in foreign currency. There is a Kshs 100 tax charged for internal flights.

Tipping

Tipping is not mandatory but not forbidden as in some other African countries. Any tipping is entirely at your discretion and most hotels and restaurants include a 10% service charge on the bill.

Time Difference

Kenya is 3 hours ahead of the GMT.

Voltage

All regions in Kenya are supplied by 240 volts AC. The plug in use throughout Kenya is of the three pin, 13 amp type.

Shopping

Most shops open 9am to 17.30 pm Monday to Saturday.

Sightseeing

Excursions to cities and game reserves are organized by us at very reasonable prices. Be  wary not to book with any street people who might give you a raw deal for your money.