Kenya: useful travel information


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Things to know to go to Kenya, useful tips to organize in the African state, when to go, documents and how to get there.


Kenya in short

  • Capital: Nairobi
  • Area in sq km: 582,646
  • Population: 37,537,715 (2007)
  • Religion: animists, Catholics, Protestants, indigenous, Muslim rites and beliefs.

Where is it

kenya flag Kenya is a state of eastern Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia and Sudan to the north, Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, Somalia to the north east and to the east is bathed by the Indian Ocean.

The coastal strip of over 400 km. low and fertile, it rises towards the interior of the country, where the territory consists mostly of plateaus interrupted by isolated mountain groups and sinking pits, some of which are occupied by lakes, such as Lake Turkana, whose basin is formed by the rift of the Rift Valley, at whose sides volcanic massifs rise, including Mount Kenya which, with its 5199 meters of altitude, is one of the highest mountains in Africa.


The plateau slopes to the north, where a vast desert table extends and to the west towards Lake Victoria.

Hydrography

The main rivers of Kenya are the Tana and the Galana, they flow into the Indian Ocean and have a regime that varies according to rainfall. The largest lake in the country is Turkana. Only a small part of Lake Victoria belongs to Kenya.

Climate

Kenya is crossed by the equator which influences its climatic characteristics together with other factors, such as altitude and proximity of the ocean.


In fact, the climate is very hot and humid in coastal regions and milder and drier in inland regions, depending on the altitude, while in the north the climate is warm but with little rainfall.

The rains are concentrated in two periods of the year, from March to May the great rains, from October to December the small rains, short but intense.

The different climatic conditions allow the presence of various types of vegetation and animals including elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes and lions, present mainly in the savannas.


Population

The population of Kenya is made up mostly of black people who are divided into two groups: the Bantu and the Camitic Nile.

These two groups are made up of numerous tribes, of which the largest and most politically powerful is the Kikuyu tribe.

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Also there are minorities of Arabs, Indo-Pakistanis and Europeans.

Time zone

In Kenya it is necessary to move the clock hands 2 hours ahead of Italy. (1 hour ahead when daylight saving time is in effect in Italy).

Spoken language

The official languages ​​of Kenya are English and Kiswahili. In addition, numerous tribal languages ​​are spoken.

Economy

Kenya's economy is in a very difficult situation, it needs international economic aid, the population is missing many things and many primary needs are not being met.

The country has one of the highest population growths in the world. Given the scarcity of mineral resources and fuels, agriculture is the main activity and tourism thanks to natural parks, where nature is strictly preserved, is a very important element for the country's economy.

The majority of the fertile land belongs to foreign multinationals, which produce coffee, tea and fruit, intended for export, while the farmers are dedicated to subsistence agriculture.

The industry is present in the cities of Nairobi and Mombasa in sectors that do not require the use of high technology.


When to go

To visit Kenya the preferred periods are from mid-December to mid-March or from July to October (the high season months are January / February). On the coast the months of April and May are to be avoided because of the rains.

Necessary documents

To enter Kenya you need a passport which must have at least two blank pages and a residual validity of at least six months from the moment of the visa application.

In addition, you must have a return flight ticket.

An entry visa is required which can be requested at the Kenyan Embassy in Rome or directly at the airport, by presenting your passport photo, passport and filling out an application form.

Phone

- The international code to call from Italy to Kenya is: 00254

- The international prefix for calling from Kenya to Italy is: 0039


Dual band GSM phones work.

Electricity

The electric current in Kenya is 240V 50 Hz. Sockets type D, G

Money and credit card

The official currency of Kenya is the Kenyan shilling (KSh).

Euros are easily exchanged at banks and exchange offices.

Credit cards are accepted only in large centers.

The Kenyan currency is not exportable (maximum KSh 200.00 per person), therefore it is advisable to change the currency a little at a time.

How to get

plane
The Meridiana fly airline offers flights to Mombasa with departures from Bologna, Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.

Flights departing from Rome and Milan to Mombasa are also offered by the airline Lauda / Livingston.

There are numerous internal flights that connect the various localities, parks and reserves of the country.

Vaccinations

For Kenya, compulsory vaccinations are not required, however, vaccinations against theft, yellow fever, malaria prophylaxis are recommended.

Before departure it is recommended to take out health insurance and it is recommended to drink only bottled water, without adding ice, not to eat raw food, even in hotels and restaurants, and to avoid buying food from stalls.

What You Can Expect Traveling to Kenya (for Business & Research) (February 2024)


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