Here are just a few of the reasons why every conscious tourist is simply obligated to visit Kenya at least once in his life . First, this is the land "where the human civilization came from": the first, then terribly terrible and not at all the homo sapiens was born in its colorful expanses . Secondly, Kenya can be rightly called the navel of the land - the equator line runs along the country's territory . Thirdly, in the open spaces of Kenyan national parks, the notorious "B the elephant, the lion, the leopard, the buffalo and the rhinoceros (not to mention all the numerous shrewd trifles, such as the meerkats) . Fourthly, plunge into the coral reefs of the local marine reserve Watamu, which is teeming with the exotic fauna of the Indian Ocean, believe in honor for the most advanced divers . In general, the slogan "magical Kenya" is not an advertising exaggeration: magic is really everywhere!

The capital city is Nairobi. Large cities and resorts - Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Tika, Nanyuki.

To resorts in the traditional sense of the word (seashore with hotels, discos, restaurants and other entertainment typical of beach rest) in Kenya are Mombasa, Malindi, Watamu and Lamu. The main reason tourists go to Kenya are national parks: Amboseli, Watamu, Masai Mara, etc.

Content 1 How to get to Kenya 1.1 Airline Ticketing to Kenya 2 Visa to Kenya 3 Customs 4 Telephone Numbers of Kenya 5 Transport 6 Car rental in Kenya 7 Interesting facts about Kenya 8 Safety of tourists 9 Climate of Kenya 10 Beaches 11 Hotels Kenya 11.1 Book a hotel in Kenya at the best price 12 Money 13 Shopping and shopping in Kenya 14 Cuisine and restaurants of Kenya 15 Fun, sightseeing and sightseeing Kenya 16 Safari in Kenya 16.1 Also recommend

How to get there to Kenya

Direct flights Moscow-Nairobi or Moscow-Mombasa are not present yet, it remains to be content with numerous variants of flight with connecting in other countries . Qatar Airways operates three times a week flights Moscow-Nairobi via Doha, Emirates every day for the same the route fly through Dubai, EgyptAir through Cairo, Turkish Airlines through Istanbul . The flight time, including docking, from 11 hours . In addition, transit flights with docking in different cities of Europe are possible: through Zurich (Swiss Air ), London (British Airways), Amsterdam ( KLM), Paris (Air France) . Air Berlin flights can be reached from Moscow to Mombasa . Lufthansa and Condor airlines make joint flights on the Moscow-Mombasa route with docking either in Frankfurt or Munich .

Flight from Kazakhstan: Emirates Airlines operates flights twice a week from Almaty to Nairobi (via Dubai).

From Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus there are several transit flights with docking in European cities

Visa to Kenya

To enter the country you will need a visa. It can be received both on arrival at the airport and at the Embassy of Kenya in Moscow

Customs

Duty free import of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, liter of alcoholic beverages, 250 ml of spirits . Fruit import is prohibited , seedlings and seeds, drugs, explosives, firearms and even toys imitating it . The export of gold and diamonds, ivory and animal skins without the special license of the customs authorities is prohibited . The import of foreign currency is not limited, but the declaration is obligatory . Export of national currency banned n . Export of foreign currency in amounts not exceeding the amount declared at the entrance will not cause problems .

Telephone numbers of Kenya

Embassy of Kenya in Moscow: Lopukhinsky Lane, 5 p. 1; tel .: (495) 637-21-86, 637-25-35, 637-42-57; fax: (495) 637-54-63; website

Russian Embassy in Nairobi: P.O. Box 30049, Lenana Road; tel .: (20) 272-87-00; website

24-hour information service of the Tourism Federation of Kenya: (20) 604-730 or 505-614.

Transportation

Nairobi, Malindi, Mombasa, Lamu and Kisumu are connected by flights Air Kenya and "Low Coast" Fly 540.

The trains of the Kenya-Uganda route ("Lunar Express") are very slow and often out of schedule, so you can ride them only for the sake of exotic sensations. The network of railways also links Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Nanyuki, Malindi, Lama, Taveta, Amboseli, Masai Mara and Samburu national parks. Normally, trains leave in the evening and arrive at their destination the next morning, often breaking out of the schedule.

You can charter a safari in the following destinations: Nairobi-Masai-Mara (anywhere in the reserve, frequency-depending on the number of passengers ), Nairobi-Nanyuki-Samburu (daily flights to the northern part of the Kenyan National Park), Nairobi-Lamu and Kivayu (daily), Nairobi-Eldoret and Kisumu (1-2 times a week).

Ferries regularly run between Mombasa, Malindi and Lama, as well as about lakes . In addition, one of the traditional Kenyan sailing boats "dhow" can be hired in these ports, plying in the coastal zone, without forgetting to stock up on food and drinking water before swimming. . In Nairobi and Mombasa, transport . Tickets are valid for a one-way trip and are sold by conductors . For trips on short distances you can use "matatu" minibuses for 12-25 seats . True, they, like all urban transport, are often overloaded and ride yat in a completely crazy rhythm, so they should be used carefully .

Taxis are both owned by large (Kenatco, Dial a Cab and Jatco), and small transport companies or private carriers. The fare should be agreed in advance, before boarding the car. Many drivers also expect a tip of 10%. To catch a taxi on the street is not recommended, because the risk of fraud is great - it is better to book a car by phone from the hotel.

Rent a car in Kenya

It's better for foreigners to rent a car with a local chauffeur. It will be more expensive by about 50%, but it will remove a lot of problems. The international airports of the country have offices of major international car rental companies. They can rent a car on general terms: a credit card, an international driver's license and age of 21.

Interesting facts about Kenya

"Jambo" is the word Kenya starts with. No, no, it's not about the jumbo-jet "Boeing-747" and not about circus elephants, which are usually called in English-speaking countries. "Jumbo" in Swahili means "hello," and "jamba" here with taste: with wide white teeth and genuine joy (even if they parted 10 minutes ago)

Looking at the ever-cheerful Kenyan population, you clearly understand that Western civilization, while increasing comfort, but at the same time detaches from simple and eternal pleasures: live communication with a friend , enjoy the beauty surrounding its peace and the joy of its very existence on this planet . Kenya enchants us with the vast expanses of national parks dormant in the hot haze, beckons with the azure depths of the Indian Ocean and generously spills the quaint constellations of exotic impressions: from aboriginal dances at the ritual fire to the night roar of lions somewhere at once behind the fence of the camp .

Safety of tourists

Do not drink tap water, drink ice, or buy food from street vendors . Fruits should be washed with boiled water . Before the trip Kenya is recommended to get vaccinations against hepatitis A, tetanus and poliomyelitis . In order to visit Kenya, the vaccination against yellow fever is not mandatory, but the Ministry of Health of Russia recommends still not to refuse it . Vaccination must be made no later than 10 days before entry to the country . After the vaccination an international certificate is issued, valid for 10 years, which is often checked by the sanitary services of Russian airports . As in many other African and Asian countries, Kenya needs to be protected from malaria . There is no vaccination from her, so tourists are required to take special antimalarial tablets according to the following scheme: one tablet one week before the date of travel, one on the day of arrival in Kenya, then a tablet every week in the country . After the return from Kenya it is recommended for prevention purposes to take the pill every week for 3-4 weeks . It should also be carefully monitored the condition of mosquito nets in all places of residence and in case of the slightest failure to require replacement of the number .

And in Kenya it is strictly forbidden to smoke in public places. You can beg the forbidden fruit only in specially designated places, or be prepared to put an unseemly amount of fine.

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Kenya's climate

Far from the coast, in the western regions, the temperature is always flat, about +23 ° C, with very slight fluctuations during the year and constant rain . On the coast, seasonality is more pronounced, and the temperature here is always higher, from +26 ° C . In April-May, downpours in the coastal part of Kenya, this period is called a "long rainy season" (rain can go for an hour or more), and October-December - a "short rainy season" (during the day, rain is about 20- 30 minutes) . In the north of the country it is always hot and dry, the climate is close to the semidesert .In the central part of the country, the nights are fairly cold and the days are hot and dry. .

See also the weather forecast for the main resorts and in the cities of Kenya

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Beaches

Beaches of the Kenyan coast are covered with soft white sand. The tides in the Indian Ocean are very noticeable, so the water near the shore can sometimes be cloudy.

Hotels in Kenya

Hotels in our usual sense of the word are in the cities, primarily in Nairobi (here are the city hotels) and Mombasa (beach hotels) . But during a safari for overnight stays stop at so-called Lodge or Camp . These are the hotels that are located either in the National Parks or next to the National Parks . Distinctive their peculiarity is that outwardly they resemble t radiological dwellings of local residents, organically fit into the surrounding landscape, built of eco-friendly materials and at the same time meet all the rules of comfort and safety .

Loggias, as a rule, are separate bungalows (stone or wooden houses with a thatched roof). They are located in the reception, rooms, restaurants, etc. Tented Camps are when rooms are located in stationary tents, where, like in lodges, there is everything that is in the room of an ordinary hotel - one double or two twin beds, a bathroom with a toilet, a washbasin and a shower with hot and cold water and all toiletries.

These are tents that They take with them during the so-called camping safari and they are broken up for the night in specially designated places . In this case, convenience, as they say, - in the courtyard . Camping safari is the most affordable, but also the least comfortable a kind of safari designed for a certain category of tourists . But, as a rule, this category of tourists does not resort to the services of travel agencies and organizes such trips themselves . Therefore, travel agencies rarely have to deal with a camping safari .. And there are still so-called "calving on the tree ", the most famous of which - Treetops. The name comes from the real houses on the tree, which were arranged by European hunters to track down animals. Now this is a small, disguised on the outside tree trunks, a structure on piles at the site of watering wild animals. Inside there are several small rooms, a bathroom, a toilet, a washbasin and a shower - on the floor; a small restaurant, a bar and a viewing point for watching wild animals

Kenya's accommodation facilities, whether hotels, lodges or camps, do not have an official "star": each hotelier determines the level of his institution independently

So the list of services in hotels of the same category can vary very much . "Stars" on the websites of tour operators - the results of personal impressions of employees after the inspection of lodges and hotels . Voltage in the electric network 220/240 V, 50 Hz . Rosettes of English standard - three contact flat or two-contact round, therefore for the use of electrical appliances adapter .. is required

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Money

Change currency is best at the airport and in banks, while it is worth taking a certificate - without it, the reverse exchange will not be possible. Banks are open from 9:00 to 15:00 from Monday to Friday and from 9:00 to 11:00 every first and last Saturday of the month. Banks at the airport are open around the clock. The official exchange offices need to present a passport.

Some major Nairobi and Mombasa shops accept major international credit cards for payment. Tourist checks can be cashed in bank branches. In the interior of the country, it is unrealistic to pay anything except for cash.

Tipping is usually done in local currency: the porter - about 1 USD, the maid at the hotel - 1-1, 5 USD per day, the rangers, drivers and other servicers to the personnel on a safari - 3-5 USD. In the restaurant or the bar tip will make the traditional 10% of the total bill. Shopping

Kenya and shops masks, figurines, statues, batik, calabashes (vessels made of hollowed gourd), spears, drums, leather, braided . in the "duty free" is always in the presence of local tea and coffee in a beautiful original packaging . but in the Kenyan capital can be very advantageous to buy gems, especially malachite, tanzanite, blue agate and blue as diamonds . If the acquisition "Bryulikov" will oppose the notorious amphibian, a Kenyan souvenir is simpler ie to become the so-called "soapstone» (kisii) . Craft products you can buy at the Maasai Market (Maasai Market) in Nairobi .

Shops usually work from 8:30 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays - from 8:30 to 12:30. Many shops targeting foreign tourists work without lunch until 19: 00-20: 00.

Kenya cuisine and restaurants

Kenyan cuisine is a kind of "mix" of African, Indian and European culinary achievements . In addition to beef and pork (which in Kenya are traditionally expensive ), meat of wild animals and birds is widely used . Tourists are usually trying to surprise with various exotic things - antelope fillets, braised elephant, crocodile meat with banana salad, fried side of wild boar, roast ostrich with fruit sauce, fried termites or locusts, beef ex-meat buffalo and t . d . Kenyan culinary experts usually put burning spices very generously, so those who do not like (or can not afford their stomach) spicy food should be warned about it in advance by the waiter . a popular local dish is "nyama choma", which literally means "roasted meat" (usually on a spit or coals) . Choom is garnished with fresh vegetables and "extinguished", similar to pancakes from cornmeal . Drink everything with juice, beer or wines - local and imported .

Kenya's Fun, Tours and Attractions

Numerous national parks are the main reason for the popularity of Kenya in the tourist market. The options for their visit are from a short excursion to a multi-day safari.

Nairobi, the modern capital of Kenya, is interesting in the Nairobi National Park, Karen Blixen Farms (Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Farm) and Bomas-of-Kenya (one of the farms where performances of national dance and music groups take place). The remaining must-see capitals: the Clock Tower in the city center, the Parliament building with the mausoleum of Kenya's first president Jomo Kenyatta, the National Archives, the Indian Quarter with dozens of beautiful Hindu temples, many mosques and temples, the National Museum.

Near the Nairobi is the Great Rift Valley (Great Rift Valley) or the Great African Rift, one of the most impressive places on Earth, formed as a result of the movement of the earth's plates many millions of years ago. There are 30 active or semi-active volcanoes in it, and the total number of flamingos that permanently inhabit the alkaline lakes of the Rift Valley reaches four million.

Kenya Safari

Kenya, with all its objective tourist advantages, go first for bright sensations . Simple, even primitive, but strong and ancient - much older than the human mind . Here they go to awaken the slumbering instinct of a hunter . It is he who inevitably wakes up in everyone who finds himself in one of the national a park Kenya . The look follows the swift running of the pack of antelopes, the rumor is disturbed by the roar of wild buffaloes, and the sharp smell of large predatory cats penetrates the nostrils, beginning to hunt somewhere very near . And let in hands instead of a double-barrel elephant or faithful silicon spear - only a digital "SLR" (the real hunt in Kenya has been banned for years), emotions are still off scale .

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Photo of Kenya (130)