Travel Guide

VISAS

Tourists must have a valid visa to visit Kenya. Your passport must also be valid for at least six months after the date of your arrival in the country. In 2017 Kenya introduced ‘eVisa’, the
electronic tourist visa CLICK HERE , although you can still apply for a visa manually on arrival at the Nairobi or Mombasa airport in Kenya. The transition to the new scheme has taken longer
than expected. This means that you can still apply for a visa on arrival at the Nairobi or Mombasa airport, or online before flying into Kenya.

Electronic visa application for Kenya

Please use the website www.evisa.go.ke to apply for an electronic eVisa. You may pay by credit card. The visa processing fee is USD 50, and there is a service charge of USD 1. The minimum
period you can apply for a Kenyan visa is three months before your travel date.

The visa application process involves uploading your passport picture along with your passport photograph. Your visa shall be issued approximately five days after you register. You shall be
required to print a copy of your electronic visa, bring it with you for presentation along with your passport on arrival in Kenya. If you have any problems or enquiries related to applying for
an electronic visa, please contact the Kenyan Embassy in your country / region.

Other things you need to bear in mind with regard to your visa:
You shall be required to complete a landing card that will be issued to you on the plane, or at the visa desk when you enter Kenya.
You shall be required to complete an exit card, which will be provided to you in the departure terminal when leaving Kenya.

SAFARI & ROADS IN KENYA :

All major Kenyan roads are tarred. However road surfaces vary depending on remoteness from Nairobi city and sometimes due to regular maintenance. Rain may also affect the state of roads. Many roads within the National Parks and game reserves are quite navigable. Driving time on Kenyan roads vary from one safari point to another and are approximate. They vary depending on traffic and road conditions.

CREDIT CARDS :

Credit cards Kenya: Most major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa and American Express) are widely accepted. In addition to credit cards, it is advisable to carry easily convertible currency in
cash. USD currency is readily accepted in many local outlets and can also easily be exchanged to Kenya shillings

VACCINATION :

We advise you to contact a medical specialist or family doctor or even a licensed vaccination clinic well before travelling to Kenya.

ACCOMMODATION ON SAFARI :

Safari hotels/ lodges/ tented camps are carefully chosen and are named on the safari itinerary/program. The choices are unique and add flavor/ romance to your safari tour. They are
comfortable and sufficiently luxurious. They vary from economy, comfort, superior comfort (applies for Masai Mara accommodation) and luxury options. Luxury lodges blend nicely with the landscape and have rooms with all amenities you would expect from a good hotel. Tented camps are on permanent foundations and have en-suite bathrooms. The amenities can include hot
water bottles to warm your bed before you turn in , coffee, tea and hot chocolate served in your tent as part of your early morning wake up call. Except the tree lodges, most other lodges
and camps in economy , comfort & luxury options have swimming pools.

DRINKING WATER & BOTTLED DRINKS:

Avoid drinking water straight from the tap. Complimentary bottled drinking water will be provided in the safari vehicle -there shall be a cooler box in your private safari car Soft drinks, beer and other bottled beverages can be purchased at the lodges and camps throughout the safari as they have bars and comfortable lounges with fire places for those cool evenings. Tea or coffee are served after meals

SUGGESTED PACKING ON A SAFARI:

It is advisable to spread packing between you and your partners suitcases. This is in case of loss of luggage –(in case you are travelling together) All the important items and information
should be carried in your hand luggage: passport, visa, airfare, insurance, credit cards, money and prescriptions if necessary. You should carry information about your specific health
condition plus malaria pills, any lifesaving medication (diabetics), anything used to treat allergies or a sudden stomach upset (maybe Imodium) and analgesic aspirin should all be kept
accessible to you. Any expensive electrical equipment, such as a camera or computer should be well looked after. Please note that all use, import and production of plastic bags, such as those we know from supermarkets, etc., is prohibited in Kenya.

We therefore recommend that you avoid using plastic bags when packing your luggage. Use fabric bags instead, or bags made of a waterproof material other than plastic. If, for example, you are visibly carrying hand luggage in plastic bags upon your arrival in Kenya, you will be asked to hand them in. This also includes plastic bags from “Duty Free”, etc. On light aircraft flights in Kenya the baggage allowance is limited to a maximum of 15 Kilograms, including camera and video equipment.

Any additional luggage can be stored at the hotel in Nairobi until end of safari. Extra luggage is charged at $ 5 per kilogram and depends on space availability and weight Luggage and personal
effects are at owner’s risk throughout the tour. For your peace of mind , baggage insurance is recommended.

PHOTOGRAPHY / EQUIPMENT ON SAFARI

A digital Camera made during the Last several years is good for taking excellent Wildlife and Landscape photographs , It does not need to be the most expensive camera to take good
pictures on your Kenya Holiday Safari. Getting good safari photos is more about practice , focus and concentration than having an expensive camera / gadget A (digital Single Lens Reflex)
DSLR Camera with interchangeable lenses is a good option during a Safari Tour. Good lenses for African wildlife photos fall in the range of 200-400mm, while those intending to make
landscape or animal shots in their wild environment should consider bringing a wider angle lenses in the range of 24-100mm. A video camera if available is a welcome gadget during safari ,
you may be having it already in your DSLRs as a built in extra. Safari Tours are in remote areas so bring plenty of batteries and a charger in case you run out of power! Bring plenty of
cleaning equipment like cleaning cloths and a blower brush as Cameras get dirty quickly on the dusty safari environment. Plenty of memory cards are necessary too – safari adventure is
exciting and you may take more shots than you had anticipated A pair of binoculars is essential to view the birds and animals at a distance. Best size is 8/10 x 40 they only need to be of
good quality

Pre-departure Information

Passport

A valid passport is required for travel to any destination that we offer. In addition it is important that the passport remain valid for a period of six months beyond your travel date. This is essential; please carefully check your passport or you may be denied access to your flight. There must also be sufficient empty pages in your passport (two blank pages side by side for each country you will visit). Allow enough time to obtain a new passport.

VISAS TO EAST AFRICA

Kenya tourist visa can be obtained at Jomo Kenyatta airport on arrival while Tanzania visa can be obtained at the Namanga boarder entry point . You don’t require a multiple entry visa for travel in East Africa since the Kenyan Tourist visa allows you to enter and leave Kenya as long as you are traveling within East Africa.

You can apply for single entry and transit visas on the following link; Kenyan Visa  and for Tanzanian Visas 

HEALTH Travel to the tourist regions of East Africa does not pose any extra health risks such as would occur if you were an aid worker or visiting very remote areas. The lodges and camps we use are vigilant with food preparation. Common sense is in order, be sure to wash your hands frequently especially before meals. Use bottled water (often called mineral water) for drinking and to brush your teeth. Malaria is not often contracted by visitors but is a serious disease and steps must be taken to prevent it. The best prevention is to avoid being bitten. The mosquito that carries malaria feeds at night so cover up in the evening and use repellent. Use a net for sleeping if provided.

Please consult you doctor or Health Travel Advisory Service to get up to date advice on vaccination and malaria prophylaxis. You should travel with your own personal first aid kit including any over-the-counter or prescription medications that you regularly use or may need. Eyeglass wearers should bring an extra pair and contact lens wearers should bring glasses as well. There can be a lot of dust and glare on safari that can affect sensitive eyes. A good pair of sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen are also essential, as is a broad-brimmed hat.

The following vaccinations are often recommended:

• Yellow Fever
• Polio
• Tetanus
• Hepatitis

COVID-19 TRAVEL POLICY We at Asili Adventure Safaris follow the stipulated WHO and Ministry of Health guidelines and protocol in regards to ensuring safety of our guests from COVID-19 pandemic. We ensure that your tour guides are regularly tested for Covid-19 and must test Negative before departing for any safari. All our guest will be subject to regular temperature screening, we will also provide face masks and an anti-bacterial hand sanitizer will be available at all our safari vehicles. We will also ensure very high level of hygiene while on your safari. Your tour guide will disinfect and sanitize your luggage before and after every hotel check-in. The vehicles will also be regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Your Safety is our utmost priority!

#staysafe #travelsafe For more information please view our attached Covid-19 Protocol.   Related links : Government of UK Covid-19 policy and Kenya's Ministry of immigration VISA policy .

MONEY/CURRENCY

You will need to have some of the local currency of the country that you are visiting. This can be obtained on arrival at a bureau de change or bank located in the airport or town centre and sometimes at your city hotel. There will be some instances where you can pay for drinks and purchases with a credit card as they are becoming more widely accepted and there is often an extra service charge rendered for processing them.

However, it’s important to have a back up amount of foreign currency with you in the event of an emergency. Most widely accepted for exchange are US dollars, followed by Euros and GB pounds. (Please note larger bills (denominations of $100 & $50) receive a more favourable exchange rate and they must be issued in the year 2000 or later— the newer, the better.) In some countries (such as Tanzania) US dollars are often accepted for purchases and payment for extras and for tipping.

Although ATM machines are now more widely available in most countries it’s best not to rely on them for your cash needs.

SERVICES

While travelling in Africa please remember you are often in a developing nation. Infrastructure is not perfect and traffic moves at a much slower (often frustrating) pace. In East Africa, most of the people here speak English as a second or even third language. The best advice is to follow the lead of your professional tour guide.

ELECTRICITY

The voltage in most African countries is 220-240 and plug pin types vary widely. Consult a specialty travel shop for the necessary plug adaptors, also most of our safari vehicles come fully loaded with power supply, hence ensuring that your cameras and gadgets are juiced up. You can also purchase a 12-volt charger that fits into the vehicle cigarette lighter to recharge your camera batteries.

Most lodges and camps also have facilities for charging batteries. 

PACKING LIST GUIDELINE

On safari casual and comfortable dress is appropriate.  Days are often hot, and early mornings and evenings are often cold, especially at the Ngorongoro Crater due to the altitude.  Several lightweight layers plus a warm fleece and jacket work well so you can adapt to changing conditions as the day goes on.  Long-sleeved shirts can also be useful to protect you from both the sun and mosquitoes.  Neutral colours are best - khaki, green, beige – not white (which won’t stay white for long!), nor camouflage which is associated with the military and might inadvertently provoke a negative reaction.   Most lodges do not have a formal dress code and there is absolutely no need to change for dinner, although some people like to freshen up a little after the evening game drive.

CLOTHES

• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Long trousers.
• Long-sleeved shirts.
• Sweater or fleece.
• Warm jacket.
• Light raincoat.
• Socks & underwear.
• Pyjamas.
• Swimsuit.
• Comfortable sturdy walking shoes.
• Sandals or flip-flops to wear around camp.
• Gloves for cold mornings.
• Thick gardening gloves if gorilla trekking (to grasp sharp foliage).
• Sunglasses.
• Wide-brimmed hat.
• Waterproof bags for anything wet or dusty.
• A sarong / kikoy / shawl is often very useful.

TOILETRIES

• Sunblock / sunscreen.
• Insect repellent.
• Lip balm.
• Antihistamine cream for insect bites & stings
• First aid kit including Imodium and rehydration salts
• Tissues.
• Malaria tablets (see your doctor before you travel for up-to-date advice).
• Motion sickness tablets if required.
• Personal toiletries and medication.

DOCUMENTATION

• Passport and photocopies.
• Air tickets and vouchers.
• Itinerary and travel / accommodation vouchers.
• Travel insurance documentation.

Yellow Fever Inoculation certificate – if travelling East Africa, you need to have a yellow fever inoculation (no less than 10 days prior to travel) and will need to have a certificate/card as proof when entering the country.