Africa
Kenya
The Masai Mara, Mount Kenya and a slow train to the Swahili coast.
Kenya is the home of the safari. Group camping trips from Nairobi make the Masai Mara affordable, and between July and October the great migration pours across the plains from Tanzania.
Add a trek on Mount Kenya or a bike ride through Hell’s Gate, then take the train to Mombasa for the white sand of Diani and the car-free old town on Lamu island.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT+3
- Plugs
- Type G, 240V
- Emergency numbers
- 999 or 112 for police, ambulance and fire
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered
- Traffic drives on the
- Left
- Tipping
- Around 10% in restaurants, and $10–15 a day per group for safari guides and cooks.
- SIM cards
- A Safaricom SIM is cheap and 10 GB of data costs around 1,000 shillings; bring your passport to register it and set up M-Pesa.
When to go to Kenya
Best months to go: January to February and July to October. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
SeptemberBest time to go
Still excellent for the migration, with the herds spread across the plains.
- Daytime high
- 24°C
- Rainfall
- 25 mm
- Crowds
- Peak season
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25°C | 60 mm | Busy | Yes |
| February | 26°C | 55 mm | Busy | Yes |
| March | 25°C | 90 mm | Quiet | No |
| April | 24°C | 190 mm | Quiet | No |
| May | 22°C | 140 mm | Quiet | No |
| June | 21°C | 30 mm | Busy | No |
| July | 21°C | 15 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| August | 21°C | 20 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| September | 24°C | 25 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| October | 25°C | 55 mm | Busy | Yes |
| November | 23°C | 150 mm | Quiet | No |
| December | 23°C | 90 mm | Busy | No |
What Kenya costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$868for 14 days, about $62 a day (KES 112,000 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $15 | $210 | |
| Food and drink | $10 | $140 | |
| Getting around | $8 | $112 | |
| Things to do | $25 | $350 | |
| Everything else | $4 | $56 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Mandazi from a street stallKES 20, about $0.16
- Plate of ugali and sukuma wikiKES 200, about $1.55
- Cup of chai at a roadside caféKES 50, about $0.39
- Bottle of Tusker in a local barKES 300, about $2.33
- Hostel dorm bed in NairobiKES 1,500, about $12
- Matatu ride across NairobiKES 100, about $0.78
- Economy train ticket, Nairobi to MombasaKES 1,500, about $12
Routes through Kenya
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 6 stops
A group safari in the Masai Mara and a few days at Lake Naivasha, then the train to the coast for beaches.
Nairobi
2 nights
The giraffe centre, the elephant orphanage and time to book your safari.
Masai Mara
3 nights
Big cats, huge herds and, from July to October, the migration.
Lake Naivasha
2 nights
Cycle through Hell’s Gate and take a boat to Crescent Island.
Nairobi
1 night
A night back in the city before the morning train.
Diani Beach
4 nights
White sand, colobus monkeys in the trees and kitesurfing on the reef.
Watamu
2 nights
Snorkel in the marine park and walk the ruins of Gede.
Getting around
Jeep / 4x4
$150–250 a day on a group camping safari
Park fees make up much of the cost. Group safaris leave Nairobi most days, with food, tents and a pop-top jeep included.
Train
$12–35 one way
The Madaraka Express runs from Nairobi to Mombasa in about five hours. Book on the Kenya Railways website a few days ahead.
Bus
$10–20 for a long trip
Companies like Easy Coach and Modern Coast link the main towns. Safer and more comfortable than matatus.
Minibus
Under $1 a ride in town
Matatus are loud, colourful and go everywhere. Pay the conductor and hold on to your bag.
Flight
$60–150 one way
Safarilink and Jambojet fly to Lamu, Diani and the Mara, saving long days on the road.
What to eat and drink
Nyama choma
Roast goat or beef, chopped at the table and eaten with kachumbari salad and ugali.
KES 800, about $6.20
Ugali and sukuma wiki
A stiff maize porridge with fried greens. The everyday meal across the country.
KES 200, about $1.55
Chapati
Soft, layered flatbread, eaten with beans or stew.
KES 50, about $0.39
Mandazi
A lightly sweet fried dough, perfect with morning chai.
KES 20, about $0.16
Pilau
Rice cooked with meat and warm spices, a favourite on the Swahili coast.
KES 400, about $3.10
Kenyan chai
Tea boiled with milk and plenty of sugar, drunk all day.
KES 50, about $0.39
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Hello
Jambo
Say it like: jahm-boh
How’s it going? / Cool
Mambo? / Poa
Say it like: mahm-boh / poh-ah
Thank you very much
Asante sana
Say it like: ah-sahn-teh sah-nah
How much?
Bei gani?
Say it like: bay gah-nee
Too expensive
Ghali sana
Say it like: gah-lee sah-nah
Okay
Sawa
Say it like: sah-wah
Welcome
Karibu
Say it like: kah-ree-boo
Slowly, slowly
Pole pole
Say it like: poh-leh poh-leh
Questions travellers ask
How much does a Masai Mara safari cost?
A three-day group camping safari from Nairobi costs around $400–600 per person. Park fees are the biggest part, at $100–200 a day depending on the season.
What is M-Pesa?
Kenya’s mobile money system, used to pay for almost everything from matatus to guesthouses. Register it with your Safaricom SIM at any agent using your passport.
Can I bring plastic bags?
No. Kenya banned plastic carrier bags in 2017 and fines are heavy, so leave them at home or in the bin at the airport.
Do I need malaria tablets?
Yes for the coast, the Mara and most low-lying areas. Speak to a travel clinic before you go, and consider a yellow fever jab.
Is Nairobi safe?
Take care, especially after dark. Use Uber or Bolt at night, keep your phone out of sight downtown and leave valuables at your hostel.