If, like us, you want to organise a trip to Kenya independently, with the help of a local tour operator, here are some tips and personal experiences that can help you prepare as well as possible.
Kenya has a public healthcare system, which is mainly used by the local population. It is generally affordable, but often falls short of the standards we are used to: overcrowded facilities, limited resources and long waiting times.
For travellers, however, private healthcare is the go-to option. In the main cities — such as Nairobi and Mombasa — there are high-quality private clinics and hospitals, with staff who often speak English and more reliable standards. However, even in this case, it is important to be aware that almost all facilities require direct payment for services. For this reason, taking out health insurance before departure is strongly recommended.
We, for example, took out a travel insurance policy online with Coverwise. The cover can vary depending on your needs and generally includes:
Cancellation cover is often optional, but it can be useful in the event of unforeseen circumstances before departure.
As far as vaccinations are concerned, they are not required for entry into Kenya, but some are recommended, particularly if you plan to visit national parks or safari areas:
There is no vaccine for malaria, but there is a preventive treatment involving medication. We have chosen Malarone: you start taking it two days before departure, continue throughout your stay and for up to seven days after your return.
We also recommend using mosquito repellents with a high concentration of DEET (we bought this one) and BIOKILL spray to apply to your clothes before setting off.
To stay connected and avoid unpleasant surprises regarding roaming charges, it is advisable to purchase an international eSIM before departure. We purchased one from Holafly.
You purchase and install it before your trip and activate it upon arrival at your destination. This way, you can also use your Holafly internet connection to make calls and send messages via WhatsApp. Your mobile network will still be active for making calls in an emergency (remember to switch off roaming in this regard!). Cost: around €30 per person for 8 days.
In Kenya, you can pay easily by credit card in most shops, hotels and tourist accommodation. However, if you are travelling to more remote areas or off the main tourist routes, it is advisable to carry some cash in Kenyan shillings, which you can withdraw directly from an international ATM on arrival.
That said, even in Maasai villages it is often possible to pay in cash using euros or dollars, which are generally accepted without any problem.
In Kenya, the language most commonly used in tourist settings is English, a legacy of the British colonial period. This makes getting around and communicating very easy for travellers.
Alongside English, the official language is Swahili, which serves as a genuine common language amongst the country’s various ethnic groups. Kenya, in fact, is made up of numerous tribes, each with its own language and cultural identity: these languages are often so different from one another that they are mutually unintelligible. It is precisely for this reason that Swahili has become the shared means of communication amongst the various communities.
We’re used to planning our own trips, organising everything ourselves. Kenya, however, doesn’t work like that. Especially when it comes to a safari trip, with lots of travelling and hundreds of kilometres to cover.
In this context, it is practically essential to have a local driver to accompany you everywhere, not only for logistical and safety reasons, but also because they act as a genuine link with the local population.
Whilst searching online, we came across the tour operator Spirit of Kenya. It is a company headquartered in Portugal with several operational offices in various African countries, which organises trips and safaris directly in the region.
Victor, the contact through whom we organised everything, was very thorough and punctual right from the start, providing us with the right guidance to put together an itinerary that included all the places of interest we had in mind, in particular the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Park.
Kenya is in the UTC+2 time zone.
This means that, compared with Italy, there is a time difference of +1 hour when we are on summer time, and +2 hours during standard time.
In practice, when it is 10.00 in Italy in summer, it is 11.00 in Kenya, whilst in winter the time difference increases to two hours.
Jet lag is therefore kept to a minimum.
Kenya straddles the equator, so it does not have the four distinct seasons as we know them in Europe. Temperatures remain fairly constant throughout the year, with variations linked more to rainfall than to heat or cold.
We visited between May and June and found the weather pleasant, never too hot, especially on the safaris where it was quite cool in the early morning and at sunset (we always carried a light jacket with us).
The country has two main rainy seasons: the heavy rainy season, which generally runs from March to May, and the light rainy season, between October and November. At this time of year, rainfall can be heavy but is often concentrated at specific times of the day, leaving plenty of time for whole days of sunshine.
The rest of the year is generally dry, with ideal conditions for safaris, particularly between June and October, when the vegetation is less dense and the animals are easier to spot.
To enter Kenya, you must obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), which has replaced the old tourist visa.
The application is made online before departure via the Kenyan government’s official website, by completing a form with your personal details, travel information and passport details. Once approved, the ETA is sent by email and must be presented upon entry into the country.
Approval is usually granted within a few days, but it is advisable to apply well in advance of your departure date to avoid any unforeseen issues.
It is a fairly simple and quick procedure, costing €30 per person, but it is required in order to enter the country.
Accommodation facilities and lodges generally serve international cuisine, designed to suit travellers’ tastes.
The main concern, however, is water and certain fresh foods. It is essential to drink only bottled and sealed water, even just for brushing your teeth. Similarly, it is advisable not to eat raw fruit and vegetables which, although widely available, are not always washed or handled with safe water.
We felt unwell for a whole day during the trip, though we were unable to identify the exact cause. I can assure you that on a safari, when you spend the whole day in a 4×4 in the middle of the savannah — with no trees in sight and no possibility of getting out of the vehicle — it’s not exactly the ideal situation for culinary experiments.
Kenya is a country best experienced on the move, travelling long distances through ever-changing landscapes. From cities to tiny villages and on to the vast open spaces of the savannah, where nature and wildlife take centre stage.
The country is growing rapidly in economic and tourism terms, but it still retains a very authentic and untamed spirit.
Join us on a journey to discover the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Parks.
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