Travel Guide

Flying to Kenya

All the attendees of the 2019 EO Kenya Exploration should plan their round trip flights to/from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.

All ground transportation during the program days and flights to/from the Borana Conservancy from Nairobi are included in your registration and will be booked by EO.

Arriving: Upon arrival to the airport, you will be assisted by a representative to clear customs & immigration. Transportation from the airport to Tamarind Tree Hotel will be provided for flights arriving 21-22 September and guest arrival and check-in will take place at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, 22 September at the hotel.

Departing: The group will depart via private charter flight from Borana Conservancy back to Nairobi the morning of Saturday, 28 September. Upon arrival, around 1:00 p.m., you will be met and driven to Tamarind Tree Hotel where a day room will be provided to relax and freshen up before your flight home. Airport transfers will be provided on 28 September.

Time Zone

EAT (East African Time) UTC/GMT +3 hours
Please check www.timeanddate.com to determine what time it is in your home city.

Language

English is the official language of the 2019 EO Kenya Exploration.

Currency

Kenyan currency is known as the Kenyan Shilling (KES). Credit cards are accepted at shops in big cities such as Nairobi, Kisumu, amd Mombasa. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. For currency converter tools, please visit Oanda.com or XE.com.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory but is always appreciated. Most lodges have a communal “tip box” where US dollar tips are readily accepted as well as local currency. A suggested $15-20 per night is suggested for camp and lodge staff. Daily tips to the camp crew and guides is included in your registration to the Exploration.

Electricity

The electrical current in Kenya is 220-240 Volts and 50 Hertz. In Kenya, the power sockets used are type G (see image below).

The private campsite in the Borana Conservancy uses gas, kerosene and solar units for lighting and cooking. The camp can provide a 220-240 volt generator upon request. The camp will also provide a 220 volt inverter and almost all modern appliances will work with this arrangement. Flashlights are provided in camp, but it is suggested that you bring a small hand held flashlight (or head torch) with batteries for moving around or reading at night.

Stay connected

The country code Kenya is +254. When dialing a Kenyan number from abroad, be sure to dial +1 before the area code and number.

These are the emergency numbers in Kenya:

  • Dial 999 to call fire and ambulance services.

Please contact your individual mobile phone service provider for information about international plans. Call your service provider before arriving to determine if you should purchase an international roaming plan. Much of Kenya has good mobile phone coverage, and in Nairobi and the Borana Conservancy there is 4G. Please note that you will need full international roaming to make phone calls.

Weather

Temperatures in Kenya tend to be warm during the days and chilly wither lower humidity in the evenings. Average temperatures range from 70-80°F/ 20-27°C during the day and 50-65°F/ 10-18°C at night. The average high in Nairobi in September is 77°F/ 25°C and the average low is 56°F/ 13°C.

Dress

On safari, dress is informal, think “comfort”. Loose fitting, tan, neutral, or khaki cotton clothes are best during the days. You will need a warm fleece or sweater for the early mornings and evenings, which tend to be surprisingly cool. Dressing in layers is the best system so you can remove layers as the day warms up and then add them back as the day cools down. A waterproof rain jacket can double as a windbreaker.

Visa

To enter Kenya, you’ll need a valid passport that is valid at least 6 months after the date of travel. Visas can be obtained at the appropriate East African embassy or depending on country of origin visas can now be purchased on-line and in advance at this website: http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.

EO members are responsible for arranging their own travel in a timely manner—including, but not limited to, all immigration- and visa-related costs and paperwork. If you fail to receive the appropriate approvals to enter Kenya after you have purchased a registration, you will be subject to EO cancellation policies.

EO takes no responsibility for acquiring or monitoring the status of a visa for any member. EO can support you in your quest for immigration approval by providing the following:

  • Letters of invitation
  • Hotel confirmation numbers (where applicable)
  • Connections to chapter members

EO cannot:

  • Sponsor members
  • Guarantee costs or other monetary-related paperwork
  • Liaise with ministries, immigration, embassies or consulates on behalf of any member
    If you require a sponsorship for entry into Kenya, you assume all risk associated with registering for the Exploration prior to getting approval and finding sponsors. EO cancellation policies apply. EO members are required to find other EO member sponsors on their own, including using eonetwork.org or through the EO chapter hosting the event. EO staff will not broker sponsorships.

Health

No vaccinations are required to enter Kenya. Yellow fever is a risk in certain parts of Kenya. The government of Kenya requires proof of yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever (this does not include the US – for complete list, see Countries with risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission.

It is recommended to consult with your local physician for up-to-date information on vaccinations. Anti-malarial pills are advised although the best prevention is precaution. Tents are equipped with mosquito lining and are sprayed by the crew each night. It is recommended to wear long pants and shirts in the evening. Bug spray will be provided but it is still recommended to bring your own.

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

You can find more health and safety recommendations for Kenya from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Dietary Restrictions

Please notify us of any dietary restrictions during registration so that your needs are accommodated at the University. To edit any dietary restrictions or input new dietary restrictions, go to the event page and click “Modify registration.” You will be able to edit or enter dietary information and click “Save.” If you suffer from severe food allergies, we encourage you to visit this website and consider purchasing food and travel-translation cards to effectively communicate your needs while traveling.