Visas
Individuals not requiring visas:
- Nationals of Kenya
- A maximum of 3 months stay for nationals of:
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Papua New Guinea
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- St. Kitts-Nevis
- St Lucia
- St. Vincent
- Grenadines
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Holders of a re-entry permit or residents certificate issued
by Kenya
- Nationals of South Africa, who can obtain an entry permit upon
arrival for a stay of 30 days maximum.
- Holders of consular, diplomatic, official service and special
passports provided being accredited to Kenya and holding letter
of accreditation from their government.
All other countries require visas from your nearest Kenyan Embassy
or Diplomatic Mission - see Embassies
for addresses & telephone numbers. Please note visa requirements
may change at any time so it's always best to check with your nearest
Kenyan embassy before you travel.
Visa Fees - The following visa fees shall apply and are payable
in a freely convertible foreign currency.
Entry visa - US$ 50
Transit visa - US$ 20.
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Health
General
Modern medical services are available in Nairobi and other
major towns and centres. Chemists (drug stores) are fairly available
in most major towns, but visitors are not prevented from bringing
in their own medicines for personal consumption.
Nearly all safari lodges will also carry a comprehensive medical
aid kit. In the unlikely event of serious accidents while on safari
you're likely to be treated by AMREF
(The Flying Doctors Service), East Africa's largest air ambulance
service which has planes fuelled & ready to go 24 hours a day.
Each plane is equipped with trauma nurses & life support systems,
so treatment can begin as soon as they reach the casualty. Members
are evacuated for free & with no need to consult an insurance
agent. And if you don't need their services during your trip to
East Africa, your money helps to maintain a vital medical service
to millions of local people.
Most of your travel service providers will subscribe to AMREF and
the chances are your own travel insurance taken our in your resident
country will be linked with AMREF to cover any treatment made -
please ensure you are covered in this way.
Other Health Tips
There are obviously many areas of discussion
so only brief but relevant points have been listed below:
- It is unlikely you will contract any serious disease
while in East Africa.
- The only compulsory vaccination required
for Kenya is Yellow Fever and as a precaution, visitors arriving
from places where there is cholera should also bring evidence
of recent inoculation. Recommended jabs however are diphtheria
& tetanus, hepatitis, polio & meningitis, and typhoid.
- Malaria is endemic year round throughout
Kenya in all areas below 2 000m (6 500 feet) and intending visitors
should begin to take a recommended prophylactic 2 weeks before
their arrival and for 6 weeks after their departure. The malaria
form that is common in Kenya is highly resistant to chloroquine
and sulfodixine /pyrimethamine so it is important to avoid being
bitten. It is inadvisable for pregnant women to visit malaria
areas, as malaria infection during pregnancy can result in severe
effects to the mother and the foetus.
While on safari, precautions should also be taken to avoid being
bitten by application of insect repellents and using nets at night.
If staying in a bungalow/tent, spray with an insecticide like
to kill any mosquitoes, which may have flown into your room, mosquito
coils are also effective. Also wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks
in the evenings. Having presented all the above information and
cautions, malaria is not a serious problem if people are sensible
and take basic precautions.
- Sadly Kenya has been highly affected by AIDS
& HIV. You are strongly advised to avoid sexual contact,
exposure to blood or dirty syringe needles. Request any syringe
to be unwrapped in front of you if you should require treatment
but again bear in mind that with MARS (see above) and private
clinics or hospitals this can almost be guaranteed. All blood
donations are screened but obviously there is no absolute guarantee
that blood may not be infected.
- Bilharzia is quite common in the freshwater
lakes & rivers of Africa so avoid swimming in them where possible.
However in the unlikely event of bilharzia being contracted, it
is easily diagnosed by a simple blood test and effectively treated
with biltracide.
- Tsetse flies are large daytime feeding flies,
they prefer shady conditions and are attracted to movement, carbon
dioxide and lactic acid secretions. You are advised to wear light
coloured lightweight clothing, avoid deep blue and black, as tsetse
flies are attracted to these colours. Tsetse flies are only found
in some of the lowland areas of the country.
- Be sensible about exposure to the sun and
the heat in general as this may cause heat stroke or exhaustion
- eat salt on your foods, drink liquids regularly and wear protective
sun creams and clothing.
- If you suffer from allergies, bring your
own prescriptive medicine.
- Other useful medical aid kit items to bring
along are: antihistamine (insect bites, itches, allergies), Imodium
or equivalent (for diarrhoea), antiseptic cream (for minor injuries),
painkillers, a few rolls of crepe bandages and stretch plasters.
For more comprehensive advice on travel health
see:
· World Health Organisation www.who.int/ith/
· MASTA - Medical Advisory service for Travellers abroad
(UK) www.masta.org/staying/index.jsp
· US Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, www.cdc.gov/travel/
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What to Bring
Medication
Most essentials are available anywhere in Kenya. However, if you are
on specific drugs, prescribed drugs for prolonged periods, you are
advised to carry adequate dosages to cover your safari as pharmaceutical
products tend to be much more costly in Kenya. It is also worth carrying
a spare pair of eyeglasses and if that fails, take a prescription
that would enable you to get another pair. Things like drugs are inordinately
expensive in Kenya. Contact lens solutions are available in Nairobi
and Mombasa although occasionally supplies run out, so bring your
own.
Clothes
For most of the year, the standard safari outfit is ideal
for bush travel. Carry a hat to avoid eyestrain and sunstroke. In
the cities and towns, western business convention prevails - tailored
suit, shirt and tie, otherwise smart casual is acceptable. June
to August have cool days and chilly nights so include some warm
cardigans and sweaters. Smart medium weight clothes will suffice
for the evenings. Women will find cotton dresses cooler and more
comfortable than trousers, particularly for daytime wear. Baggy
trousers rather than skin tight jeans are obviously better ventilated.
Specialized sports clothes, including swimwear, should be packed.
Generally clothing should be khaki, green or other neutral colours
suitable for guided walks. Avoid dark colour clothing during the
day as these attract tsetse flies (endemic to lowland national parks)
and their bites can be fairly discomforting. "Smart casual"
wear requested by some lodges and hotels refers mainly to men -
slacks not jeans, no t-shirts, no sandals but rather closed shoes.
In most private lodges, dress requirements are fairly relaxed. Light
weight walking boots, sunglasses, hats and caps are suitable all
year round bring at least one high factor sunscreen.
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