Kenya Travel Advice: Practical Basics for Safari Visitors

• On safari: follow your guide's instructions, stay in the vehicle unless told otherwise, and in unfenced camps let staff escort you after dark.
• In Nairobi: as in any large city, avoid walking alone at night, keep phones and valuables out of sight in busy areas, and use arranged transfers or reputable taxi apps.
• On the road: long drives are part of most safaris. Our driver-guides know the routes and the road conditions well.

• Malaria is present in most safari areas. Ask your doctor about prevention and use insect repellent in the evenings.
• Check vaccination advice with a travel clinic well before you travel, including yellow fever.
• Drink bottled or treated water.
• Carry a small first-aid kit and any regular medication in your hand luggage.
• Make sure your travel insurance covers medical evacuation.

The currency is the Kenyan shilling (KES). US dollars are widely used in tourism, and cards work in most lodges and city hotels. Cash is useful for tips and small purchases. See our money guide.

• Plastic bags: Kenya has a strict ban on single-use plastic carrier bags. Do not bring them in your luggage, including duty-free bags.
• Photography: always ask before photographing people. Do not photograph police, military sites or government buildings.
• Drones: require permission and are restricted in parks.

• A greeting goes a long way - "Jambo" (hello) and "Asante" (thank you) are appreciated.
• Dress modestly in towns and villages; safari clothes are fine in the parks.
• Tipping guides and camp staff is customary but never compulsory. We share guidance before you travel.
• On village visits, follow your guide's lead and ask before entering homes.

Keep noise down at sightings, never feed animals, and do not ask your guide to break park rules for a closer photo. Our article on what to expect on a safari day covers sighting etiquette in more detail.

Check your government's travel advice, sort out vaccinations and insurance early, leave plastic bags at home, ask before taking photos, and follow your guide. Do that, and the practical side of a Kenya trip is straightforward.