While this site specialises in Southern Africa,I have done many East Africa packages,in combination with South Africa packages.

This link will give you a example of a combination package South Africa/East Africa combination package

Kenya is the 'Land of the Lion King' and sits at the centre of the African safari experience, with an outstanding variety of wild animals and Big Five opportunities. Although safaris are its greatest attraction, it is a country of great diversity with much more to offer than splendid wildlife. Essentially it is a place for outdoor living - the coast offers beaches and water-based activities, the mountains present a challenge to hikers and climbers, and the rolling savannahs are a game-viewers paradise.

The country sits astride the equator and offers fabulous scenery and a variety of tribal cultures. From its central location, the sacred peaks of Mt Kenya reign over a landscape primarily covered by grasslands and thorn trees, much of it enclosed within its many parks and reserves.

To the west the spectacular Great Rift Valley is sprinkled with lakes teeming with a variety of birdlife, whose shores and surrounds are traversed by agricultural farmlands.

To the east lies the promise of an idyllic beach holiday with the requisite white palm-fringed beaches and pristine coral reefs. Inhabiting the highlands and Rift Valley are two of the most well known of the numerous tribal cultures, the Kikuyu farmers and the tall, red-clad Masai cattle herders.

The coast is home to ancient Swahili civilisations and old port towns that are rich in a history of exotic spice trading and fighting.

Kenya has a sophisticated tourism infrastructure, with two major cities controlling the majority of the tourism trade. Nairobi, the capital, is the safari and hiking hub, situated in the cool Central Highlands, while on the east coast the hot and humid trading port of Mombasa functions as the gateway to the resorts and pristine beaches of the area. Sadly the heavy influence of tourism has meant excessive prices for safaris, souvenirs and most activities of interest to foreigners, as well as the constant hassle by touts, guides and sellers to part with as much money as they can dupe the guilty traveller into spending.

Despite this, the people are friendly and visitors can choose to do as little or as much as they like, and the combination of wildlife, together with its beaches and mountains, make Kenya a fantastic holiday destination.

Time: GMT +3.

Electricity: 240 volts, 50Hz. UK-style square three-pin plugs are used.

Language: English is the official language but Swahili is the national language, with 42 ethnic languages spoken.

Health: The Kenyan Director of Medical Services confirmed on 9 June 2005 an outbreak of cholera in the densely populated Eastleigh area of Nairobi, following five deaths. Although the Provincial Commissioner has banned the sale of food from road-side outlets in the city, it is still widely available. Food prepared by unlicensed vendors should be avoided. Travellers should get the latest medical advice on inoculations and malaria prevention at least three weeks prior to departure. Immunisation against yellow fever, Hepatitis A, polio and typhoid are usually recommended. A malaria risk exists all year round, but more around Mombasa and the lower coastal areas than in Nairobi and on the high central plateau. Other risks include diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis A, B and E and dengue fever. Protection against bites from sandflies, mosquitoes and tsetse flies is the best prevention against dengue fever and other insect-borne diseases. AIDS is a serious problem in Kenya and the necessary precautions should be taken. Water is of variable quality and visitors are advised to drink bottled water wherever possible. There are good medical facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa but health insurance is essential. A yellow fever certificate is required by anyone arriving from an infected area.

Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Kenya, however a 10% service charge may be added to bill in more upmarket restaurants. Otherwise small change in local currency may be offered to taxi drivers, porters and waiters. On safari, however, drivers, guides and cooks often rely heavily on tips to get by, but these are discretionary.

Safety: Nairobi is notorious for robberies and muggings and visitors should be alert at all times. Visitors should also be vigilant in Mombasa. There have been a number of recent knife attacks on tourists in the main south coast tourist areas of Diani and Ukunda. There is a serious threat of banditry in the northern areas and travel is only advisable with an armed escort. For security reasons visitors to Lamu Island are advised to travel by air. Visitors should take sensible precautions when driving; in particular, landmines have been used in attacks around Moyale, close to the main A2 road south. Vehicles crossing the border at this point should stay on the A2. There is a high threat from global terrorism in Kenya and visitors should be vigilant in public places and tourist sites. All political rallies or large gatherings should be avoided.

Customs: The taking of photographs of official buildings and embassies is not advised and could lead to detention. It is illegal to destroy Kenyan currency, and homosexuality is against the law.

Communications: The international access code for Kenya is +254. The outgoing code is 000 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 00027 for South Africa), unless dialling Tanzania or Uganda when the outgoing codes are 007 or 006 respectively. International Direct Dial is available throughout most of the country, but the service is expensive and inefficient. Hotels usually add a hefty surcharge to their telephone bills; it is less expensive to either call from one of the international phone services, which are available in larger towns or buy a pre-paid calling card for use in the public telephone booths. For international operator-assisted calls call 0196. All major urban areas are covered by the mobile network; the local mobile phone operators use GSM networks that have roaming agreements with most international mobile phone operators. Internet cafes are widely available in most towns and tourist areas.

Duty Free: Travellers to Kenya over 16 years do not have to pay duty on 227g tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars; 1 bottle of alcohol; and 473ml perfume. Prohibited items include fruit, imitation firearms, and children's toys pistols. No plants may be brought into the country without a Plant Import Permit (PIP).

Kenya Health Overview

The Kenyan Director of Medical Services confirmed on 9 June 2005 an outbreak of cholera in the densely populated Eastleigh area of Nairobi, following five deaths. Although the Provincial Commissioner has banned the sale of food from road-side outlets in the city, it is still widely available. Food prepared by unlicensed vendors should be avoided. Travellers should get the latest medical advice on inoculations and malaria prevention at least three weeks prior to departure. Immunisation against yellow fever, Hepatitis A, polio and typhoid are usually recommended. A malaria risk exists all year round, but more around Mombasa and the lower coastal areas than in Nairobi and on the high central plateau. Other risks include diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis A, B and E and dengue fever. Protection against bites from sandflies, mosquitoes and tsetse flies is the best prevention against dengue fever and other insect-borne diseases. AIDS is a serious problem in Kenya and the necessary precautions should be taken. Water is of variable quality and visitors are advised to drink bottled water wherever possible. There are good medical facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa but health insurance is essential. A yellow fever certificate is required by anyone arriving from an infected area.

Malaria

General considerations: Malaria is a common and life-threatening disease in many tropical and subtropical areas. It is currently endemic in over 100 countries, which are visited by more than 125 million international travellers every year. Each year many international travellers fall ill with malaria while visiting countries where the disease is endemic, and well over 10,000 fall ill after returning home. Fever occurring in a traveller within three months of leaving a malaria-endemic area is a medical emergency and should be investigated urgently.

Cause: Human malaria is caused by four different species of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae.

 Transmission: The malaria parasite is transmitted by various species of Anopheles mosquitoes, which bite mainly between sunset and sunrise.

Nature of the disease: Malaria is an acute febrile illness with an incubation period of 7 days or longer. Thus, a febrile illness developing less than one week after the first possible exposure is not malaria. The most severe form is caused by P. falciparum, in which variable clinical features include fever, chills, headache, muscular aching and weakness, vomiting, cough, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; other symptoms related to organ failure may supervene, such as: acute renal failure, generalized convulsions, circulatory collapse, followed by coma and death. It is estimated that about 1% of patients with P. falciparum infection die of the disease. The initial symptoms, which may be mild, may not be easy to recognize as being due to malaria. It is important that the possibility of falciparum malaria is considered in all cases of unexplained fever starting at any time between the seventh day of first possible exposure to malaria and three months (or, rarely, later) after the last possible exposure, and any individual who experiences a fever in this interval should immediately seek diagnosis and effective treatment. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can be life-saving. Falciparum malaria may be fatal if treatment is delayed beyond 24 hours. A blood sample should be examined for malaria parasites. If no parasites are found in the first blood film but symptoms persist, a series of blood samples should be taken and examined at 6-12-hour intervals. Pregnant women, young children and elderly travellers are particularly at risk. Malaria in pregnant travellers increases the risk of maternal death, miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death. The forms of malaria caused by other Plasmodium species are less severe and rarely life-threatening. Prevention and treatment of falciparum malaria are becoming more difficult because P. falciparum is increasingly resistant to various antimalarial drugs. Of the other malaria species, drug resistance has to date been reported for P. vivax, mainly from Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea, with more sporadic cases reported from Guyana. P. vivax with declining sensitivity has been reported for Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Myanmar, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand. P. malariae resistant to chloroquine has been reported from Indonesia.

Geographical distribution: The risk for travellers of contracting malaria is highly variable from country to country and even between areas in a country. In many endemic countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean region, the main urban areas, but not necessarily the outskirts of towns, are free of malaria transmission. However, malaria can occur in main urban areas in Africa and India. There is usually less risk of the disease at altitudes above 1,500 metres, but in favourable climatic conditions it can occur at altitudes up to almost 3,000 metres. The risk of infection may also vary according to the season, being highest at the end of the rainy season. There is no risk of malaria in many tourist destinations in South-East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Source: WHO.

Mombasa Moi International Airport (MBA)

Location: The airport is situated eight miles (13km) west of Mombasa. Time: GMT +3. Contacts: Tel: + 254 011 433211. Transfer to the city: Public buses go regularly to the city centre, but most travellers take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by their hotel or tour operator. Car rental: Avis, Europcar and Hertz are represented at the airport. Facilities: Facilities at the airport are fairly limited by international standards but include left luggage, disabled facilities, first aid, banks, bars, a restaurant, duty-free, a post office, curio shops, tourist information and hotel reservations. Departure tax: US$20, but this is usually included in the ticket price. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)

Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south east of Nairobi. Time: GMT +3. Contacts: Tel: + 254 02522111. Transfer to the city: The KBS bus service 34 leaves fairly regularly for the city centre, most travellers however take a taxi or arrange to be picked up by their hotel or tour operator. The Mercedes taxis take passengers to the central city hotels for a fixed fare. Car rental: Avis, Europcar and Hertz, among others, are represented at the airport. Facilities: The facilities at the airport are fairly limited, but include a bank and bureau de change, left luggage, telephones and fax, medical aid, a bar and restaurant, duty-free shops selling curios, a post office, tourist information and hotel reservations. There are disabled facilities, but passengers should advise their airline in advance of any special needs. Departure tax: US$20, but this is usually included in the ticket price.

Kenya Climate and Weather

The rainy seasons are April to June and October to early December. The coast is hot and humid all year round but tempered by strong onshore breezes, the lowlands are hot and dry and the highlands (including Nairobi) are more temperate and cool at night.

Kenya Currency

Money: Kenyan Shilling (KES) divided into 100 cents. It is not advisable to take Kenyan Shillings out of the country as they are difficult to exchange elsewhere. Travellers cheques in Sterling or US Dollars are recommended for your trip to Kenya. US Dollars in particular have become commonly used in many of the country's main hotels and safari lodges. Foreign currency can be changed at banks, bureaux de change and hotels; easiest to exchange are US dollars, pounds sterling or Euro. Street exchange merchants are operating illegally. Banks open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and on the first and last Saturday of the month. Banks and bureaux de change at the international airport stay open 24 hours. Credit Cards (American Express, Visa and MasterCard) are accepted in the larger hotels and stores, and some camps and lodges. ATMs are widely available in Nairobi and the major towns.

       Rates subject to change at any time

Note: These currency exchange rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.

Kenya Passport & Visa Requirements

Entry requirements for Americans: United States citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians require a valid passport and a visa.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australians require a valid passport and a visa.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to 3 months.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand citizens require a valid passport and a visa.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals require a valid passport and a visa.
Passport/Visa Note: Visas can be obtained on arrival for a fee of US$50, which must be paid in convertible currency, although this may result in passenger delays and it is preferable to arrange the visa in the country of origin. An onward or return ticket and documents for next destination are required by all visitors, as well as sufficient funds for length of intended stay (at least US$500). Passports must be valid for at least six months on arrival.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their respective consulates.