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Kenya - Overview
 The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest, with the Indian Ocean running along the southeast border. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a very significant landmark. Before 1920, the area now known as Kenya was known as the British East Africa Protectorate and so there was no need to mention mount when referring to the mountain. KENYA PEOPLE AND CULTURES Kenya is a country of various people and cultures. There are a lot of tribes and each tribe has its own culture that is different from one another. For example, people in the Kenyan coast have different ways of life from the ones found in Northern part of Kenya. Every ethnic group has its own society norms and for the purpose of differentiation and categorization they are grouped using the most universal way of communication which is the language. Therefore for different people from different tribes in Kenya to communicate they use two common languages. Below I have explained briefly some of the most important things you would like to hear about one of the Kenya tribe which is known world wide and they are Maasai people. Maasais are our cultural ambassadors who still up to now have kept their culture regardless of the Kenya civilization. Maasai’s and Samburu people are brothers and sisters or just call them relatives. They are two different tribes but very similar both of them talking in Maa language and same cultural and spiritual beliefs. Kenya is known worldwide because of the following.
Kenya is also known for its middle and long distance runners. This year (2008) we won 5 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals in recent Olympics in China. To be a Maasai is to be born into one of the world’s last great warrior cultures-a matter of immense personal pride. Many customs, such as the shaving of women’s heads the removal of the two middle teeth on the lower jaw (for the oral delivery of traditional medicine rather than the more oft-quoted reason of beauty). The Maasai are guided by a strong belief that they are the sole custodians of all the cattle on earth. An animal with which they enjoy a symbiotic, almost sacred relationship. This bond has led them into a largely nomadic way of life, following local patterns of rainfall-often over vast territories-in search of water and pasture for their herds. All of the Maasais’ needs are met by their cattle. Most of their diet comprises cows’ milk and blood, with bulls, oxen and lambs slaughtered for meat during ceremonies and special occasions. Skins and hides provide warmer clothing, and are utilized as mattresses for sleeping. Cows also contribute to the Maasais’ housing, their dung smeared on the walls of their rondavel huts to keep them waterproof. Almost from the day they are born, young Maasai boys begin to learn the responsibilities of a man: protecting their livestock from human and animal predators, they are closely guided and mentored by their fathers and other elders. Similarly, young girls are taught how to build houses, make beadwork, cook and keep their homes clean by their mothers and older female relatives. Like many older cultures, the fate of Maasai girls is very much in the hands of their parents who will ‘book’ a warrior from a respectable family outside their clan as an appropriate husband for their daughter. During Maasai weddings, newlywed couples will be further instructed by senior male elders on how to lead an exemplary married life. Men become elders after about 14 years as warriors or il murran. Warrior hood is a formative stage during which young men aged between 15 and 20 are circumcised as an initiation into adulthood. As warriors, they are charged with defending the tribe and its livestock from both human and animal enemies. Initiation into elder hood begins at marriage; the warriors abandon their defensive role and take on the role of raising their families and managing the administrative affairs of the community. All religious and other ceremonies are organized and presided over by the elders. They are the enforcers of the tribe’s laws which have been handed down orally from the generation. Everyone in the tribe is expected to follow these laws religiously, and anyone who deviates from what is expected of him or her is dealt with by the elders. Being a religious leader and a custodian of the law, the Maasai elder is highly regarded by the whole tribe, who believe that elders possess God-given powers to bless the righteous and curse wrongdoers. As religious leaders, they preside over all rituals. They know when, why and how rituals are performed to get the best response from the Supreme Being. They know the propitious days of the months and seasons for each individual ritual. As such, they play the role of antecedent between men and the Supreme Being. Every morning and evening, they gather to pray specifically for them, if they feel that something is going wrong in their lives. As soon as a woman gives birth, the elders gather to pray for the health and long life of the mother and baby. A laibon, one of the most powerful of the tribe’s healers, may also refer patients to the elders for prayers to assist their recovery. The Maasai community is highly puritanical, and people are expected to follow all norms and values, and to know what is wrong and right. When an individual errs in their role or duties, their fate is left to the mercy of the elders. Punitive measures for different offences are passed down orally between the generations, and justice is therefore based upon precedence. Curse is one lethal weapon that the elders employ in order to compel culprits to speak the truth-although this is a last resort reserved for only the most uncooperative culprits. All elders become ‘firestick elders’ at a specific time in order to mentor a group of warriors from the day they are circumcised. They are called firestick elders because they make a fire using ‘firesticks’ whenever there is a ritual to be performed for the group. The firestick elders determine when the young men are circumcised and organize all the rituals marking the different rites of passage as they advance in warrior hood towards elder hood. It is the responsibility of the firestick elders to educate these ‘sons’ on their roles, rights and obligations, and to install in them the sense of pride so important to the Maasai in their service to the community. The warriors’ success in their duties thus reflects upon the prudence of the firestick elders in mentoring them. Firestick elders are revered by all their ‘sons’, and remains so powerful that a wrong done by one of their charges will affect all the others bringing a punishment down upon the entire group. CONCLUSION Despite their strong cultural beliefs and deep-rooted customs, the influence of other cultures and modern education has invariably led to a gradual erosion of some aspects of Maasai life. Some customs, such as cattle-raids on neighboring tribes, have been outlawed by modern legislation, while widespread criticism of female circumcision is seeing its use decline in a growing number of Maasai communities. As in so many of the world oldest cultures, no one can completely escape the steady, all-pervasive march of modern ‘civilization’. About KenyaOnce upon a time, God took all the world’s most beautiful destinations and put them all in one country: Kenya  Imagine all of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Let your imagination take you through vast wilderness, soaring mountain peaks, cosmopolitan cities, perfect beaches and more. Dream of the perfect destinations for adventure, relaxation, culture and sport. Then imagine all of these places wrapped into a single country. A place where each day brings new sights, sounds and experiences. Whatever you are seeking on your journey, you will find it in Kenya. No other country on earth can offer the visitor as much to see and to do. Within the borders of a single country, you will find savannah rich with big game, timeless cultures unchanged by the modern world, pristine beaches and coral reef, equatorial forest and mighty snow-capped mountains, searing deserts and cool highland retreats, an exotic history and a fascinating modern culture. Endless opportunities for adventure, discovery, relaxation and so much more, what you never expected. Kenya, lying on the Eastern part of Africa, with the equator cutting right through it, is one of the prime holiday destinations in the world. A good many visitors are attracted by the country’s stunning scenery, superb coastline and the magnificent variety of wildlife. The country is blessed with excellent all year climate and well established tourist facilities.
Kenya presents an impressive range of accommodation of international standards to suit every taste. Elegance, ambiance and quality service are the hallmarks of Kenya's Hotels and Game Lodges. Kenyan Hotels are graded in accordance with the star classification system. They range from the Luxurious Tented Camps and Safari Lodges, to the Five-star Town and Beach hotels. For budget-minded travelers, there are low-cost Campsites in the Game Reserves and budget hotels in the Towns and at the Coast. Kenya - Climate
Kenya enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country. There is however a lot of rain between the months March and May.The temperature does remain high throughout these months. Average annual temperatures
The country receives a great deal of sunshine all the year round and summer clothes are worn throughout the year. However, it is usually cool at night and early in the morning. The long rain season occurs from April to June. The short rain season occurs from October to December. The rainfall is sometimes heavy and often falls in the afternoons and evenings. The hottest period is from February to March and coldest in July to August. The annual migration occurs between June and September with millions of wildlife taking part. It has been a popular event for filmmakers to capture. Kenya - GeographyAt 224,961 square miles (582,646 km²), Kenya is the world's forty-seventh largest country. From the coast on the Indian Ocean the Low plains rise to central highlands. The highlands are bisected by the Great Rift Valley; a fertile plateau in the west. The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production Mount Kenya is the highest peak in Kenya at 5,199 m (17,042 ft). Kenya is named after the mountain.
Kenya - HistoryPalaeontologists have discovered many fossils of prehistoric animals in Kenya. At one of the rare dinosaur fossil sites in Africa, two hundred Cretaceous theropod and giant crocodile fossils have been discovered in Kenya, dating from the Mesozoic Era, over 200 million years ago. The fossils were found in an excavation conducted by a team from the University of Utah and the National Museums of Kenya in July-August 2004 at Lokitaung Gorge, near Lake Turkana. Fossils found in East Africa suggest that primates roamed the area more than 20 million years ago. Recent finds near Kenya's Lake Turkana indicate that hominids such as Homo habilis (1.8 and 2.5 million years ago) and Homo erectus (1.8 million to 350,000 years ago) are possible direct ancestors of modern Homo sapiens and lived in Kenya during the Pleistocene epoch. In 1984 one particular discovery made at Lake Turkana by famous palaeoanthropologist Richard Leakey and Kamoya Kimeu was the skeleton of a Turkana boy belonging to Homo erectus from 1.6 million years ago. Previous research on early hominids is particularly identified to Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, who are responsible for the preliminary archaeological research at Olorgesailie and Hyrax Hill. Later work at the former was undertaken by Glynn Isaac. Pre-colonial history Cushitic-speaking people, as termed by Schloezer, from northern Africa, moved into the area that is now Kenya beginning around 2000 BC. Arab traders began frequenting the Kenya coast around the 1st century AD. Kenya's proximity to the Arabian Peninsula invited colonization, and Arab and Persian settlements sprouted along the coast by the 8th century. During the first millennium AD, Nilotic and Bantu-speaking peoples moved into the region, and the latter now comprise three-quarters of Kenya's population.  << Great Mosque of Gedi, 13th Century In the centuries preceding colonization, the Swahili coast of Kenya was part of the east African region which traded with the Arab world and India especially for ivory and slaves (the Ameru tribe is said to have originated from slaves escaping from Arab lands some time around the year 1700.). Initially these traders came mainly from Arab states, but later many also came from Zanzibar (such as Tippu Tip). Swahili, a Bantu language with many Arabic, Persian and other Middle Eastern and South Asian loan words, developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different peoples. The Luo of Kenya descend from early agricultural and herding communities from western Kenya's early pre-colonial history. The Luo people and dialects of their language have historic roots across the Lake Victoria region. Chief among the powerful families to which the Luo trace their ancestry were the Sahkarias of Kano, the Jaramogis of Ugenya, and the Owuors of Kisumo, whose clans married several wives and had multitudes of grandchildren and heirs to various chieftainships. Leaders of these lineages typically had multiple wives and intermarried with their neighbours in Uganda and Sudan. The Luo tribe, through intermarriages and wars, are part of the genetic admixture that includes all modern East African ethnic groups as well as members of Buganda Kingdom, the Toro Kingdom, and the Nubians of modern day Sudan. In recent times, the Luo have had many enemies with whom they fought for access to water, cattle, and land including the Nandi, Kipsigis and the Kisii. As a result of these wars were peace treaties and intermarriages were resolved resulting in a mixture of cultural ideals and practices. As with all so-called tribes of modern day East Africa, Luo history is intricately interwoven with the histories of their friends, enemies and neighbours and attest to the complexity of East African precolonial history. Colonial history The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore the region of current-day Kenya, Vasco da Gama having visited Mombasa in 1498. Gama's voyage was successful in reaching India and this permitted the Portuguese to trade with the Far East directly by sea, thus challenging older trading networks of mixed land and sea routes, such as the Spice trade routes that utilized the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and caravans to reach the eastern Mediterranean. The Republic of Venice had gained control over much of the trade routes between Europe and Asia. After traditional land routes to India had been closed by the Ottoman Turks, Portugal hoped to use the sea route pioneered by Gama to break the once Venetian trading monopoly. Portuguese rule in East Africa focused mainly on a coastal strip centred in Mombasa. The Portuguese presence in East Africa officially began after 1505, when flagships under the command of Don Francisco de Almeida conquered Kilwa, an island located in what is now southern Tanzania. In March 1505, having received from Manuel I the appointment of viceroy of the newly conquered territory in India, he set sail from Lisbon in command of a large and powerful fleet, and arrived in July at Quiloa (Kilwa), which yielded to him almost without a struggle. A much more vigorous resistance was offered by the Moors of Mombasa, but the town was taken and destroyed, and its large treasures went to strengthen the resources of Almeida. Attacks followed on Hoja (now known as Ungwana, located at the mouth of the Tana River), Barawa, Angoche, Pate and other coastal towns until the western Indian Ocean was a safe haven for Portuguese commercial interests. At other places on his way, such as the island of Angediva, near Goa, and Cannanore, the Portuguese built forts, and adopted measures to secure the Portuguese supremacy. Portugal's main goal in the east coast of Africa was take control of the spice trade from the Arabs. At this stage, the Portuguese presence in East Africa served the purpose of control trade within the Indian Ocean and secure the sea routes linking Europe to Asia. Portuguese naval vessels were very disruptive to the commerce of Portugal's enemies within the western Indian Ocean and were able to demand high tariffs on items transported through the sea due to their strategic control of ports and shipping lanes. The construction of Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593 was meant to solidify Portuguese hegemony in the region, but their influence was clipped by the British, Dutch and Omani Arab incursions into the region during the 17th century. The Omani Arabs posed the most direct challenge to Portuguese influence in East Africa and besieged Portuguese fortresses, openly attacked naval vessels and expelled the remaining Portuguese from the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts by 1730. By this time the Portuguese Empire had already lost its interest on the spice trade sea route due to the decreasing profitability of that business. Omani Arab colonization of the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts brought the once independent city-states under closer foreign scrutiny and domination than was experienced during the Portuguese period. Like their predecessors, the Omani Arabs were primarily able only to control the coastal areas, not the interior. However, the creation of clove plantations, intensification of the slave trade and relocation of the Omani capital to Zanzibar in 1839 by Seyyid Said had the effect of consolidating the Omani power in the region. Arab governance of all the major ports along the East African coast continued until British interests aimed particularly at ending the slave trade and creation of a wage-labour system began to put pressure on Omani rule. By the late nineteenth century, the slave trade on the open seas had been completely outlawed by the British and the Omani Arabs had little ability to resist the Royal Navy's ability to enforce the directive. The Omani presence continued in Zanzibar and Pemba until the 1964 revolution, but the official Omani Arab presence in Kenya was checked by German and British seizure of key ports and creation of crucial trade alliances with influential local leaders in the 1880s. However, the Omani Arab legacy in East Africa is currently found through their numerous descendants found along the coast that can directly trace ancestry to Oman and are typically the wealthiest and most politically influential members of the Kenyan coastal community. However, most historians consider that the colonial history of Kenya dates from the establishment of a German protectorate over the Sultan of Zanzibar's coastal possessions in 1885, followed by the arrival of the Imperial British East Africa Company in 1888. Incipient imperial rivalry was forestalled when Germany handed its coastal holdings to Britain in 1890. This followed the building of the Kenya-Uganda railway passing through the country. This was resisted by some tribes, notably the Nandi led by Orkoiyot Koitalel Arap Samoei for ten years from 1895 to 1905, the British eventually built the railway. It is believed that the Nandi were the first tribe to be put in a native reserve to stop them from disrupting the building of the railway. During the railway construction era, there was a significant inflow of Indian peoples who provided the bulk of the skilled manpower required for construction. These people remained in Kenya and formed the core of several distinct Indian communities such as the Ismaili muslim and Sikh communities.  << Kenya-Uganda Railway, 1899 At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the governors of British East Africa (as the Protectorate was generally known) and German East Africa agreed a truce in an attempt to keep the young colonies out of direct hostilities. However Lt Col Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck took command of the German military forces, determined to tie down as many British resources as possible. Completely cut off from Germany by the Royal Navy, von Lettow conducted an effective guerilla warfare campaign, living off the land, capturing British supplies, and remaining undefeated. He eventually surrendered in Zambia eleven days after the Armistice was signed in 1918. To chase von Lettow the British deployed Indian Army troops from India and then needed large numbers of porters to overcome the formidable logistics of transporting supplies far into the interior by foot. The Carrier Corps was formed and ultimately mobilised over 400,000 Africans, contributing to their long-term politicisation. During the early part of the twentieth century, the interior central highlands were settled by British and other European farmers, who became wealthy farming coffee and tea. By the 1930s, approximately 30,000 white settlers lived in the area and were offered undue political powers because of their effects on the economy. The area was already home to over a million members of the Kikuyu tribe, most of whom had no land claims in European terms (but the land belonged to the ethnic group), and lived as itinerant farmers. To protect their interests, the settlers banned the growing of coffee, introduced a hut tax, and the landless were granted less and less land in exchange for their labour. A massive exodus to the cities ensued as their ability to provide a living from the land dwindled. In 1951, Sir Horace Hector Hearne became Chief Justice in Kenya (coming from Ceylon, where he had also been Chief Justice) and sat in the Supreme Court in Nairobi. He held that position until 1954 when he became an Appeal Justice of the West African Court of Appeal. On the night of the death of King George VI, 5 February 1952, Hearne escorted The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, as she then was, to a state dinner at the Treetops Hotel, which is now a very popular tourist retreat. It was there that she "went up a princess and came down a Queen". She returned immediately to England, accompanied by Hearne. From October 1952 to December 1959, Kenya was under a state of emergency arising from the Mau Mau rebellion against British rule. The governor requested and obtained British and African troops, including the King's African Rifles. In January 1953, Major General Hinde was appointed as director of counter-insurgency operations. The situation did not improve for lack of intelligence, so General Sir George Erskine was appointed commander-in-chief of the colony's armed forces in May 1953, with the personal backing of Winston Churchill. The capture of War?hi? Itote (a.k.a. General China) on 15 January 1954 and the subsequent interrogation led to a better understanding of the Mau Mau command structure. Operation Anvil opened on 24 April 1954 after weeks of planning by the army with the approval of the War Council. The operation effectively placed Nairobi under military siege, and the occupants were screened and the Mau Mau supporters moved to detention camps. May 1953 also saw the Home Guard officially recognized as a branch of the Security Forces. The Home Guard formed the core of the government's anti-Mau Mau strategy as it was composed of loyalist Africans, not foreign forces like the British Army and King's African Rifles. By the end of the emergency the Home Guard had killed 4,686 Mau Mau, amounting to 42% of the total insurgents. The capture of Dedan Kimathi on 21 October 1956 in Nyeri signified the ultimate defeat of the Mau Mau and essentially ended the military offensive. Post-colonial history The first direct elections for Africans to the Legislative Council took place in 1957. Despite British hopes of handing power to "moderate" African rivals, it was the Kenya African National Union (KANU) of Jomo Kenyatta that formed a government shortly before Kenya became independent on 12 December 1963. During the same year, the Kenyan army fought the Shifta War against ethnic Somalis determined to see the NFD join with the Republic of Somalia. The Shiftas inflicted heavy casualties on the Kenyan armed forces but were defeated in 1967. Kenya, fearing an invasion from militarily stronger Somalia, in 1969 signed a defence pact with Ethiopia which is still in effect. Suffering from droughts and floods, NFD is the least developed region in Kenya. However, since the 1990s, Somali refugees-turned-wealthy businessmen have managed to transform the one-time slum of Eastleigh into the most prosperous commercial centre of Eastlands and increasingly much of Nairobi. In 1964, Kenyatta became Kenya's first president. At Kenyatta's death in 1978, Daniel arap Moi became President. Daniel arap Moi retained the Presidency, being unopposed in elections held in 1979, 1983 (snap elections) and 1988, all of which were held under the single party constitution. The 1983 elections were held a year early, and were a direct result of an abortive military coup attempt on 1 August 1982. The abortive coup was masterminded by a lowly ranked Air Force serviceman, Senior Private Hezekiah Ochuka and was staged mainly by enlisted men in the Air Force. The attempt was quickly suppressed by Loyalist forces led by the Army, the General Service Unit (GSU) — a paramilitary wing of the police — and later the regular police, but not without civilian casualties. This event led to the disbanding of the entire Air Force and a large number of its former members were either dismissed or court-martialled. The election held in 1988 saw the advent of the mlolongo (queuing) system, where voters were supposed to line up behind their favoured candidates instead of a secret ballot. This was seen as the climax of a very undemocratic regime and it led to widespread agitation for constitutional reform. Several contentious clauses, including one that allowed for only one political party were changed in the following years. In democratic, multiparty elections in 1992 and 1997, Daniel arap Moi won re-election. In 2002, Moi was constitutionally barred from running, and Mwai Kibaki, running for the opposition coalition "National Rainbow Coalition" — NARC, was elected President. The elections, judged free and fair by local and international observers, marked a turning point in Kenya's democratic evolution. Kenya is one of the most politically distinguished countries in Africa Dress. Casual, informal is the general rule. Smart Casual wear is required at Mt.Kenya Safari Club. Sturdy shoes are a must for walking or hiking safaris though casual sandals or other comfortable footwear are fine for your Minibus Safaris. A hat is also essential for the African sun bears down relentlessly. Jeans, Shorts, Shirts are Ideal for Safaris. Sunglasses will make the glare bearable .At the Coast and Elsewhere ,Swimsuits are not allowed in the dining area of hotels at the meal times .Suitable attire is also required should you visit any truly Muslim Village at the Coast .Lodges and Camps at higher altitudes especially around Mt.Kenya get rather cold at night and warm attire is recommended. Currency:
Only change your money at the hotel, in official banks or bureau de change. Banking. Nairobi, Mombasa and other principal towns have banks with a Bureau de change. Health. Malaria is endemic to certain areas of Kenya notably by the coastal region and Western Kenya. However, visitors to Nairobi and the higher altitudes should also be taking prophylactic treatment. Treatment should start one week before entering the country and continue throughout the duration of the visit and for six weeks thereafter. Anti-malaria tablets and any over the counter drugs can be purchased in chemists and pharmacies in major centers. Other medication should include panadol (or any other effective pain reliever as headaches can be caused by the glare of the sun and tiredness), anti-diarrhea medication such as Imodium (Loperamide), throats Lozenges, Band-Aid, Insect repellent and antibiotic cream for cuts and scratches. The appropriate tanning or sun-blocking lotion is also essential. Main towns have good hospitals care and Nairobi has excellent medical facilities. Yellow fever vaccination is required for people coming from India, Asia, S.America and Central Africa. Departure Taxes (In most cases, these are included in the cost of the flight ticket). International Flights: Usd 20 per person (subject to change). Food and Water. Standards of hygiene in hotels and lodges are high. Salads are safe at International Hotels and Lodges. Fruits you can peel are the safest to eat. Tap water in Nairobi is safe to drink as it has been purified and Filtered .Ice too is safe in Nairobi. However, outside Nairobi purchase mineral water or use filtered water found in carriers in most hotels and lodges. The local Kenyan beer is an ideal thirst quencher too. Mineral Water is very expensive in Tanzania, so purchase in Nairobi. Shopping and Bargaining. Shop hours are from 8.30 am to 12.30 p.m and 2.00 p.m to 5.00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 8.30 a.m to 12.30 p.m on Saturdays. Tourist shops usually remain open beyond these hours and through lunch hour. Bargaining is particularly used in markets and curio shops. Requesting for the final best price is almost expected and start off knowing you are being charged tourist prices and end up paying what you think the items is worth to you. Do not purchase game skins, trophies, seashells, coral or elephant hair bracelets. These items are prohibited as hunting was banned in 1976. Security. Nairobi is like any other major city in the World be it New York, London or Paris. Take care of your valuables concealing jewellery and watches and hold handbags tightly when walking on the streets. Gold neck chains can be snatched with ease and it’s inadvisable to wear them. Keep valuables in the hotel safe. Do not leave money, passport, jewellery or watches in the rooms or tents; carry them with you at all times. Be careful late at night in towns or whilst on a lonely beach. Baggage. Keep track of all belongings especially when your van is being loaded and unloaded. When going to Treetops / Ark only small overnight bag is allowed while your remaining luggage is stored overnight at the base hotel Outspan Or the Aberdare Country Club. Those flying on domestic flights should be aware of a limited weight allowance, which is 15 kg per person, and these are strictly adhered to. Those on road safari should pack a soft bag-one piece per person and avoid Samsonate cases, as Luggage compartment in a safari minivan is not very large. Tipping. After safari it’s always good to show appreciation by giving some money to your service providers. Photography. Ask for permission before photographing the local ethnic people. Your driver/ guide will assist you in this and will possibly help you agree on a “modeling fee”. Communications. Phones and fax facilities are available in Nairobi, Mombasa, Arusha, Mt.Kenya Safari Club and all major towns (medium sized). However, we do have vehicles, which have short and long radios with direct communication with our Nairobi Office. this ensures your safety at all times and allows for easy communication for any messages you may have to receive or send. Mobile phone usage is not possible in the Game Parks, due to no network. Other Points. Please be punctual for all departures and game drives. Departure transfers for international flights are usually two and a half hours prior to flight times. Do’s and don’ts on Safari. -Do look at Kenya’s 400 species of Birds when you can’t spot lions.
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Kenya has considerable land area of wildlife habitat, including the Masai Mara, where Blue Wildebeest and other bovids participate in a large scale annual migration. Up to 250,000 blue wildebeest perish each year in the long and arduous movement to find forage in the dry season. The "Big Five" animals of Africa can also be found in Kenya: the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant. A significant population of other wild animals, reptiles and birds can be found in the national parks and game reserves in the country. The environment of Kenya is threatened by high population growth and its side effects. 
regions in Africa. The highlands are the site of the highest point in Kenya (and the second highest in Africa): Mount Kenya, which reaches 5,199 metres (17,057 ft) and is also the site of glaciers. Climate varies from tropical along the coast to arid in the interior. Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895m - 19,341 ft) can be seen from Kenya to the south of the Tanzanian border. Booking Form
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We did indeed have a fantastic time. Fantastic driver/guide. Nothing bad to state, he was a pleasure to be traveling with; full of knowledge and humour. He had plenty of time for us and was exceedingly helpful. Lodges were good, nice service, people. Standards of hotels were fine.
Greg,USA,2009
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The hot air balloon was wonderful. The captain was humorous and we loved every moment of it. Thank you so much for assisting and organizing this trip, we had the time of our life.
Anouk,USA,2009
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Just arrived back in the USA Just to let you know everything went off without a hitch and we had a ball!!!! Made it to the top of Kilimanjaro and had an awesome safari. So just a note to thank you for all the organization and thanks in particular for putting up with our changing requests. Many thanks to you and all your team.
Karoke,USA ,2008
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The whole trip went very smooth and we'd really like to praise the driver (Vincent Kisuvuli) He was explaining everything very well and made great suggestions about fine-tuning and further improving our trip. He always found the right balance between "leaving us alone" and engaging
Nagi,Elsa ,May and Doris, Hong Kong,2008
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Some Useful Words
Kiswahili Phrases
