Kenya safari & coast guide
E-visa $51 USD online, 90 days. Safaris are expensive — Maasai Mara peak season $2,000+/person. Budget option: Hell's Gate or Amboseli.
🛬Entry & visa
All nationalities need an e-Visa — apply at evisa.go.ke, $51 USD, 14 days processing (sometimes same-day). 90 days single entry.
🏛️Must-visit highlights
Nairobi (1 day): David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (reserve tickets ahead, $25 USD — feeding times 11am and 3pm), Giraffe Centre (feeding giraffes at 5pm), Karen Blixen Museum, National Museum.
🍜Must-try foods
Nyama Choma: Grilled meat with ugali and sukuma wiki. $10-25 per meal. At local nyama choma joints.
Ugali: Cornmeal porridge, national staple. Usually accompanies nyama choma and stews.
Mandazi: Sweet fried bread. $0.50-1 each. Street-side breakfast.
Chapati: Flatbread similar to Indian roti. $0.50-1. Served with curries.
Samosas: Triangular pastries with meat/vegetable filling. $1 each. Street snack.
Pilau: Spiced rice with meat. $8-15. East African classic.
Fresh seafood at coast: Mombasa and Diani have excellent fresh fish and crab. $15-30 per seafood platter.
Fresh juice: Passion fruit, mango, pineapple, avocado. $1-2 per glass at local markets.
Coffee: Kenya AA is world-famous. Nairobi coffee shops sell pour-over for $3-5.
🚇Getting around
Domestic flights: Safarilink, AirKenya. Nairobi→Mara airstrips 45 min, $200-300. Nairobi→Mombasa 1 hr, $80-150.
💰Money-saving tips
Kenya shilling (KSh) — exchange at Forex bureaus in Nairobi CBD or airports. Avoid street changers.
⚠️Common pitfalls
Yellow fever certificate: Will be denied entry without it if you're coming from a yellow fever zone. Get vaccinated 10+ days before travel.
Malaria: Risk in western Kenya, coast, and Lake Victoria area. Take prophylaxis (Mefloquine or Malarone). Wear long sleeves at night.
Safari scams: "Too cheap to be true" safari quotes hide park fees (KSh 6000/$43/person/day), transport costs. Get an ALL-INCLUSIVE quote.
Matatu safety: Don't take matatus at night in Nairobi. Use Uber/Careem.
Water: Don't drink tap water. Bottled water everywhere, $1-2 for 1.5L.
Pickpockets: Nairobi CBD, bus stations, markets. Keep valuables hidden.
Dress: Conservative. Cover shoulders and knees. Not required but respectful.
Wildlife: Never get out of safari vehicle unless guide says so. Never approach wild animals. Elephants, hippos, cape buffalo are dangerous.
🛍️Shopping tips
Nairobi: Maasai Market (rotates locations — Village Market mall on Fridays, KICC on Sundays) is the spot for handicrafts: Maasai beadwork, kikois and kangas (colourful cotton wraps, KSh 800-1,500/$5.50-10), wooden carvings, soapstone from Kisii (KSh 500-3,000). Haggling expected — start at 40% of asking.
🏨Where to stay
Nairobi: Stay in Westlands (safe, restaurants, embassies nearby) or Karen (leafy, near Giraffe Centre and Elephant Orphanage). Mid-range hotels $60-120/night, hostels $15-30/bed. Avoid the CBD after dark — use Uber even for short hops.
🎉Festivals & events
Maasai Mara wildebeest migration (July-October): 1.5M wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River — nature's greatest spectacle. Book river-crossing-front camps (Mara Serena, Sayari) a year ahead for prime spots.
📚Content sources
This guide was curated by editors from the sources below, then condensed after AI cross-verification. Each source keeps its original link and author attribution.
- OfficialKenya Immigration·2026-08-18
"E-Visa application and processing times."
https://evisa.go.ke - Redditr/Safari·2026-08-10
"Kenya vs Tanzania safari: which is better, how to budget."
https://www.reddit.com/r/Safari/
Last verified: 2026-09-02
Sources may have changed; please verify independently.
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