Any one ever been to kenya? were thinking of going in june for a week!?

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~Natacha~

Having read all of the above answers my opinions of Kenya are a bit different! Firstly I do not reccommend staying in a hotel complex. This is where you actually get ripped off and you only see what is scheduled to be seen. Although we stayed in a hotel, it was one run by Kenyans in the centre of Mambasa and not a beach resort. (Castle Royal Hotel)

We met lots of Kenyan people who told us that the hotels do not recommend even being on the beach on your own (or at all in some cases) which is totally rediculous and the hotels way of keeping you in so you spend your money there.

We travelled in the Matatu (public transport van) which apparentlyis not recommended. I never once felt unsafe, even after dark. In fact all of the Kenyans on board were keen to help, and up for a chat! Very reliable and useful transport, but remember people have 'tourist' prices so find out what you should really be paying (roughly 50-100 shillings for a 15 min journey).

There are parts of Nairobi to avoid especially after dark (River Road area in particular) but in the daytime as long as you are dressed down (no bling) and have your whits about you, you will be more than fine!

Mombasa is much more laid back, we were out after dark every night in the town centre, no problem what so ever. Again, only take out what you need, money for a meal/taxi and keep it hidden. Always look confident.

Safari is definately worth doing, it got us out of the hustle and bustle of the city for a week and we styed in lovely hotels. Highly recommend it. Best base for a safari is Nairobi.

When we returned from Nairobi we rented a very cheap beach house in Diani Beach (Beachalets) extremely basic, but the most laid back place with a beach to die for on the doorstep! The beaches north of Mombasa are average, (Bamburi) so if you book make sure you are at Diani Beach it is much cleaner, quieter and much much more beautiful!

June is the rainy season so you must be aware of Mosquitos! If possible avoid Larium tablets the side effects for me and my partner were terrible, and ruined a few days of the holiday.

I would love to go back it was the most influential, beautiful and fun place I have ever been!

Have good time I highly reccomend!

Ps take a load of pens to give to the children and any old clothes etc it is so nice to lighten up someones day and the kids are the cutest!

Martin

I am from Kenya, Have been living in UK 10 years now - yuk!!!
Great place, I would suggest a minimum of 2 weeks, You will find with a week that you will not be able to fit in enough!!! Lots of places to see Amboselli, Tsavo, Masai Mara, The coast........ I would also suggest you go in September. June is in the rainy season in Kenya yet September it is not too warm yet but warm enough to get yourself a decent tan.
Security is a concern, a lot of people there are VERY poor. Do not flash valuables around, try not to take anything that you really don't need, i.e. jewellery, etc. Try to be as discreet as possible with cameras, etc. Book your safaris with a reputable company, preferably in advance through your local travel agency. Buy the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya, it will have lots of useful information. Seek advice from your doctor on anti malaria medication and required vaccinations. If you are in UK you can contact the Tropical Disease Hospital in St. Pancreas, London who will be able to advise you best. Also check whether you will require a visa, you should be able to find this out through your local travel agent.

Hope this helps and if you do decide to go have lots of fun it is a fantastic place and a great experience.

EMG

I went for a just over a month in August and it wasn't nearly enough time! Go for longer if you have any opportunity to do so- you won't regret it!

jamisonshuck

a week really isn't too longer. I just spent 3 months teaching there in the West. you really have to pick what kind of trip you want. You can hang out on the coast, Mombasa, etc for the whole week or you could do a safari to Masai Mara or climb Mt. Kenya or whatever. Probably the most popular thing to do would be a 2-3 day safari then spend the rest of the time on the coast. you really can't go wrong, its just a matter of deciding what to see and what to skip with only a week, if you can, I would recommend a longer trip.

sexyEd

Hi! Kenya...Great choice!

I am from Kenya.....lived there ...loved it ....crowned it the best place to live in this world! lol

I must say June falls under the high/peak season so the airfare and most of the other bookings are going to be at their highest. Best time to travel to Kenya would be during the low season where the air fare and hotel bookings are going to be at their cheapest. Low season falls between:

January 2 - March 23
November 1 - December 5

Shoulder Season:
Sept 8 - Oct 31
March 24 - May 16

High/ Peak Season
Dec 6 - Jan 1
May 7 - Sept 7

You will need lots of shots especially for malaria. The weather is beautiful. They are 3 hours ahead of GMT . Nairobi...great city and their capital city. If you would like to go on safari...Maasai Mara is a cool place to be. If you wanna go diving or snorkelling....Mombasa is the city to be in! They have white sand beaches......salty water..ofcourse coz it's at the Indian ocean. Hey, you would love the wild animals, birds and the scenery...very, very beautiful indeed. I must warn you though...." it's too beautiful that you will fall in love with the place that you wouldn't wanna leave and if you left.....trust me you will always come back!" :)) I know!

Oh another thing if you wanna go mountain climbing, Kenya boasts of having the 2nd highest mountain in Africa! Mt. Kenya located in Central province.

If you are a historian you would love to go to Fort Jesus in Mombasa, which is a fort that was built by the Portuguese durial colonial era. They used it during the war for their refuge. You'll be able to see the stuff they used then, also Mombasa old town, the Port, etc

I can go on and on and on about Kenya. Oh yes...the people are very friendly....and like any other place there are good and bad people so be careful with your stuff when walking around. Learn to bargain for the stuff you are buying so they don't rip you off. And as you are walking around, don't let people see that you are new to the place especially if you are walking in the streets of Nairobi.

Otherwise, feel free to ask me further questions for more info.
My family is there and maybe if you are stranded they can help you, if you want i.e.

Bon Voyage!

hard as nails

Was about to post the same question on here.

What's the weather like at the end of June?
I know the average temp, rainfall etc.
But does it rain all day or short showers?
Will rain ruin the holiday?

Meriskie

We have been thinking of going for some time.
We found a good website; holidayTruths.co.uk which give peoples views/opinions on hotels and resorts of where you want to go.
We found it very useful

lailasamburu

I am a woman original from Belgium living since 1996 in North Kenya...To give you some ideas about the North of the country, which is more authentic than the Coast, just have a look on http://lailasamburu.centerblog.net I can give you help and advice as needed. Contact me if you are interested.
Have a nice journey, anyway.
LAILA

smbarak2000

i am a Kenyan. i would recommend African Safari Club. its the cheapest there is. it has also its own fly( ASA)
and about malaria, you could buy the tablets in Kenya at a cheaper price at the chemists! they sell for around 200 kenya shilling at the most, or cheaper!! try www.africansafariclub.com

I have been to kenya several times. June is a great time of the year. The MUST SEE places are Amboseli game reserve(need 2 nights) and Masai Mara(need 2 or 3 nights) (you may spend a night at Nakuru park whilst travelling between amboseli and masai mara).
OTHER PLACES to see if you have the time: Treetops hotel/The Ark, Mt Kenya safari club.
The game parks are very safe, but do be careful in nairobi - do not walk anywhere after dusk and be careful even in the day!

kul_sweet_babe

Yes..infact i'm originally from there...its gorgeous...You'll love going on safaris, sunbathing in the lovely beaches..there's loads...the wildlife, everything. Mombasa in one the towns.I would definitely recommend Whitesands Hotel...or depending on what suits you..there's loads of em right by the sea side...

Its really hard to describe the experience being in kenya..apart from the town life..you will definitely enjoy siteseeing/the camps etc..if you really intersted why not visit the websites below.

http://www.kenya-indepth.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.mombasainfo.com/

I hope you do go..and trust me..you will enjoy yourself alot...take care

princess ty

oh i am going to kenya in june i lived there for ten yars i go back every summer ohh i have been living here for three years so yeah have fun tell me what you think about it

kuki

i live n work in Kenya and would be happy to guide you or point you to the right direction.. u can try http://www.magicalafrica.net they hosted my family last season and did a fantastic job!

nicolea

Give Jenny a ring on 01724 853291, found her very informative, she has been to all the locations and hotels and can get very realistic prices. Web www.instantworldwideholidays.co.uk

Micheal homes h

Mountsafaris Adventure
We just completed the most incredible vacation ever. The two of us are real animal enthusiasts, both with zoo backgrounds in the United States. We had wanted to visit Africa for years and had finally saved up the vacation time and the money for such a journey. We set up our safari over the internet with Mountsafaris adventure www.mountsafaris.com They were so great to constantly correspond back with us and tweak our itinerary. Jeremiah was so accomodating in getting all of our African desires met. We traveled all over Kenya and Tanzania with two wonderful guides. They knew the parks, the wildlife, and the people so well. Both were great ambassadors for their beautiful countries. For three weeks we immersed ourselves in the animals and culture of Africa. We watched elephant digging for water in Samburu, cheetah hunting gazelle in Ngorongoro Crater, six male lion eating a freshly killed cape buffalo in Maasai Mara, and wildebeest in single-file parading in front of Kilimanjaro at sunrise in Amboseli. We saw 37 different species of birds of prey, and 54 different mammals. We were in heaven. Mountsafaris adventure helped us have our dream vacation. It was so worth it.

Lisa

check out www.magicalkenya.com

cherub

I have been there in December time. I went for a fortnight. One week safari and a week in Mombasa. First night was in Nairobi. Nice city in a funny way but dangerous. Women cannot go out alone day or night.The Kenyans are very friendly but also very charming especially when wanting to rip off the tourists. They are champion at that. They know how to make false promises and will want money upfront so don't fall into those traps. Tips are necessary there. Make sure you get all necessary vaccines:yellow fever, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A & B, polio and malaria tablets. Bring plenty of sunblock , aftersun and insect repellent. Raincoat might be a good idea. Mombasa is nice but the type of place you can't go about alone. You need to stay in hotel complex really. I much preferred the week on safari to the week on the coast. The safari was excellent. We went to Samburu National Park, Masai Mara, Lake Navaishia, Aberdare Mountain Range, Thompons Falls. I went with Somak. Don't know if they are still doing it. Flew from Heathrow to Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Don't remember what the food was like but the plane was fine and there was a movie. Flight is about 8 hours. I would definitely recommend going there. You will have an experience of a lifetime especially if you go on safari.

tricia l

I was just going to book for Kenya, but at the last minute changed my mind, I went on our government website and It put me off, tourist getting shot in Nairobi and surrounding areas in Feb 2007, lots of warnings, Malaria tablets Ā£90.00 per person ( you have to take them for 3 weeks ), I went on the first choice website and booked the Maldives for 16 nights for Ā£1300, for the two of us, they have some great deals, also the amount of injections you need before you go to Kenya is a lot. But saying that it looks great and I still want to go ( just a coward )

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