Kenya

A Kenya holiday is two trips in one: a beach week on the Indian Ocean coast south and north of Mombasa, and a safari in the national parks a few hours inland. The coast is warm all year, the coral reef keeps the lagoons calm, and the winter months, when it is darkest at home, are among the driest and sunniest there.

When to go

The coast is hot all year, with daytime temperatures around 28–32 °C and the sea at about 26–28 °C. The driest months are December to March and July to October; July to October is also the best time for a safari. The long rains fall roughly from April to June, and there are shorter rains around November.

Beaches

Diani Beach, about an hour south of Mombasa, is the best known: a long stretch of white sand, palms and a coral reef offshore. North of Mombasa, closer to the city, are Nyali, Bamburi and Shanzu, and further up the coast Watamu and Malindi, known for their marine parks and snorkelling. The tides here are strong: at low tide the sea goes out a long way and you can walk out to the rock pools.

Safari from the coast

Tsavo East and Tsavo West are the national parks closest to the coast: a one-, two- or three-day safari by car straight from your beach hotel, with elephants, lions, buffalo and giraffes. The Masai Mara, Kenya's most famous park, is reached from the coast by small plane; from about July to October the great wildebeest migration passes through it. Ask us about adding a safari when you book.

Good to know

• Entry: EU citizens need a passport valid for at least six months after arrival and an electronic travel authorisation (eTA), applied for online before the trip. Apply only on the official site etakenya.go.ke, and check the current rules and fee there before you travel. Citizens of other countries should check the rules for their passport on the same site.

• Health: See a travel clinic 4–6 weeks before the trip about vaccinations and malaria prevention. A yellow fever certificate may be asked for, for example if you arrive via another African country. Drink bottled water, and be sure to take travel insurance.

• Flight: a direct charter flight to Mombasa takes about 8–9 hours; with a change of plane, longer.

• Time: Kenya is one hour ahead of Estonia and Latvia in winter and on the same time in summer.

• Money: the Kenyan shilling (KES). US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, and hotels take cards.

• Language: Swahili and English; English is spoken in hotels and on safari.

• Plugs: British-style three-pin sockets (type G), 240 V: bring an adapter.

• Plastic bags: plastic carrier bags are banned in Kenya, so leave them at home.