Kenya health information - Visa required!

Visa, currency and health information

If you choose to build your own Kenya & Tanzania trip with our bite-sized adventures or try one of our Kenya and Tanzania holidays, our friendly travel specialists will give you advice about the visa application procedure. 

Passport & Visa

In order to enter Kenya and Tanzania you'll need to have a passport with a validity of at least six months after your departure from Kenya and Tanzania. You'll need a separate visa for each country. The islands Zanzibar and Pemba are a part of Tanzania, so you won't need to get an additional visa for them. 
Find out more about UK passport info here: www.ukpa.gov.uk  

Kenya visa

A visa for Kenya can be requested through the Kenyan Visa Section at the 45 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AS, Tel: 020 7636 2371/5, Fax: 020 7323 6717. For more information on attaining a visa visit the Kenyan Embassy web site.

Visa for Tanzania

A visa for Tanzania can be requested through the Visa Section of the Tanzanian Embassy in London. Its address is: 3 Stratford Place, London, W1C 1AS, Tel: 020 7569 1470, Fax: 020 7491 3710. More information on attaining is visa or to download a visa application form visit the Tanzania High Commission website.

Single or multiple entry visa?

If you are planning on travelling back and forth between countries (this also applies if you're travelling to Uganda), you will only need a 'single entry' visa. Even if you plan on travelling between countries several times, as most travellers do, then this is all you need. For instance you may choose to fly into Nairobi, then travel with us Kenya and then cross over the border to Tanzania and then on to Nairobi for your flight home or to continue on with other Kenya and/ or Tanzania travel modules. When applying for your visa, you'll see the option to choose for a 'multiple entry' visa, but this will not be necessary for your trip. 
Kenya health information - Welcoming friendly people
Kenya health information - Currency

Kenya Currency

Kenya and Tanzania each have their own national currency, the shilling. One hundred Kenyan shilling is worth approximately £ 0.80 and one thousand Tanzanian shilling is worth approximately £ 0.45. These currencies can fluctuate heavily, so be sure to check out the latest currency exchange rate before departure. 

ATM's and currency exchange

You'll find ATM's in Kenya and Tanzania at Barclays banks in nearly every large city you visit. Other (African) banks usually do not accept European ATM cars. On arrival at Nairobi Airport you can withdraw money at the ATM in the arrivals hall. If you arrive in Arusha or Moshi in Tanzania then you'll find ATM's at Barclays banks in the heart of these cities. Ask your taxi or airport transfer driver to drop you off at one for a few minutes before you continue on to your hotel. It's also possible to exchange Pounds Sterling at currency exchange desks at both Nairobi Airport in Kenya and Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. We recommend bringing along American Dollars from home; these are accepted everywhere in Kenya and Tanzania. You can also exchange dollars for local currency. Tanzanian shilling can be purchased at the Kenyan border on your way to Tanzania and you can also withdraw money from an ATM in Stone Town on Zanzibar.  

Credit Card

It's also possible to withdraw money using your credit card at Barclay's banks, although most banks charge a fee for this. More posh restaurants and hotels, lodges and many souvenir shops also allow you to pay by credit card. Don't forget to ask for a copy of your receipt and find out if there are additional fees for using your credit card. Souvenir shops are especially known to charge (high) commissions for payment by credit card.

Traveller Cheques

Traveller cheques are actually more or less outdated and are rarely accepted in Kenya and Tanzania and when they are those who use them pay high commissions to exchange them. Because of this we do not recommend using traveller cheques during your trip. 

Departure tax Zanzibar 

If you fly out of Zanzibar on a (domestic) flight, you'll be charged approximately US$ 30 per person in departure tax.
Kenya health information - Bring back something

Kenya and Tanzania Health Information

Be sure to contact your local medical authorities prior to departure, such as a hospital or other health services. A last minute trip to Kenya and/ or Tanzania shouldn't be a problem for a healthy person. If your trip is truly last minute, you could even visit the travel clinic at the airport before departure. Be sure to always bring along your vaccination documents, if you have these. Of course, it's best to arrange vaccinations well before departure if at all possible. 

Websites:
www.tripprep.com (need to register)

http://www.who.int/countries/ken/en/  

The following is a quick summary of information on illness prevention in Kenya and Tanzania. This information is relevant for non-pregnant travellers without health problems, who will not be staying in Kenya and/ or Tanzania for more than a month. This information should be seen as basic and should be supplemented by your own efforts to obtain up to date information relevant to your own personal situation.

Malaria
There is a risk of contracting Malaria in Kenya and Tanzania, especially in the Lake Victoria region, in the countries' interiors and on Zanzibar. Nairobi and most wildlife parks are located at an altitude of more than 1200m and Malaria mosquitoes cannot survive here. Contact your local health authorities for more information on the use of Malaria pills. 

Aside from taking Malaria pills, you can also take the following precautionary measures to lower your risk of contracting Malaria: cover arms, legs and feet in the evening and night, use a mosquito repellent and mosquito netting. Mosquito netting can also be drenched in mosquito repellent. Also make sure that you bring along something to hang up the mosquito netting with, such a rope and a hook or a bottle opener (Swiss knife). If despite these precautions you do get fever that stays on for more than two days, contact a doctor to make sure you do not have Malaria. This advice is applicable for up to two months after returning to the UK.

Vaccinations
- DTP: Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio. These are advised for most countries outside of Europe. This vaccination is usually given to children, so after a repeat vaccination you'll be safe for 10 years.

- Hepatitis A: Choose from either short or long-term protection, long-term protection is possible for 10 years. If you choose short-term protection, the vaccination should take place just a few days before departure. If you plan on travelling to countries where Hepatitis A is prevalent more frequently or for longer periods of time, it's best to choose the long-term protection such as Havrix. Keep in mind though that this is an expensive vaccination and that you'll need to get a repeat shot after six months. 

- Typhoid fever: This vaccination is advised for any stay longer than 3 months in Kenya and/ or Tanzania. The vaccination is valid for 3 years.

- Yellow fever: Vaccination for yellow fever is compulsory for those travelling to Kenya and/ or Tanzania. 

Your health after you return home

This is very important!
If you have a fever, bowel problems or other physical complaints of an unknown nature after you return home (up to several months after your return), contact your doctor and let him/ her know exactly where you've been in Kenya and/ or Tanzania. Be sure to inform the doctor of the length of your stay and the nature of your itinerary. If you've spent a lot of time with the local population, you may need a Mantoux or TBC test.