Travel Guide to Kenya: How to plan a Trip from Dubai

Kenya is an East African country with a diverse environment and a coastline on the Indian Ocean. It also has numerous natural treasures including the savannah, Lakelands, the majestic Great Rift Valley, and alpine ranges. It also has animals such as lions, elephants, and rhinos. Safaris depart from Nairobi, the capital, and visit the Maasai Mara Reserve, famous for its annual wildebeest migration, and Amboseli National Park, which offers vistas of Tanzania’s 5,895-meter-high Mt. Kilimanjaro. If you are considering a vacation to Dubai from Kenya, prepare for an unforgettable experience that will leave you with happy memories for years to come.

Best time to visit Kenya

The ideal months to visit Kenya are January and February because of the excellent weather and the ease with which animals may be seen. The best period to see the yearly wild animal migration is from June through October. You should avoid visiting during the intense rainy season, which lasts from March through May. However, February is the cheapest month to travel to Kenya.

Visa Requirements

Visas are necessary for travellers from Dubai to Kenya in order to enter the nation. Kenya permits visitors from Dubai to stay for up to 30 days without a visa. They can extend their visa twice for an additional 5 months if they decide to stay in Kenya for a longer time. The Kenyan electronic visa is valid for business, tourism, and medical treatment for nationals of the UAE. Those who wish to visit Kenya for a different purpose might have to apply for a new visa. Multiple entries are not permitted with the electronic visa. Citizens of the UAE must apply for a new visa if they wish every time to travel to Kenya.

Citizens of the United Arab Emirates must apply at the Nairobi Immigration HQs and provide additional documentation, such as an invitation letter from a Kenyan company or family, proof of the applicant’s employment, and a copy of registration or incorporation certificate for a multiple-entry visa for business or family visits.

Visa Application process

iVisa.com can be used to complete the Kenya visa application procedure for nationals of the United Arab Emirates by the following methods:

Fill out your eVisa application form without any mistakes.
Select the processing time.
Before submitting your form, make sure to scan and include all necessary documents.
Use the payment method of your choice to pay for your eVisa application.

Entry Requirements for COVID-19

Digital proof of your completed vaccination certificate and PCR test must be done 72 hours before travelling to Kenya. This confirmation is available on the Global Haven website or at https://globalhaven.org/. Create an account, submit your travel and personal information, and upload your test result certificate and immunisation information for verification. When finished, a QR code will be created for you to download, then bring a printout or an image of the QR Code, since this will be required by airline and airport officials to gain entry into Kenya.

Important things to know before travelling to Kenya

Kenya Has A Ban On Single-Use Plastics

Kenya is an environmentally friendly country, and it has banned single-use of plastics. Straws, water bottles, duty-free carrier bags, and plastic bags are prohibited goods. Your luggage is x-rayed upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and it could also be hand-searched. If you possess any single-use plastics, you risk receiving a fine.

Take your Vaccinations and Anti-Malaria Pills

Check with your healthcare professional for vaccination recommendations at least 8 weeks before travel. Typhoid fever, yellow fever, and meningitis were three vaccinations that were specific to Kenya. It is preferable to start taking anti-malaria medication the day before travelling and to keep doing so for two weeks after returning home.

Plan For Protection Against Insects

Bring bug repellent with you and spray it frequently to protect yourself, and use the netting over your bed every night. You should also wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Don’t take photos in prohibited areas

If you take pictures of any military or governmental buildings, your camera can be taken away, and you might also be detained and questioned. Therefore, try to refrain from capturing images in off-limits locations.

You Might Need a Portable Power Source For Medical Equipment

Some safari camps turn off all electricity for four to six hours each night. Even though each tent contains a portable flashlight, power is important for medical devices like CPAP machines. You can think about carrying a portable battery or asking the camp staff to keep the power on so that medical equipment can be charged.

Bring Face Masks For Dust

Bring lots of face masks, since there will be occasions when the dusty paths and roads will make them necessary. To prevent dust from getting into your eyes, you should also bring glasses.

Respect the local communities

In rural areas in particular, avoid photographing people without their consent, and use extra caution when around children or other vulnerable individuals. Show them the picture and thank them if they give you the go-ahead for you to take it.

Official Currency

The Kenyan shilling is the country of Kenya’s official currency, and one shilling equals 100 Kenyan cents.

Travel Insurance

Always include travel insurance that provides for healthcare needs and, in an emergency, transportation back to your home country.

Top places to visit in Kenya

Masai Mara National Park

The Maasai Mara is one of the most well-known and significant wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Narok, Kenya, Africa. It is also the continent’s largest national game reserve and home to exceptional populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, blue wildebeest, topi, plains zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, African wolves, black-backed jackals, African striped weasels, striped polecats, and caracals.

Here, you may find all members of the “Big Five” all year round: the lion, African leopard, African bush elephant, African buffalo, and black and white rhinoceros. Every year, from July through October, the “Great Migration” of zebra and wildebeest from Tanzania’s Serengeti takes place.

Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is a lake in central western Kenya. It is one of the saline lakes of the Great Rift Valley lake system in eastern Africa. Lake Nakuru is well known for its various bird species, particularly many pink flamingos, but it also features waterbucks, impalas, and hippopotamuses. The quantity of algae in the lake attracts large numbers of flamingos, often more than a million at a time. One of Kenya’s major attractions is sometimes referred to as “the finest bird spectacle on the planet.”

Lamu Island

Lamu Island is a port, city, and island located in the Indian Ocean in the East African country of Kenya. It is one of the longest-established and best-preserved Swahili communities in East Africa. Lamu Town, Kenya’s oldest living town, has preserved its beauty and character over the ages. Lamu Island has no highways, only alleyways and pathways, hence there are few motorised cars on the island. Residents go by foot, by water, or by donkey to deliver products and commodities.

Nairobi

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and largest city. It is a major tourist destination in Kenya, noted for its fabled colonial past, extensive infrastructure, tea and coffee industry, and wildlife reserves. This city should absolutely be visited if you want to see Kenya’s ancient legacy, dynamic culture, abundant wildlife, and amazing modern art. Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with its own national park, which is made up of open grass plains and scattered acacia bush. The park is home to Africa’s Big Five: rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo, and leopard, and a variety of other wildlife such as zebras, antelopes, giraffes, wildebeest, baboons, and birds.

Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya is the tallest peak in Kenya after Kilimanjaro, the second highest in Africa. The mountain’s peaks are capped with snow, and the lower slopes are covered with various types of forest. Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest mountain, attracts a large number of hikers and climbers each year. Mount Kenya National Park is also located here, which has various plant and animal species.

Malindi

Malindi is a city in Kilifi, Kenya, known for its magnificent beaches and coral reefs, with activities like surfing, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, and other water sports available. It is definitely worth a visit because it has numerous notable sites, such as Vasco da Gama Pillar, Marafa-Hells Kitchen, and Gede Ruins.

If you are heading to Kenya for a visit, you will be surprised by the many things you get to experience here.