Kenya General Information

Overview Kenya, on the east coast of Africa, with its rolling hills, grassy plains, and colourful tribesmen, offers the classic image of Africa. For centuries the land has been occupied by a myriad of different people. Today there are over 70 traditional ethnic groups and languages. These include the unique Swahili coastal culture of African and Arabian descent from the days when ocean going dhows plied the East African coast to trade. In more recent years, Kenya attracted European white settlers. The gin and tonic set came in search of pristine farming land and hunting trophies. The country has a rich cultural history, and one that is still actively visible. The majestic Masai and Samburu still stalk the plains dressed in their trademark red and purple robes exquisitely decorated with colourful jewellery, and you can still get a decent gin and tonic in the original colonial bar at Nairobi’s Norfolk Hotel. Kenya has two major cities: the high-altitude, colonial-built capital Nairobi, and the ancient Swahili trading port of Mombasa. Whilst the cities have a vibey African feel, what really draws travellers to Kenya is the great outdoors. This is a place for hiking, climbing, diving and cycling. Above all, it’s a place for safaris, and Kenya is stocked full of African animals. Safari means journey in Swahili and most activities revolve around the pursuit of the Big Five. With a fine collection of reserves and parks, some devoted to marine life and natural beauty as well as game, Kenya is a great place to explore. Balloon over herds of wildebeest; watch a pride of lion at work on a zebra carcass from the top of an overland truck in the world famous Masai Mara; point your camera at the many rhino in Lake Nakuru National Park; or get that famous photo of elephant standing in front of Kilimanjaro in Amboseli National Park. The country's dramatically diverse geography has resulted in a great range of natural habitats and Kenya has some superb ever-changing scenery. Rolling savannah where the Masai tend their herds, mountain forests full of birds, high moors of Kikuyu fields, and stony parched northern deserts. Every Kenyan road is a hive of activity; wandered by goats, chickens and children; lined with crowded tea shops; and roaring with buses and pick-ups crammed to capacity. Much of Kenya is in the Great Rift Valley, the vast prehistoric fissure that stretches from Jordan to Mozambique. Thanks to the valley’s range of landscapes and altitudes (the hills and mountains of Kenya are a world apart from the lowland valleys and plains) Kenya has many opportunities for trekking and climbing, especially on Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa. The mountain's alpine peak is a challenging technical summit for the experienced mountaineer. There’s also an easier 3-4 day trek through unusual alpine flora to one of the lower peaks for anyone who is reasonably fit. Multi-day hikes, cycle rides and even camel trekking through Kenya’s plains accompanied by the Masai are also becoming popular. Kenya has some excellent beaches in a tropical climate, and the coast is a place with a long and exotic history. Its calm blue waters were the traditional passage of the Arabian spice trade. The coral reefs here are teeming with life and colour. They are largely protected by marine reserves where the diving and snorkelling are first class. On the north coast is the isolated island of Lamu, which is so culturally preserved there is only one car. Life hasn’t changed much for hundreds of years in its winding medieval streets and bustling markets. In the north, there are the little-visited arid deserts around Lake Turkana, a stark hostile environment that can be explored by camel by the adventurous traveller. Kenya’s people are friendly; the tourist trade is well organised and professional; and there’s a lot to see and do, making Kenya a hugely rewarding place to travel. That isn't to say that Kenya is a trouble-free destination though. If you spend some time in its cities, you are increasingly likely to encounter petty crime. In the game parks and reserves, you're more likely to be annoyed by the presence of other tourists, who convene in droves around the animals in pop-up vehicles!

What is Kenya's history? There are over 40 ethnic groups in Kenya, most of which arrived from other parts of Africa over the last millennia. Of the larger groups, the Turkana, Masai and Samburu settled in Kenya towards the end of the 17th century. They joined the existing Kikuyu people who are still today the largest of Kenya’s peoples. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Kenya in 1498. They dominated the region until the sultans of Oman crossed the Indian Ocean by dhow and took over control in 1729. Arabian settlements grew quickly at Mombasa and Malindi and trade flourished - mainly in slaves and ivory. Persian, Indian, Indonesian and Chinese traders followed, and the intermingling of Arabs and others with Africans formed the Swahili (Arabic for coastal) culture and language, now the mother tongue for the whole of East Africa. Incidentally, the word for tea, chai, is the same in Swahili and Chinese. In the 1800s, Kenya saw an influx of explorers and Christian missionaries, followed by European settlers. The Mombassa to Uganda railway line was constructed at the end of the 19th century. Nairobi grew from a trading post and railway station into a large city. By 1895, the British had established a protectorate and called it Kenya, after the 5 200m peak in the central highlands that the Kikuyu call kere nyaga - the ‘mountain of whiteness’. Kenya’s status changed to a colony in 1920, when it was home to a large and prosperous British community. Most of the Highlands region was owned by British farmers. This was the era of the Lord Delameres, Karen Blixens, ‘Happy Valley’ set and gin and tonics. Protests by Kenyans against the country’s fertile land being allocated to the Europeans gained momentum, particularly amongst the Kikuyu who wanted their land back. The Masai lost more land than the Kikuyu, but Kikuyu traditional life places a high value on land ownership. The violent Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s, conducted by a secret society of mostly Kikuyu, initiated a campaign of terror on highland farms between 1952 and 1956. Many Europeans were killed or fled the country, but there were also thousands of African casualties: people punished for supporting the colonial government. These protests eventually led to independence in 1963. Kenya remained part of the British Commonwealth, and much of the land reverted back to Kenyan ownership. Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya's first president, and served until his death in 1978. He was succeeded by Daniel Arap Moi, whose government over the years, has been accused of corruption and human rights abuses. Despite this, Moi was re-elected five times before being beaten at the polls in 2002 by Mwai Kibaki – only the third president of the country. Kenya was, for a time, viewed as an African success story, but the last decade has brought with it difficult economic and political challenges, along with violent protests and corruption. The influx of refugees from Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia has also placed a heavy burden on the government. And the country has been an unfortunate terrorist target for issues outside Kenya. The U.S. Embassy bombing in 1998 killed hundreds of innocent Kenyans. But since the new administration began its term in 2002, things are steadily improving. On a visit to Kenya you will probably see the prolific notices asking the public to report policemen who ask for bribes!

What does Kenya look like? Kenya sits on the equator and covers a 586 600 sq km chunk of East Africa. It’s bordered by a 500km Indian Ocean coastline to the east, Uganda to the west, Somalia and Ethiopia to the north and Tanzania to the south. The geography and vegetation are very diverse, and are reflected in the many reserves and national parks. The tropical coastal belt gives way to an inland plateau of around 1 000 metres, where Nairobi is situated and 85% of Kenya’s 30 million population lives. Kenya is neatly bisected by the Great Rift Valley, which runs the length of the country, from Lake Turkana in the north to Lake Natron on the southern border, with its spacious valley floor scattered with lakes, escarpments and mountains. The Aberdare Mountains form the forested ridges on the eastern side that reach heights of around 3 000 metres. On the western side is Mount Kenya, at 5 200 metres Africa’s second tallest mountain. To the west, the land drops again to the Nyanza plateau that surrounds the Kenyan sector of Lake Victoria. This is the location of the Masai Mara. The semi-desert to the north - three fifths of the whole country - is arid and empty, but there’s some stark scenery and this is Kenya at its wildest. Kenya is covered by 10 700 sq km of water, the bulk of which is in Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana. There are a number of islands off the coast but the only one with any sizable population is laid-back Lamu in the north near the border with Somali. Thanks to an almost war-like battle against poaching, Kenya has a vast range of animals and birds. Its 50 national parks and reserves cover a staggering 35 000 sq kms.

What is Kenya's weather like? The country's altitude ranges from sea level to 5 199 metres which creates a variety of climates. From the hot and humid tropical coast, to the cold and wet regions of the Aberdares and Cherangani Hills, to almost freezing point at the top of Mount Elgon and Mount Kenya. Kenya straddles the equator and most days are clear and sunny except during the two rainy seasons. Then the skies blacken every afternoon and there is a pounding of rain. The long rains are from October to December, and the short rains from February to March, when some dirt roads become heavily muddy and the game parks tend to flood. But it’s worth remembering that the wildebeest migration and their zebra escorts arrive in the Masai Mara right after the long rains, searching for the young and salt-rich pastures. It is often said that Kenya is a cold country with a hot sun. Both temperature and climate vary drastically from region to region and even within a single day. Basically the traveller should come prepared for hot, cold, wet and dusty conditions. Does that help with your packing? What do the people speak? There are a number of local languages, but most people in Kenya - as in all East Africa - speak Swahili and some English. Here are a few words of Swahili so you can say hello and at least get a cold drink. A little Swahili goes a long way and most Kenyans will be thrilled to hear visitors attempt to use it. On the coast, Swahili is a little more grammatically developed. In other parts of the country the more simplified version is known as ‘kitchen Swahili’. Since the language was originally written down by the British colonists things sound just like they look. • Hello - Jambo! • How are you? - Habari? • OK/fine - Sawa sawa • Very well – Mzuri Sana • Friend – Rafiki • And you? – Na wewe? • Where are you from? – Unatoka wapi? • I’m from – Natoka • Yes - Ndiyo (try to skip the 'N') • No - Hapana • Good - Mzuri (To say 'very good' you add 'sana' and get 'mzuri sana') • Bad - Mbaya - (again, 'very bad' would be 'mbaya sana') • Please - Tafadali • Thank you (very much) - Asante (sana) • Goodbye - kwaheri • How much? - Pesa Ngapi? • No problem - Hakuna matata • Where is the bathroom? - Iko wapi choo? (where = wapi) • Water - Maji • Ice - Barafu • Hot - Moto • Cold - Baridi ('Nataka beera baridi sana' - ' I want a cold beer') • Tea - Chai • Coffee - Kahawa • Milk - Maziwa • Meat - Nyama ('Nyama choma' is cooked meat) • Beer - Bia or beera • I don’t speak Swahili but… - Sisemi Kiswahili, lakini