Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Sterling travellers cheques are widely accepted as are Visa, Diners, American Express and MasterCard. Credit Cards (American Express, Visa and MasterCard) are accepted in the larger hotels and stores, and some camps and lodges. ATMs are widely available in Nairobi and the major towns.

The unit of currency is the Kenyan Shilling (KES), divided into 100 cents. It is not advisable to take Kenyan Shillings out of the country, as they are difficult to exchange elsewhere. Travellers cheques in Sterling or US Dollars are recommended. US Dollars in particular have become commonly used in many of the country's main hotels and safari lodges. Foreign currency can be changed at banks, bureaux de change and hotels. Easiest to exchange are US dollars, pounds sterling or Euros.

Street exchange merchants should be avoided as they are operating illegally. Banks open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and on the first and last Saturday of the month. Banks and bureaux de change at the international airport stay open 24 hours.

This is not required but, unlike other African countries, is not forbidden. Most hotels include a 10% service charge on the bill. If the service charge has not been included a KSh100 tip is usual, although the amount is entirely at the visitor’s discretion. Bear in mind that salaries in East Africa tend to be very low, and that people working in service industries rely on tips to supplement their wages. On safari you should tip your driver, cook and guide. These people do not earn very much, about KSh150 per employee per day is about right, but of course this depends on you and how happy you were with the service.

There is a huge range of cheap souvenirs to be purchased along the roadsides. These are handmade, but mass produced so always check the quality before buying. Materials include ebony, soapstone and ivory. Note that it is illegal to export products that contain any elements of elephant, rhino or sea turtle. Tribal souvenirs are available, including Maasai beaded jewellery, kiondas [woven sisal baskets] and natural or decorated calabashes [dried gourds] Bright sarongs [kangas or kikois] make good wearable souvenirs.

If you are after quality artwork, it is probably wisest to look in galleries and shops that deal in it, rather than buying on the black market.

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