{"id":3652,"date":"2026-09-02T09:52:27","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/?page_id=3652"},"modified":"2026-09-04T14:10:04","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T14:10:04","slug":"travel-notes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/kenya\/travel-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel notes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\" tb-wysiwyg tb-block align-left background-light pattern-custom variant-none tb-collapsible-margins\" id=\"wysiwyg\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/08\/RTA-colors-1.png.webp)\" data-smush-webp-fallback=\"{&quot;bg-image&quot;:&quot; url(https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/RTA-colors-1.png)&quot;}\">\n    <div class=\"inner-block\">\n        <div class=\"tb-wysiwyg__inner \">\n            <div class=\"inner-block\">\n                                <div class=\"text-part wysiwyg\">\n                                                                                                            \t<div class=\"translation-block\"><h2>Kenya Travel Notes<\/h2>\n<p><strong data-start=\"166\" data-end=\"223\">Your adventure in Kenya is about to begin!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re excited you\u2019ve chosen to explore Kenya with Roadtrip Africa. Before you hit the road, we\u2019re here to make sure you feel prepared and confident for the journey ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone on our team has travelled extensively across Kenya. We know what it\u2019s like to be behind the wheel \u2014 and what information makes all the difference.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why we created these Travel Notes. Inside, you\u2019ll find practical, on-the-go information to help you plan each day with ease:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"704\" data-end=\"868\">\n<li>Driving times and distances<\/li>\n<li>Recommended picnic stops and stock up on supplies<\/li>\n<li>Where to eat &amp; drink and what to do<\/li>\n<li>Tips for when Google Maps needs an extra hand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We\u2019ve organised everything by destination (parks, towns and highlights), listed in alphabetical order.\u00a0Simply start at your first stop and follow along!<\/p>\n<p><strong data-start=\"1026\" data-end=\"1040\">Important:<\/strong> When GPS directions aren&#8217;t reliable, or a little explanation comes in handy, we\u2019ll point it out clearly. Otherwise, feel free to rely on Google Maps.<\/p>\n<p>Before you start your journey, don\u2019t miss the general Roadtrip tips below, filled with advice to make your travels smoother.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Enjoy your road trip!<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\" tb-textimage1 tb-block align-left background-light pattern-custom variant-none tb-collapsible-margins\" id=\"general-roadtrip-advice\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/08\/RTA-colors-1.png.webp)\" data-smush-webp-fallback=\"{&quot;bg-image&quot;:&quot; url(https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/RTA-colors-1.png)&quot;}\">\n\t<div class=\"inner-block tb-fade-in tb-fade-in--subtle\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"text-part\">\n\t\t\t<h2>General Roadtrip advice<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"translation-block\"><p><strong data-start=\"141\" data-end=\"239\">A little preparation goes a long way. Here\u2019s how to make your Kenya Roadtrip smooth and safe.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Visa<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To enter Kenya, you must apply for a tourist visa. You can&#8217;t obtain your tourism visa on arrival. To apply for your visa, please visit: <a data-router-slot=\"disabled\" href=\"https:\/\/www.etakenya.go.ke\/en\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.etakenya.go.ke\/en\">https:\/\/www.etakenya.go.ke\/en<\/a> and follow the instructions. We recommend applying around 2 weeks in advance, as processing times can be slow. Travellers can submit their applications up to 3 months prior to departure.<\/p>\n<p>When filling out the form, you&#8217;re asked to upload your itinerary or hotel booking. It doesn&#8217;t matter if you haven&#8217;t finalised your itinerary yet. Just upload any document. We&#8217;ve experienced that clients who do not upload a booking confirmation for their first night, or an invoice or document describing their itinerary, experience delays in their visa approval or denial. If your request is denied, try it again.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Yellow fever vaccination<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A Yellow Fever vaccination card is only required for persons travelling to Kenya from the age of 1 year and above, when coming from a country with a risk of Yellow Fever transmission. This does not apply to travellers who have been in transit. The good news: the vaccine protects you for life. Find the list of countries with a risk of virus transmission <a data-router-slot=\"disabled\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/yellow-book\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/yellow-book\/index.html\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Stay connected<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Buy a local SIM card and load it with airtime and data \u2014 essential for navigation and staying in touch. Safaricom is the most reliable. Coverage is good across most of the country.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Use multiple payment methods<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The best way to handle money on your travels is to bring cash, multiple debit cards, a credit card, and use Mobile Money. Why? Most lodges and restaurants don\u2019t accept foreign debit cards. Credit cards are generally accepted at more upscale hotels and restaurants, but don\u2019t count on it everywhere.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Withdraw money.<\/strong> It&#8217;s easy, with ATMs widely available across the country. Reliable banks include KCB, Barclays, and Citibank, they accept Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro. Daily withdrawal limits may apply to foreign cards, so bring more than one card to avoid getting stuck.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Bring cash.<\/strong>&nbsp;U.S. dollars and Euros are commonly accepted for exchange into Kenyan Shillings. US dollars are also widely accepted as currency. You can exchange cash easily at Forex Bureaus in most towns. Do make sure your Euro and USD notes are printed after 2013.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Use Mobile Money &#8211; it&#8217;s easy!&nbsp;<\/strong>Kenya leads the way in mobile money. With a local SIM card and an MPESA account, you can pay almost everyone and everything \u2013 park entrance fees, market stalls, restaurants \u2013 straight from your phone. Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"c4\">\n<li>\n<p>Buy a local SIM card from Safaricom or Airtel when you arrive.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Load it with airtime and an internet bundle.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Register for MPESA at any Telecom kiosk and top up your mobile wallet with Kenyan Shillings, either via Wise or cash at a kiosk.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Plan your drive wisely<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For an overview of distances and driving times, check our <a data-router-slot=\"disabled\" href=\"\/kenya\/practical-info\/driving-times-distances\/\" title=\"Driving times &amp; distances\" data-destination-id=\"0565fc2c-e7a4-4d9f-9840-f61e5da1654c\" data-destination-type=\"guidePage\" data-start-item-path=\"homepage\" data-start-item-id=\"7ee4dd46-7382-4797-8bd2-2be3e75a7bf1\" data-link-type=\"Content\">table here<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The driving times we mention are just that: driving times. Always add extra time for fuel stops, lunch breaks, and unexpected delays. You&#8217;ll also notice that our times are longer than what Google Maps suggests. That&#8217;s on purpose. Google is often too optimistic in Kenya, especially on smaller roads and in national parks. Our estimates reflect what you can realistically expect behind the wheel.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid shortcuts on secondary routes &#8211; they are often in bad condition. If you&#8217;re unsure which route to take: don\u2019t experiment but contact our Roadtrip Africa team in Nairobi for advice. We\u2019re available 24\/7 via WhatsApp. You can also enquire with the lodge you\u2019re staying at. Inform them about your next destinations and check with them if there is anything they should be aware of, and how to get there&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Good to know &#8211; you <strong>don\u2019t<\/strong> need an international driver&#8217;s license. Your valid license from your home country is sufficient. Make sure to always carry your driver&#8217;s license with you when driving.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Use smart navigation<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Combine Google Maps with the <a class=\"c6\" data-router-slot=\"disabled\" href=\"http:\/\/Maps.me\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"http:\/\/Maps.me\">Maps.me<\/a> app. Map your route in short sections, targeting the next major town, instead of the whole day at once. Google loves shortcuts \u2014 not all of them are good! <strong>Your car comes with a Nelles map of Kenya.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Start early<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On travel days, hit the road early. It gives you breathing space for surprises and lets you enjoy the drive at a relaxed pace.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Mind your speed<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Highways:<\/strong> Max 80 km\/h (even if the official limit is 100 km\/h). In Kenya, Land Cruisers are classified as heavy-duty vehicles due to their longer braking distance. As a result, they are not allowed to exceed 80 km\/h on highways.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Urban areas:<\/strong> Stick to 40 km\/h<strong>.&nbsp;<\/strong>Watch out for unmarked speed bumps at town entrances and potholes that can damage the car or cause flat tyres.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>No driving after dark<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Road conditions become dangerous after 7 PM: poor street lighting and approaching traffic that often uses high beams make it challenging to detect potholes, pedestrians, and animals crossing the road. Gates of the national parks close at 6 PM and won&#8217;t let you in to reach your lodge at sunset.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Fuel up smart<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Fuel stations are widely available. Stick to the major brands\/ chains in towns like Shell, Total, Rubis or National Oil. At smaller petrol stations, fuel can be diluted, which can seriously damage the engine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Stay secure<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Always lock your doors in cities and towns. Don\u2019t leave valuables unattended in the car.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Be prepared<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Carry some cash, drinking water, and a fully charged phone. It\u2019s your best backup when plans change.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Food tips<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Good lunch spots are rare outside the cities and towns.&nbsp; If we know of a nice place, we\u2019ll mention it in the notes. Otherwise, bring a lunchbox from your lodge.&nbsp;<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"inner-block\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"tb-image-part\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img src='https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1536x1024.jpg.webp' width='1536' height='1024' alt='RTK Bas Van De Nobelen ZV99352 12' srcset='https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1536x1024.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-300x200.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1024x683.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-768x512.jpg.webp 768w, https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-2048x1365.jpg.webp 2048w, https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/wp-content\/smush-webp\/sites\/154\/2026\/07\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-18x12.jpg.webp 18w' sizes='(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 570px' loading='lazy' decoding='async' data-smush-webp-fallback='{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1536x1024.jpg&quot;,&quot;srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\\\/\\\/rta.travelblox.eu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/154\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/rtk-bas-van-de-nobelen-zv99352-12-18x12.jpg 18w&quot;}'>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":170,"featured_media":418,"parent":136,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"guide-section","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3652","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"page_package_ids":"","is_main_package_page":false,"additional_linked_packages":[],"feed_page_to_atlas":true},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3652","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/170"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3652"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3652\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3899,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3652\/revisions\/3899"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rta.travelblox.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3652"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}