Packing list for Kenya, travel insurance for Kenya, and taking your belongings

What to take with you to Kenya: spotlighted

Featured items:

• Documents: Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival. Also bring a physical and digital copy.
• Money: Kenyan Shillings (KES) for initial expenses and a debit/credit card for the cities.
• Care: sunscreen with a high factor as the sun can be very intense.
• Outdoor and practical: hat and good sunglasses. A lightweight raincoat for the rainy seasons.
• Clothing: light and breathable clothing made of cotton and linen are best. Covering clothing also protects against the sun and insects (more about clothing for when it is warm). Neutral coloured clothing for safaris. For the evenings, early mornings or higher areas, a sweater or cardigan is recommended, with perhaps even a hat. Swimwear for the beach.
• Shoes: comfortable walking shoes or sneakers for safaris, sturdy walking shoes if you are really going into the bush. Sandals or flip-flops for beach visits.
• Medicines and travel kit: a small first aid kit with plasters, painkillers, stomach and intestinal remedies, hand sanitizer and ORS. Mosquito repellent is also essential (see also DEET mosquito repellent).
• Technique and equipment: world plug with type G (see also world plug or travel plug) because otherwise the fun will soon be over.

What are some other options for packing as well?

• Reusable water bottle because hydration is important; a bottle with a filter is useful because tap water is usually not drinkable.
• An evening outfit for your dinners and bar visits.
• Binoculars for spotting wildlife (more about taking mini binoculars or monoculars).
• Quick-drying travel towel.
• E-reader or offline entertainment for your safari adventures.
• Headlamp or flashlight for camping.
• International driving license and credit card, if you want to rent a car.

What should you keep in mind when traveling to Kenya with your belongings?

• The activities you are going to undertake. 
• What season it is and whether you can expect rain or extreme heat.
• Cultural expectations regarding clothing.

Are there mosquitoes in Kenya?

• Mosquitoes are found throughout Kenya, especially in areas below 2,500 meters altitude, and are no fun!
• They can transmit diseases such as malaria and this risk is quite high. The coastal area around Lake Victoria in particular is a notorious hotspot.
• Mosquitoes are active in the evening and at night.
• You can protect yourself with covering clothing and your preferred mosquito repellent.

Are there sandflies in Kenya?

• Sand flies are a problem in Kenya, but not everywhere.
• The sand flies can transmit leishmaniasis.
• Sand flies are most active around sunrise and sunset.
• Covering yourself up and using mosquito repellent helps.

Can you buy DEET, or other mosquito repellents, in Kenya?

• In larger cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa, insect repellents containing DEET are available at pharmacies and supermarkets.
• Products such as Trek Mosquito Repellent Spray with 50% DEET can be purchased locally.
• The range of mosquito reppelents is probably a lot smaller and at the same time a lot more expensive.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Kenya, or take it with you to Kenya?

• Cannabis has a long history and is still very popular in Kenya, but it is also very illegal!
• So you may well encounter people who light up a joint, but know that using Cannabis can result in a long prison sentence and high fines.
• Taking it with you is, of course, also completely taboo.