Kenya 2021

So a group of us decided to go to Kenya in December 2021. We made this plan back in March 2021 and bought the tickets without knowing if we would be able to travel or not. We did book everything refundable so if we had to cancel plans because of COVID-19, we don't lose any money.

Our suitcases are packed with Clorox, extra face masks, hand sanitizers and Antigen Test Kits but our itinerary is packed with Game drives (Safaris) with glamping, trips to multiple cities to experience the culture and food.

Important stuff

There is a lot to plan and think through before you travel to Kenya.

1. Before applying for VISA, you do need confirmed/paid flight and hotel details.

2. VISA processing was relatively simple. You can apply for eVISA online on - evisa.go.ke. Once you apply for the VISA and upload your hotel/flight booking details, you can easily get the VISA in 24hours. We downloaded the VISA from their portal once it was approved and printed 2 copies of it for our travel. Pro Tip - Keep everything in google drive or favorite photos for easy access.

3. Plastic bags are NOT allowed in Kenya. There is a very heavy penalty if you are found using or carrying plastic bags or zip locks. We ordered reusable material bags and carried our Jute bags which I got from India.

4. Please do not carry any expensive jewelry or things. It can be a bit risky if you are not careful.

5. We are lucky that two of our friends are from Kenya. They helped book our game drives, stay and other tours within Kenya which was very helpful.

Important things you should consider carry

1. Mosquito repellants - We ordered off sprays and waterproof wearable repellant bands from Amazon

2. Basic First-Aid Kit such as - Thermometer, Oxymeter (for checking Oxygen levels), Neosprin, Advil (for headaches or minor pains), Claritin (allergy meds), Band-Aids, Dramamine (motion-sickness), Flonase, Emergen-C, Zinc and Vitamin C supplement and some Alka-Seltzer along with Tums, just in case.

3. We packed mini hand sanitizers which are easy to carry and packed a big bottle so we could refill our miniatures as needed.

4. Reusable and disposable face masks.

5. We have iPhone 13 Pro’s but my husband decided to carry a good but not so expensive DSLR camera. It was worth it!!!! (we heard drones are not allowed in Kenya so we did not buy or carry one)

6. We traveled in December and weather forecast showed some rain, we carried 2 umbrellas.

7. Travel locks - We planned to check-out from the hotel for our local trips so it was easier to make Nairobi our main hub and store our luggage in Hotel's storage.

8. We were taking a local flight within Kenya to get to Mombasa so we also carried some additional duffel bags which could open up to larger bags if needed.

9. We covered Diani beach as well, so we packed Aloe Vera gel. I bought the empty containers from target for $1.69 and refilled it with the big bottle of Alo Vera gel, I had.

10. Flashlights - We bought the rechargeable and mini (but powerful) flashlights/torches from Amazon.

11. Pack extra phone/watch chargers. Do not forget to carry your Travel adapters.

12. Antigen Test Kits - I ordered 2 kits (BinaxNow) from Walgreens and they were $23.99 each. 2 Kits give you about 4 tests. We also bought a few local tests in Nairobi which were quite cheaper.

Lastly, we don't have kids so I am sure there are a lot of supplies that Parents may need to carry as they may seem fit.

Kenya Itinerary

• Day 1-3 - Nairobi

• Day 4-7 - Maasai Mara (Travel to Nairobi on day 7)

• Day 8-10 - Ol Pejeta Coservancy

• Day 9-10 - Nairobi

• Day 12-14 - Mombasa (Diani Beach and Old Town Mombasa)

• Day 15-16 - Back to Nairobi and fly out