Kenya: Culture and Heritage
Kenya Travel Tips
- Jambo! (How are you?) is the most popular greeting in Kenya and is usually pursued with a handshake and an inquiry into health, family and business. If you do not inquire, you may be considered ill-mannered.
- When you meet elderly or esteemed people, you should grasp the right wrist with your left hand to show your respect. You should also not eat before them when dining together. Muslim men/women do not always shake hands with women/men.
- If names are unknown, ladies over 21 years of age are generally called Mama, whilst men over 35 years of age will be called Mzee.
- We recommend you give small gifts, such as pastries, flowers, or sweets, to your hosts whenever you are invited home. In rural areas, tea and coffee is a common and appreciated gift. Never use your left hand to give.
- Cleanliness is an important part of the culture, so do wash your hands before and after eating. When dining, it is polite to finish everything on your plate.
- In Nairobi guests have an opportunity to visit the Masai Market, a local market that offers a variety of curios, jewelry, handmade articles, leather goods, African batik fabrics, kikoys, kangas, shukas, paintings, soapstone carvings and pottery. With the popularity of tourism in Kenya, there are curio shops in all major cities.
- Bargaining is not only a commonly used practice but also a necessary one. Unless you are in a high-end store where prices are fixed, please feel free to bargain on your Kenya tour.
From the Blog
Popular Trips to Kenya
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At Enchanting Travels, our private, custom tours are built on extensive knowledge of our destinations, an outstanding team of professionals, and personalized top-notch service. Our work is consistently recognized by prestigious organizations across the travel industry. In 2023, we received the Travel Weekly Magellan Gold Award for World’s Leading Tour Operator- Overall, the LUXLife Magazine Award for Best Global Custom Travel Company, a World Travel Award for North America’s Leading Tour Operator, and a World Luxury Travel Award for Bespoke Experience Travel Agency (Global Winner). You can see all our past awards and current accreditations here.
What Our Guests Say
We just returned from an outstanding 3-week trip to East Africa. Our travel consultant did an outstanding job of putting together this trip for a friend and me. Everything went as smooth as glass. We saw an extraordinary number of animals and the accommodations were even better than pictured. Our personal guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and kind, even assisting with all our check-ins. Every transport worked seamlessly. It was a great experience, we highly recommend Enchanting Travels!
Kathy Alven
USA
We made a family trip to Africa (Tanzania and Kenia) to celebrate my 50th Birthday. From day 1, Alison was great in understanding us and providing some great recommendations. She and Bovin (our local contact) made this trip a dream come true. They were always attentive, gave recommendations and heard all of our desires. When we had a question, they would have a quick answer. Thank you both for making this an amazing and unforgettable trip.
Humberto Tafolla Nuñez
Mexico
From the advice we got from Peter when we booked our trip to the excellent execution of the details that Cyprian did, there was not a hitch. We were met by professionals who ushered us through customs and checked us into our flights. The itinerary was packed with memorable experiences of seeing animals, getting to know the people at the tent camps who were more attentive than we could have imagined. The tents were exceptionally clean, beds comfortable, the food outstanding and our overall experience was beyond our expectations. We could not have imagined going on this trip without Enchanting Travels and consider ourselves fortunate that we chose you.
Joan McCumby
USA
The trip was planned perfectly from beginning to the end. We were notified of any changes to the schedule based on delayed flights etc. It is a real advantage to have Enchanting Travels make the arrangements that allowed us to speed through customs and visa checks. Our drivers were always there waiting for our arrival so no time wasted waiting. Just the ease of the logistics that comes with traveling with Enchanting Travels keeps up going back to them when we are planning a trip. The experiences were beyond words. Our game drive guides were exceptional in getting us to where the animals were so we could enjoy seeing cheetah cubs at play while mom watched, lion cubs playing while a group of lioness’s napped in the sun and two male lions did the same. The most incredible sight was watching a group of 6 lioness’s separate a female buffalo and her calf and going on to taking them both down. It was like watching a Nat Geo film but we were there within 30 yards to watch. Our accommodations were top notch, staff everywhere we were were exceptional, and the settings were all different but wonderful. Our trip coordinator was in constant contact just to check in and see if there was anything we needed her to do. The Trip Agent App, our first time using it, was a very nice feature and was so much easier to use rather than pulling out a hard copy of the trip to find the answer to our questions. I wasn’t sure if I would use it or not but became dependent on it. Traveling doesn’t get any better if you travel with Enchanting Travels. We will be back!
Carol Brzeczek
USA
Enchanting exceeded our expectations by a wide margin. They built the itinerary that was perfect for us and were with us throughout the entire trip checking in on us and handling any issues that could possibly arise (like a delayed flight that had a trickle effect). The staff were all over and above attentive and caring. The app they have you use is surprisingly excellent and helpful. Can’t say enough about this travel company. It’s the way to go.
George Kyriakis
Canada
I have been fortunate enough to have traveled all over the world. I was able to live in two European countries and all over the United States of America. This is the first time that I have ever traveled with Enchanting Travels. From the very start their representatives were focused on understanding exactly what I wanted out of my trip. Once it was understood, I was given multiple options to look at and choose from to further narrow down, my exact needs. After all the choices were made, and the trip was paid for, everything, and I mean everything was taken care of. A knowledgeable representative met me at every plane, hotel, or vehicle, to make sure I was taken to the proper place and treated like a king. The flights, accommodations and ground travel vehicles were all clean, comfortable, and more than I could ask for. I had no worries throughout my trip. All I had to do was sit back and enjoy! It was a trip of a lifetime! They planned and executed everything perfectly. There was not a single hitch! I will, without a doubt use them again! If you would like to travel and leave the detailing to someone else, I highly recommend this group. A job well done.
Daniel Anderson
USA
Kenya Travel Guide
ViewHistory
Paleontologists believe that Kenya was the first inhabited place on earth! With our travel tips, discover Kenya’s diverse heritage from indigenous people to invasions, on a custom Kenya vacation.
Cuisine
On your Kenya safari, you’ll find that many of the foods are simple yet often quite heavy and starchy and include potatoes and rice. Discover what to eat on your Kenya safari.
Best Time To Visit
Kenya is divided by the equator and is characterized by a tropical climate. The best time for your Kenya vacation depends on what you wish to do in Kenya. Follow the link for more information on Kenya.