Local time in Kenya is GMT+3 all the year round.

Swahili time system is different from ours, as it is based on sunlight. Since the country is traversed by the Equator, it has 12 hours of sunlight. The sun rises at 6 AM, which corresponds to 00:00 hours in Swahili time, and sets at 6 PM, 12:00 in Swahili time.

Electricity:

Electric current is 220-240 volts and 50 hertz. In general, plugs have three pins, British type. If you are from a country using two-pin plugs, you should know that you can plug your two pin devices just by inserting the cap of a Bic ballpen into the earth/ground plug (the middle pinhole) and sliding the tag you will find inside.

Anyway, if you prefer to use adaptor plugs, bring them from home. In case of need, you can get them from the lodge, but probably they will ask you for a rental fee or a refundable deposit.

Many lodges located in remote places produce their own electricity, and in some cases there are power restrictions at certain times. You should take this into account to charge your batteries if you carry a camcorder or a cellular phone. Regarding areas operated by the general power network, shortages come sporadically, specially upon severe droughts.

Embassies:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website offers a list of the diplomatic missions in Kenya, as well as the list of the Kenyan diplomatic missions abroad.

Phoning:

Fixed telephones: from Nairobi or Mombasa you will have no problems calling abroad. Telephone boxes are red, English style. Calling from the hotels, as usual, is more expensive. Calling from the lodges may be more problematic, since the domestic telephone system is based on microwave radio relay. It will depend on your luck.

Cellular telephones: though it may seem funny, the cheapest way to communicate with home may be your GSM cellular telephone. Throughout all the central regions, in addition to the large cities, there is good coverage. Of course, this does not apply to parks in remote areas. In any case, a safari is the perfect excuse to get lost and forget your cellular for a couple of weeks...

Satellite telephones: the major provider of satellite telephone system at the world level is Iridium. Iridium offers 100% global coverage, however the prices of terminals and calls are high, hence this choice is only practical for travelling through remote areas.

Press, radio and TV:

Freedom of expression is partially restricted in Kenya, since mass media are directly or indirectly controlled by the government.

The main newspapers are Daily Nation and East African Standard, both edited in Nairobi.

Weeklies include The East African (belonging to the Nation Group) and the Coastweek, edited in Mombasa, in addition to the weeklies of the two most important newspapers and the Weekly Review, ranked by some sources as the best political weekly in Africa. There are also some monthly magazines such as The Analyst, specialising in economy, and The Karengata Chronicle.

There are several radio stations that broadcast in FM 24 hours a day. Nation FM, belonging to the Nation Group, broadcasts in English and Swahili in the dial 96.4.

Concerning television, the state-owned channel is Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). Another channel, Stellavision (STV), has expanded to the west of Kenya, but it doesn't broadcast local news. Kenya Television Network (KTN) spans the whole territory. The ownership of this station is obscure; 40-50% of the shares were purchased in 1997 by the group of the daily newspaper The East African Standard, but the major shareholders of this group are unknown. The rest of the shares could be in the hands of people close to the circles of the ruling party KANU.

Post:

Post offices are marked by the initials of Post, Telephone & Telegraph, PTT. Stamps may be also purchased at souvenir shops and bookshops. You can post your letters at the lodges, but it will be better if you post them in Nairobi. The Post Office is in Haile Selassie Avenue.

Holidays:

The holidays in Kenya are the following:

• 1st January: new year's day.
• Good Friday.
• Easter Monday.
• End of Ramadan (Idd-ul-Fitr).
• 1st May: labour day.
• 1st June: Madaraka Day, celebrating self-government.
• 10th October: Moi Day, celebrating the assignment of president Daniel Arap Moi.
• 20th October: Kenyatta Day, celebrating the imprisonment of Jomo Kenyatta after the Mau-Mau revolution.
• 12th December: Uhuru & Jamhuri Day, Independence and Republic day.
• 25th December: Christmas.
• 26th December: Boxing Day.

Useful numbers:

• Police and ambulances: 999
• Information on road conditions:
  • Forecast Office: 822 245 Nairobi
  • Automobile Association of Kenya:
    720 382 Nairobi
    26 778 Mombasa
    2700 Eldoret
    41 361 Kisumu
    2314 Nakuru
• Time information: 993
  
• Calling abroad: 0196
  
• Nairobi Airport - information: 822 111