Kenya

[midagetrolop]

Visiting Kenya in November - going on safari. Anyone any tips. What is the voltage - is it the same plug as in the UK?

[Zacs-Master]

Take a camera.

[naomi24]

Take a multiple adaptor - and a camera. Enjoy!

[sir.prize]

http://odysseysafaris.com/safari-social/2012/09/electricity-in-kenya/

[grasscarp]

Goodness me Sir Prize. Was an answer about plugs ever that confusing!

[tiggerblue10]

Take a camcorder or something you can film with. Definitely worth it for the safari.

I took some sweets and chocolates for myself and ended up giving them to the children who lived outside the hotel complex. If I'd have known I would have taken more for them :o)

[sir.prize]

grasscarp - that's what I thought. Maybe the OP has more time than I do to sort it out.

[grasscarp]

I came over all dizzy and confused by the pictures!

[Zacs-Master]

Take an electrical engineer with you.

[sir.prize]

grasscarp - you must have been looking at the zebras!

[naomi24]

If you're going to take anything for the children, sweets are good, but socks (especially white ones) are much sought after - and biros. Upon request, I once gave my white socks, although only hastily washed with shower gel, still stained red from the colour of the earth, to a teenager who told me the next day that he had swapped them in exchange for meat for his family. Whenever we go to Third World countries, we always take a supply of bits and pieces now.

[tiggerblue10]

I also gave a young lad some batteries which I had spare for my walkman and a new bar of soap.

[rsvp]

Depends who you are going with - lots of safari operators are more aware of tourism impact than others - check it out and act accordingly - as far as tips for plugs etc , to the best of my knowledge you will need an adaptor (square to round pin)

[KARL]

Just to save the OP and others wondering: The UK plug is just that, more or less uniquely a British device - you can only hope to see sockets matching it in a few dependencies where their use is close to mandatory. Therefore, anyone living in the UK but travelling outside the UK WILL need an adaptor for any appliances with a UK plug on them - the voltage in Kenya is 220/230.

If you are to be in Nairobi, I recommend having a look at Nairobi Park which is a short drive outside (on the edge of) Nairobi. Depending on the time of year, one can hope to see literally any of Kenya's anilmals with the exception of elephants - or at least that was the case when I lived there. On the edge of the park is the Sheldrake Trust's elephant sanctuary which specialises in fostering orphaned elephant calves until they can be released, usually in Tsavo Park. They encourage visitors to the sanctuary and at my time there there was no entrance fee. Also in Karen, a district of Nairobi bearing Karen Blixen's (of Out of Africa fame) name, there is a giraffe sanctuary - well worth visiting for a close-up of the giraffes at their eye level.

[New Judge]

The advice on taking a camera or camcorder is good. However... beware that you do not spend so much time framing your pictures that you miss all the action! I have been to Kenya on safari 3 times and the first time I spent so much time making sure my pictures were as good as I could get that I missed a number of wonderful sights (that's why I had to pay a return visit!) By all means take a few pictures to show those back home, but remember it is your trip and if those at home want greater detail they will have to go themselves!! Make sure you spend plenty of time just watching.

[naomi24]

^^I agree. You'll always get better pictures from professionals in books or on the internet - but none of that can reproduce the experience. One thing I would say - since I first went on safari I hate to see any animal caged - even a hamster or a budgie. Just watch - and enjoy!!

[237SJ]

Take a travel medical kit with the usual drugs. Take pens to give to the little begging kids. Don`t take photos of the Massai as they don`t like it. Use a decent camera. The first time I went there (as a 19 year old) I had a useless camera and lost a lot of potentially fantastic shots. If you go to the Sheldrake elephant orphanage, take some SMA milk powder or a donation. Wear sunglasses as travelling for miles in a safari bus can give you a migraine.

[naomi24]

The Maasai don't mind having their pictures taken if you ask them and pay them for it. When Europeans have their weddings on Kenyan beaches, the Maasai are often in attendance for the pictures.