How to plan your Kenya tour from India

If you’ve always dreamed of visiting the endless African savanna to watch the lions, wildebeest and other wildlife, then here’s how to plan a Kenya tour from India.

The Masai Mara in Kenya is arguably the most famous safari destination in Africa, and the annual migration of the wildebeest across its grassy plains is possibly the most famous wildlife spectacle in the world. This was on our list for a long time, and after some back-and-forth, we finally managed to do it! Here’s how we planned our Kenya tour from India (we live in Hyderabad); and even if you’re somewhere else, you’ll still find a few useful tips here. Unless you live in Antarctica, maybe.

Also see: Video diary: The best of our memories of Africa

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Step 1: Booking your Kenya tour from India

Your first step would obviously be to book your safari tour, because everything else revolves around that. There are lots of tour operators in India who can take care of that for you, and Toehold comes very highly recommended. They mostly conduct photography tours, but do regular safaris, too. We contacted them and found them very open, knowledgeable and responsive, but ultimately a little beyond our budget.

Finding the right safari for you

Our relatives in Uganda—who’ve helped a lot of their friends figure out their safaris—recommended that we use safaribookings.com for our Kenya safari bookings, instead of using a tour operator in India. This is a great website that helps you find exactly the kind of tour you’re looking for. It lets you filter tours by budget, destination, group size and other preferences. Once you find the right tour for you, you can then ask for a quote directly from the tour operator. You can also ask them to include various add-ons like hotel stays in other places and airport transfers. A pretty simple way to book a safari in Kenya.

We booked with Tekko Tours and Travel, and their representative was very friendly, informative, professional and responsive. Still, while our overall experience was great, there were a few things we would’ve changed if we could. We spent a bit too much time driving, and our driver/guide could have been more responsive.

Also read: Our Kenya safari: Up close with Africa’s incredible wildlife

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Deciding when and where to visit

The peak season for safaris in the Masai Mara is from the middle of June until October. This is the best time to see wildlife—including the legendary wildebeest migration—but tour prices and visitor numbers are also highest during these times. Booking just before or just after peak season might be a good idea if you’re on a tight budget. But make no mistake, a Kenya safari tour will still put a dent in your wallet, one way or another.

Besides the Masai Mara, Kenya has lots of other reserves to visit, each with its own speciality. Lake Nakuru is famous for its hordes of flamingos (though the numbers have dropped drastically over the last few years). If elephants and hippos are your thing, then you might want to visit Amboseli too—especially if you’re looking for a photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro for your Instagram account! Of course, Kenya has lots of other national parks and nature reserves that you can visit. It all depends on what you want to do. And Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is where most tours start and end.

Less is more

Be careful that you don’t bite off more than you can chew while planning your drive. We found out that driving between Amboseli, Nakuru and Masai Mara isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Traffic and bad roads make the drives much longer and more tiring than they look on paper. So if you’re there for a week and you’re planning on driving around, you should probably just stick to two parks. Alternatively, Masai Mara has a tiny airstrip with flights coming in from Nairobi. You could ask your tour operator about that if you don’t want to drive. But it’ll probably add quite a bit to your budget.

Also read: Our Ranthambhore tiger safari experience

Paying for your safari

Interestingly enough, payments need to be made in US dollars only. Our operator ended up quoting just over USD 1,000 per head for a five-day tour and two nights in Nairobi. If you’re looking for a mid-range private tour, this is probably the cost you should budget for. If this is too high for you, you can reduce costs by joining a larger group, choosing lower-end accommodation, and asking for a safari van to travel in instead of the more expensive four-wheel drive SUV. Overall, though, the cost of a Kenya safari will be quite high.

Bank transfers work out cheaper than paying by card

Once you finalize your tour costs, and depending on the terms quoted by your tour operator, you’ll have to make your payment. Our operator asked for 30% advance, and the remaining payable two months before the tour. They gave us the option to pay either by credit card or international bank transfer. We did some research and found out that, with transaction costs and exchange rates included, it would cost us Rs. 15,000 more to pay by credit card than bank transfer! So even though paying by bank transfer is a bit tedious, it saves a lot of money.

To transfer the funds to your tour operator, you’ll need to visit your bank branch with a copy of your passport, a printout of your operator’s quotation, and your chequebook. Make sure the quotation mentions the operator’s address, their bank and branch, and the bank’s SWIFT code. You’ll need to fill out a form and answer a few questions, and with luck, you’ll be done in half an hour.

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Step 2: Planning your flights

From what we could make out, Mumbai is the only city in India from which there’s a direct flight to Nairobi. This is on Kenya Airways, which cost about Rs. 35,000 for a return ticket when we checked. Of course, it all depends on when you book. The further in advance you book, the more likely you are to get a good rate.

If you’re booking from another city in India, you’ll probably have to lay over for a few hours in Mumbai. Some other international airlines like Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia might also fly from your city, with a stop at their home cities. We decided to fly Emirates from Hyderabad, with a stopover in Dubai. If you’ve read my post on responsible travel, you might have noticed that this goes against the very first point I mentioned—travelling in as straight a line as possible. But in our defence, we met up with another member of our group in Dubai, and then flew on to Kampala in Uganda. Because, relatives.

How to book your flights

The easiest way to book your flights would be through an online booking platform like MakeMyTrip or Yatra. To our surprise, we found that MakeMyTrip—our go-to booking platform—didn’t offer the kind of connections we wanted, so we ended up booking through the Emirates site itself, and even got a slightly cheaper rate.  So whenever you’re booking, it might make sense to compare offerings between booking sites and the airline’s site. You never know where you’ll get the best deal.

Also read: 21 simple tips to be a responsible traveller

Step 3: Applying for your visa for Kenya

Applying for a visa is quite simple and can be done online at the Kenyan government’s eVisa site. While applying, you’ll need to upload soft copies of your passport, tickets, hotel bookings and your travel schedule. The visa fees need to be paid in US dollars via credit card, and the cost of a single-entry visa is approximately USD 52. The application takes two or three days to process.

In case you’re visiting Uganda and/or Rwanda as well, it would be worthwhile to apply for an East Africa Tourist Visa. This one allows you to visit all three countries, and costs approximately USD 103. Strangely enough, the Kenyan eVisa site didn’t allow us to apply for this visa online, but only on arrival or at Kenyan consulates and embassies abroad. We booked through the Ugandan e-immigration site instead, since was our first stop. A word to the wise: if you’re using this site, you might run into a roadblock while filling the ‘duration of stay requested’ section. If you do, enter ‘3 months’, regardless of your period of stay. When we tried, the site didn’t accept anything else, for some reason.

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Step 4: Getting your mandatory vaccinations

Kenya is one of the African countries in which you can catch yellow fever, and travellers to these countries need to be vaccinated. You’ll be asked to produce an internationally recognized vaccination certificate when you enter the country, and when you return to India. If you don’t have one, you might be put under quarantine for up to six days. If you’re doing a Kenya safari from India, the Indian government also requires that all travellers to Kenya take an oral polio vaccination (OPV), even if they’ve been vaccinated earlier. Funnily, the Ugandan e-immigration site asks you for a vaccination certificate while applying, but the Kenyan eVisa site doesn’t. Don’t ask me why.

In theory, the yellow fever vaccination needs to be taken at least 10 days before returning home. In practice, travellers to Kenya and other countries are asked for the certificate on arrival, so plan to take the vaccine at least 10 days before leaving. The vaccination certificate is valid for life, so you can take it as early as you want. The oral polio vaccination needs to be taken at least three weeks before returning to India, so you might as well get them both at the same time.

Your vaccinations must be administered at any one of the authorized vaccination centers (PDF) across India, and they’ll also give you the necessary certificate.

Also read: Don’t make these 10 travel mistakes that we did

Getting your vaccinations in Hyderabad

It looks like the only authorized center to issue these vaccination certificates in Hyderabad is the government-run Institute of Preventive Medicine in Narayanguda. Here’s the location. Before visiting, book an appointment through their website and take a look at the ‘guidelines for travellers’ link for some useful dos and don’ts.

Taking an appointment needs a little patience

To get your vaccinations, you first need to take an appointment at the ‘Registration for Appointment’ link. The appointment form is very user-unfriendly! For example, some fields not marked as mandatory turn out to be mandatory after you click the ‘submit’ button. Also, clicking directly on the radio buttons on the date and time selector screen sometimes doesn’t work. You’ll need to hunt around the area with your pointer for the right place to click (watch for the radio button circle to turn blue!). Lastly, the appointment link doesn’t always work. Be patient and keep trying.

When choosing a date and time, remember that you can only get yellow fever vaccinations on Tuesdays and Fridays. You don’t need to take a separate appointment for the OPV; take one for the yellow fever vaccine, and you can get the OPV done at the same time. We found that both the yellow fever and OPV vaccines can be bought at the institute. Total cost: yellow fever vaccine, Rs. 250 + OPV, Rs. 50 + admin charges, Rs. 50 = Rs. 300 in total. Remember to take along your passport and a printout of your appointment when you go.

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Our vaccination experience

The institute itself is part of a slightly spooky-looking old government setup that includes other dilapidated buildings. The administration block of the institute, (where the vaccines are ‘administered’, haha) is right at the back and has prominent lettering over the entrance. It’s nothing much, just one hall with two desks, some waiting chairs, one table where the vaccines are administered, and sundry paraphernalia.

An efficient process, despite appearances

Even though we were a little late for our appointment, it didn’t really matter because there was hardly anyone else there. A gentleman at a desk asked for our passports and appointment prints, and spent about twenty minutes reading through them and filling forms. We then had to go out and pay at the cash counter (hidden away in the diagnostics building behind some barred windows). That done, another gentleman at another table put two drops of OPV in each of our mouths and shot a dose of yellow fever vaccine into our left arms. Each syringe was destroyed immediately after, in case you’re wondering.

They then stamped our vaccine certificates, and told us to sit around for half an hour, just in case any of us showed any major side effects. Nothing severe, but we did feel slightly dizzy, a little headache-y and mildly nauseous. Overall, we spent just over an hour there, including the sitting around after. We were told more side effects like fever, body ache and nausea might show up between three and nine days later. Luckily, besides a little fatigue and sore throat, we didn’t feel anything much.

Overall, once we looked past the shoddy exterior, the experience wasn’t bad: the people were friendly and helpful, and the vaccination process efficient and professional. Definitely better than I expected!

Step 4. Packing for your safari

Once your safari is paid for, your tickets are booked, your visa done and your vaccinations taken, all that’s left is to pack and sally forth! But before you start throwing things into your suitcase, there are a few things you might want to think about.

Even if you’re not the kind who hauls around a zoom lens for your camera that’s half the size of your suitcase, remember that you’re visiting the wide expanses of Africa and not your local zoo. If not a zoom lens, take a pair of binoculars or a telescope along so you don’t miss any action that happens more than a few hundred meters away.

The weather in Kenya is surprisingly cool, with average maximum temperatures in the high 20s, Celsius! It’s warmer on the coast and cooler inland, but wherever you’re going, it’s probably worthwhile to carry something warm (I was happy to have a jacket while we drove around the Masai Mara; the morning was chilly). Of course, that doesn’t mean the sun isn’t going to be hot at midday. So you should probably carry a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen too.

Consider packing mosquito repellent

Lastly, even though you’ve got your yellow fever vaccination, why take the risk of getting something else, like malaria? The African strain of malaria is said to be particularly dangerous, so take a good insect repellent along, and use it regularly. And try and stay covered at all times. Even if you don’t contract something nasty, scratching itchy welts the whole day is probably not your idea of fun.

Also read: My review of the Tamron 18-400 mm zoom lens for Canon and Nikon cameras

And that’s how to plan your Kenya tour from India. So reserve your safari, book your flights, get your visa and vaccinations, and pack for the safari of a lifetime!

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IQ’s top tips for planning your Kenya tour from India

• The cost of your Kenya safari will come up to somewhere around 1,000 USD per person, for a five-day driving safari to three parks with mid-range accommodation. Flights not included.
• Paying through bank transfer is more tedious but far cheaper than paying by credit card.
• As far as we could figure out, cheap Kenya safari holidays aren’t easy to find. Kenya is expensive overall, and safaris even more so. If an operator offers you a safari at a very low price, it’s possible they’re a bit shady, or will cut lots of corners.
• If you’re looking to plan your own Kenya safari trip, safaribookings.com is a good site on which to compare tours offered by reputable operators.
• Alternatively, international tour operators like SOTC or Cox & Kings offer Kenya tour packages from India, though these might work out a little more expensive. Toehold is a small, Bengaluru-based boutique agency that offers both photography tours and regular tours.
• Kenya has many national parks, each known for it’s own experience. Driving between them can be tiring, though. I would recommend visiting no more than two parks in five days if you’re driving. And especially if you’re doing your Kenya safari with kids.
• The number of flamingos at Lake Nakuru has declined drastically in the last few years. If it’s flamingos you want to see, you might have better luck at other alkaline lakes like Naivasha or Elmenteita.
• If you’re just looking for a short safari at a single park, Masai Mara (Masai Mara National Reserve) has everything except rhinos and flamingos.
• Masai Mara has a small airstrip and can be reached by short flight from Nairobi. If you’d rather not spend the whole day driving to get there, this is an alternative.
• Applying for a visa is pretty straightforward at the Kenyan eVisa site. Alternatively, if you’re visiting Uganda and/or Rwanda as well, you can apply for an East Africa Tourist Visa that’s valid for all three countries.
• A yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for travellers to Kenya, and it’s best to take it at least 10 days before entering. Here’s the list of authorized vaccination centers (PDF) in India.
• The Indian government also requires that visitors to Kenya take the oral polio vaccine (OPV), though it seems no one actually checks. But why take the risk? The OPV should be available at the yellow fever vaccination center.
• When packing, remember to take a zoom lens, binoculars or telescope along. The animals won’t necessarily appear close to your safari vehicle.
• Pack a warm sweater or jacket. Early mornings can be surprisingly chilly out on the savanna.

Vegetarian tips

• Kenya is not the most vegetarian-friendly of countries, with meat and seafood forming a large part of the cuisine. But you’ll be sure to get at least a few vegetarian dishes (usually European) at the buffets during your tours. Just make sure to check each dish first; something that sounds vegetarian may still have a little meat or seafood mixed in.
• When in doubt, you could always ask for matoke (steamed green bananas), ugali (maize flour porridge) and mchicha (steamed spinach and amaranth greens).

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