NAIROBI, KENYA
Tr a v e l P a c k e t
Although one of Africa’s most powerful economies, Kenya is still a developing country. Nairobi is the capital city
and economic center of Kenya. Kenya is famous for handicrafts, which are often the signature of a particular
tribe or region. Brass casting is a technique that has a rich history in Kenya. Sand casting is an ancient process
by which molten metal is filled into a mold made from sand. It has become the most common form of casting
because the materials are easily accessible and it is very cost effective. In Kenya, Nest is working with jewelry
artisans located on the outskirts of Nairobi to improve their facilities and upgrade their equipment. This will
ensure that they are both operating safely as well as gaining the ability to grow and hire more employees as their
orders and capacity increases. Nest is also providing in-depth design mentorship to improve product quality
and diversity.
This travel packet has been assembled in order to provide you with a range of information about Nairobi,
Kenya. The information enclosed will help you figure out what you need to bring, make travel and accommodation decisions, and determine whether this opportunity is financially feasible for you. We hope that it is! If
travel is not feasible, there are many jobs that can be undertaken state-side or from wherever your home may
be. Many jobs for which travel is an option do not necessarily need travel in order to be completed.
A Nest International Development Fellowship is a volunteer position that maintains a pay-your-own-way structure. Though there is no program or administrative fee that Nest requires, you will incur travel and living
expenses. A Nest fellow is responsible for booking and managing his/her own travel arrangements.
Please contact Julie Meyer (julie@buildanest.org) with any questions related to a Nest fellowship.
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Select Lodging Options
(Costs stated in US $)
Budget
Acacia Camp Nairobi
www.africanspicesafaris.com/acacia_
camp_nairobi_safari_kenya.html
$25/night
Check out site for various options.
40 minutes from work site
Internet Café on site
Mid-range
High-End
Swara Safari Hotel
www.kenyaonetours.com/hotels/
hotels.htm?Swara_Safari_Hotel
$46/night, B&B
$57/night, ½ board
40 minutes from work site
Free WiFi
Nairobi Tented Camp
www.nairobitentedcamp.com/
$167/night, ½ board
40 minutes from work site
Free WiFi
Masai Lodge
www.masailodge.com/
$69/night B&B
$92/night ½ board
30 minutes from work site
Free WiFi
Hogmead Boutique Hotel
www.porini.com/kenya.
html?sub=hogmead-hotel
$150/night, B&B
$200/night, ½ board
Notes:
—All rates are for longer term stays, negotiated at resident rates (except for Hogmead Boutique Hotel)
—Acacia Camp Nairobi has a camping sites, mixed dorms, and single rooms. The rate shown is for a single
room with ensuite shower/toilet. Meals are not included.
—Nairobi Tented Camp is in the Game Park. The cost per night includes the daily park fee of $70.
—Nairobi is a difficult place to travel around due to size and extreme traffic. The work site will most likely be
at the brass casting workshop. The workshop is on the outskirts of Nairobi all the way down Magadi Road
off of Langata Road and beyond. All of the suggested lodging options are off of Magadi Road. If work is
to be combined and you are OK with longer travel times, we can consider lodging options for you in other
locations in Nairobi.
Tr a v e l t o N a i r o b i
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To reach Kenya from an international locale, fly to Nairobi.
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Recommended Flight Websites:
‚‚ Sky Scanner: http://skyscanner.com
‚‚ Clear Trip: http://cleartrip.com
‚‚ Kayak: http://kayak.com
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passport and visa are required to enter Kenya. Visas may be obtained in advance from the Kenya
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Embassy in the USA or at the Kenyan airport (for US citizens). Obtaining visas at the airport may
include delays. All instructions on how to obtain a tourist visa and entry requirements can be found at
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1151.html. The fee for a single entry visa is $50 for a three
month duration.
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Sample Budget
(Costs represent appromixations in US $)
Recurring Weekly In-Country Costs
Assumptions & Comments
Room & Board
Accomodations
$175–$1050 Budget ~$25/night; Moderate ~$70/night; High-End ~$150+/night. See lodging options.
Breakfast
$10 Local: $0.60 for tea + mandazi (donut), $0.90 for tea + omelette; non-local restaurant: cappuccino + toast = $4.60, western breakfast = $11.40
Lunch
$20 Local: $1.80 for stew (chickent/goat/beef/lentil), $2.80 for roast goat/beef/fish/vegetables; non-local restaurant: $12 for
burger/grill/salad, $30 for full meal including wine
Snacks
$25 Fresh fruit $1, espresso/coffee, $2
Dinner
$70 See lunch. Assumed a mix of local and non-local meals.
Transportation
Taxi to work site1
$60 Varies depending on location & type. Taxi to work site ~$30. Bus + Motorbike ~$2.60. Taxi + Bus = $12. Assumed Taxi +
bus *5 days/week.
Communication
Local Cell Phone
Internet2
Total Recurring Costs
$12 Average for 1 week of local usage; US cells should work (may need to be unlocked) but roaming $$.
— Many hotels have free WiFi. Nest recommends using Skype for international communication.
$372–$1,247 Varies based on accomodation choice. Also varies based on food choices—assumed mixed price points for food.
One-Time Costs
Communication
Local cell + SIM Card
Internet Access
$22
— Assumed no private internet connection.
Tourist Visa
$50 Obtain at Kenya Embassy in USA or at airport upon arrival (there may be delays). See state department site for requirements.
Travel & Emergency Medical Insurance
$49 Cost varies by length of trip ($49 for 1 week, $100 for 1 month). Check www.worldnomads.com for accurate pricing.
Flight: NYC to Nairobi, Kenya
Taxi from Airport to Hotel (round trip)
Total One-Time Costs
Estimated range for one week of travel
$1,150 Travel cost varies—time of year, stops, itinerary, etc. $1,150 represents an average approximation from a recent search.
$60
$1,331
$1,703–$2,578 Range based on assumptions noted above. Includes one-time costs and recurring costs.
Notes:
Taxis are the safest way to get around. Otherwise there are minibuses, buses and motorbike taxis. Motorbides are only recommended on less busy roads such as on the
last stretch to the work site. There is no public transport available for the last 25 minutes of the drive to the site—taxi or motobike taxi only.
2
Could buy a “dongle” for direct connection using own computer, but on-site connection is still terrible. A “dongle” costs ~$11.40 and 1.5MB data costs ~$11.40.
1
Tr a v e l a n d E m e r g e n c y M e d i c a l I n s u r a n c e
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est requires that you purchase Travel & Emergency Medical Insurance for your journey. Nest has purN
chased this from www.worldnomads.com in the past, though there are other reputable companies that provide
similar insurance.
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Insurance sold by World Nomads is sold by the week up to 7 weeks and then by the month.
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eview the policy located on the website and print out the certificate of coverage to carry with you on
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your journey.
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The five key parts of travel insurance are:
1. Medical emergencies & evacuation (If there is one reason to buy travel insurance, this is it. Please take
the time to read this section of your travel insurance in detail).
2. Trip cancellation
3. Baggage & personal belongings
4. Personal liability
5. Coming home early & resuming your trip
What to Bring
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C lothing. Nairobi is a casual city. Modesty is recommended but not to extremes. Nest advises against low
cut tops and very short skirts/shorts. It is recommended to bring sweaters/jacket/fleece, layered clothing for
hot weather, comfortable walking shoes (closed toe if during rainy season).
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ecommended Packing List. Sunscreen, hat, plug converter, insect repellant if you are particularly
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bothered by them (but they are minimal), any personal prescription medications, pepto bismal (just in
case), umbrella, feminine products, computer, external hard drive for backing up, passport/visa, backpack
for every day use w/ a zipper, hand sanitizer, camera. In case you forget, you can buy most anything in
Nairobi.
Miscellaneous Infor mation
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Travel Guide. Check out the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kenya and the
Wiki travel link: http://wikitravel.org/en/kenya
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C ulture. The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili. You can get by with English in many
parts of Nairobi, but knowledge of a few words of Swahili will go a long way.
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M edical/Vaccinations. Travel and health information for Kenya can be found on the CDC website
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/kenya.htm. A yellow fever vaccination may be compulsory for entry and
if so must be completed ~10 days before travel.Consult with your doctor or a travel clinic to see what is recommended.
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C urrency Exchange. The unit of currency is the Kenyan shilling (KSh) which is made up of 100 cents.
Locally, the shilling is commonly known as the ‘bob’. The US dollar is easy to exchange throughout the
country, though cash is risky to carry.
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B anking. Virtually all banks in Kenya now have ATMs but the usefulness to travelers varies. Barclays
Bank has a wide network of banks in most Kenyan towns, supporting most international networks. Many
other banks support Visa (but not mastercard, cirrus, etc.). Visa credit cards are widely accepted.
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