Destination: Kenya
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Money & Costs
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Travelling in Kenya can cost as much or as little as you like, depending on what kind of standards you’re happy with. In general, for the midrange traveller staying in small hotels with a decent level of comfort, eating the occasional Western meal, using matatus and taxis, taking in the odd museum and treating yourself to a beer of an evening should come out in the region of KSh3000 per day. Budget travellers could get this down to as little as KSh800 by forgoing private bathrooms, eating in Kenyan canteens, walking or taking local buses and skipping the booze, while top-end types can pay anything from KSh8000 upwards for a taste of the high life. Accommodation is the biggest single expense, and staying in Nairobi or on the coast will push costs up sharply.
On top of this, you’ll probably want to allow some extra cash for pricey tourist activities such as trekking, diving and other excursions. The biggest one-off outlay for most visitors will be visiting the national parks, whether on a safari or independently. Basic camping packages cost from US$70 per day; staying in lodges adds at least another US$50, while using air transport and visiting the country’s most exclusive getaways could run over US$500! Package deals from Europe can offer good value out of season, especially if you want to stay around the coast.
HOW MUCH?
Local matatu ride: KSh20
Plate of stew/biryani/pilau: KSh120
Large juice: KSh60
Pair of kangas: KSh350
Taxi home: KSh400
Litre of petrol/gas: KSh72
Litre of bottled water: KSh55
Bottle of Tusker: KSh80
Souvenir T-shirt: KSh1000
Sambusa (street snack): KSh10
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