TRAVEL TIPS
Full country name: Republic of Kenya
Area: 583,000 sq km
Population: 33,339,000
Capital city: Nairobi
People: 24% Kikuyu, 16% Luhya, 13% Luo, 12% Kisii, 11% Kamba,
6% Kalenjin, 6% Meru, 16% other
Languages: English, Swahili, indigenous.
Religion: 40% Protestant, 36% Roman Catholic, 16% Muslim,
6% Animist
Government: Republic (multiparty state)
President: MWAI KIBAKI
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GDP: US$42.4 billion
GDP per head: US$1525
Annual growth: 1.6%
Inflation: 2.5%
Major industries: Small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture,
batteries, soap, textiles, cigarettes, flour), agricultural
processing, oil refining, cement,tourism
Major trading partners: Uganda, Tanzania, UK, Germany, UAE,
South Africa
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Facts for the Traveler
Visas: All visitors require a visa except citizens of some
Commonwealth countries and citizens of selected countries
such as Denmark, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Italy,
Norway, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. Apply well in advance
for your visa - especially if doing it by mail.
Health risks: Malaria (except in Nairobi and high-altitude
areas),cholera, hepatitis, meningitis, mugging, typhoid, schistosomisis,
HIV, Rift Valley fever and yellow fever.
Time: GMT/UTC plus three hours
Electricity: 240V Weights & measures: Metric
Tourism: About 700,000 visitors per year
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When to Go
The main tourist season is in January and February, since
the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally considered
to be the most pleasant. It's also when Kenya's birdlife flocks
to the Rift Valley Lakes in the greatest numbers.
June to September could be called the 'shoulder season' as
the weather is still dry. The rains hit from March to May
(and to a lesser extent from October to December). During
these months things are much quieter - places tend to have
rooms available and prices drop. The rains generally don't
affect travelers' ability to get around.
The most budget season in Both Kenya and Tanzania is April
to June. The hotels and Lodges are charged very low and thus
the safari is affordable to many.
October to March is the high season and the safari packages
are abit high due to the high charges in lodges and Hotels.
December is the peak season and bookings should be done early
enough.
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Events
Kenya's most spectacular annual event is organised by an
unlikely group - wildebeests. Literally millions of these
ungainly antelopes move en masse in July and August from the
Serengeti in search of lush grass. They head south again around
October. The best place to see this phenomenon is at the Masai
Mara National Reserve. Kenya's more orthodox annual events
include public holidays such as Kenyatta Day (20 October),
Independence Day (12 December) and Labour day (1 May) .
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Location Filming in Kenya
Kenya is a microcosm of literally any landform known in the
world. The country can boast a long and illustrious history
of film making dating back in 1920s and 30s. What is surprising
is that, in this land of extra ordinary beauty, every single
day throughout the year a film is been shot somewhere. It
seems that there is also a room still for stars in Kenya's
galaxy. Commercial wildlife films and documentaries make up
the bulk of film footage shot in Kenya, largely because the
wildlife is so accessible.
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The reason to why Kenya excels as a film location is the
fact that, it has without doubt the widest variety of beautiful
landscapes ranging from snow caped peaks of Mt Kenya to the
golden tropical beaches of Indian Ocean and in between the
ear popping range in altitude. The landscape offers practically
every type of scenery to be found on the glittering stage
of the African continent; arid and semiarid deserts, mountains,
vast lakes of rich savanna grasslands, open and crossed forests,
mist highlands, enormous rivers, and splitting the whole garden
in to two is the breath taking gender of the Great rift valley.
Which are nothing if not the original wide mice en seen it.
With the variety of terrain comes plethora of wildlife and
birds,but for sheer spectacle and drama, it's Kenya's untamed,
Third world ness that makes it so phonetic. It is a fact that
film producers can come and find "unique" and "real"
Africa, a landscape and people unchanged by time and in many
areas, unspoilt by progress. This makes Kenya such a historically
successful location for beautiful and memorable films.
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In spite of the third world status, Kenya has developed
over its long cinematic history very fast. With world expertise,
ground support, trained and skillful local crews, modern equipments
and a passionate core of film consultants whose experience
when pooled can solve just about any problem, which is good
because, by definition, film making is problematic. Again,
when you combine together all the exotic ingredients of a
tropical, third world film set, dust, heat, rain, wild animals,
insects, sunburn and the potential for hitches behind the
glorious canvas that make up Kenya on location are legions.
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Kenya's diverse scenery have has formed the backdrop of
some of the world renown movies such as Out of Africa, tomb
raider II, Survivor III and the most recently, the academy
award-winning Nowhere in Africa. Kenya has competent personnel,
well versed in location filming to offer valuable support
in maximizing the benefits of the country's rich natural and
diverse location.
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The communication network has been developed, liberalized
and robust financial sector in addition to the cultural, artistic
and tourism industry complimented by the renowned friendliness
of people spread across 42 tribes. The government is also
committed to the continued enhancement within which the film
industry can-and -does flourish.
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Njewa Safaris Tours, Travel and Car Hire Ltd "The Safari
World" invites the filmmakers and visitors to the premier
location of choice.
We are here to provide all the necessary assistance as you
come to accomplish your missions.
Karibu Africa!!! Welcome Africa!!! Africa Hakuna Matata!!!
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