Cheap flights to Kenya

• British Airways
• Kenya Airways
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Egypt Air
• Turkish Airlines
• Emirates

Flight durations are dependent upon variables such as the route opted for, time spent at stopovers and the like. Here is a general idea of how long it typically takes for the airlines to reach their target destinations.

• British Airways operate flights from Heathrow to Kenya via Lagos and Accra which touches down on the Kenyan soil after 11 to 13 hours.
• Like Kenya Airways, KLM also operates Birmingham to Mombasa flights, involving two stopovers and covering the distance well within 13 hours 15 minutes.
• Manchester to Mombasa flights with Turkish Airlines surprisingly takes less time than that one-stop trip with Lufthansa. Turkish Airlines complete the journey roughly within 13 hours and 35 minutes via Istanbul.
• RawadAir, Royal Air Moroc and Turkish Airlines provide a route to Nairobi via their respective hubs from London Heathrow Airport. These flights reach their destinations in about 13 to 14 hours.

There are direct flights operating from Nairobi to London and back by Kenya Airlines and British Airways. These flights last for only 8 hours and 40 minutes, making it the fastest possible way to jump between these two cities.

The best time to visit Kenya is from August to June. Kenya is among those fortunate countries that have almost constant temperatures throughout the year. The highest temperatures barely move outside the 21°C to 25°C range. The only exception is the month of July which is not only wetter but also drags the average temperatures below 17°C, which is not too bad though. So, you can more or less plan a trip to Kenya any time of the year, and it would be great weather wise. A clear sky means loyalty towards schedule and those local festivals you are so much looking forward to are not going to be interrupted by an unexpected downpour.

Cheapest time to visit Kenya is at the beginning of the rainy season in March, April and May. The number of travellers booking flights to Kenya is relatively low. This is the reason tickets are way cheaper than other months of the year. Hotels and Inn provide better deals, as well as rooms, are empty and only occupied rooms give profit to these businesses. As the rainy season is about to begin, the humidity is low, making the air fresh and dry. The atmosphere is much more pleasant in these months, as compared to August when the humidity is above 70%. Crisp air and open skies are yet another advantage of coming to Kenya in the spring.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) serves the city of Nairobi and is the seventh busiest international airport on the African continent. The airport is only 15 kilometres from the city centre of Nairobi and last year was host to 7 million passengers. The A109 highway connects the airport to the rest of the city. The traveller can hop onto Bus number 34 to get a cheap ride to the town.

Eldoret International Airport (EDL) is how Kenyans living in the midwest of the country reach their international destinations. Eldoret airport as the name suggests lies in the city of Eldoret. The passenger throughput of the airport is low, only about a 100,000. The airport is only 17 kilometres from the city centre and quiet near to the Ugandan border.

Kisumu International Airport (KIS) is an international airport only in name. The international flights that land at the airport usually first go to Nairobi or Mombasa. The passenger traffic that the airport faces is about 250,000 annually, making it the third busiest airport in the country.

Moi International Airport (MBA) is located in Mombasa, and it is the second busiest airport in Kenya. The airport served 1.3 million passengers in 2017. The airport is only 15 kilometres from Mombasa city centre, which is a mere 20-minute ride by car.

A British passport holder requires a visa to enter Kenya. There are two ways of getting your visa: from the airport upon arrival and by applying for it at the Kenyan High Commission. It is better to get the visa before you travel because often the lines of foreigners are endless at the airport. Please make sure that your passport is valid up to six months on the entry in Kenya. Single entry visas can also be applied at the following website.

What’s the most remarkable thing you see when sightseeing in Kenya? This phrase ‘most remarkable’ occurs time and time again during the entire transit across this jumble of lakes, mountains and safari scapes. The landmarks in Kenya are not made of concrete; instead, they are full of life, warm and awe-inspiring.

• Masai Mara National Reserve is by far the best Kenya has to offer but is also a bit far from the capital Nairobi. However distance is futile for safari lovers. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the largest game reserves in Kenya and is twinned by the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The Maasai Mara is famous for the Serengeti Migration that remains in the park’s territory in July till October. Safari goers can witness the great circle of life with hippopotami, hyenas, cheetahs, antelope and the wildebeests completing a great ecology.
• Lake Nakuru is also located in the southwestern corner of Kenya and is surrounded by Nakuru National Park that protects the animals and plants that depend on the lake’s waters for nutrition. The legions of flamingo that dance-walk on the shores of the lake feed of the algae that thrive in the warm alkaline waters of Lake Nakuru. The Lake is about 150 kilometres from Nairobi and therefore can be visited when the traveller intends to explore the Maasai Mara Triangle, which is not far from the lake. Rhinos, ducks, baboons and giraffes are abundant in the area and often provide great selfie opportunities.
• Mount Longonot is famous for its trails and attracts British expeditions to hike on the mountain. Longonot is a volcano, which has not erupted since the 1830s. The jagged edges of the hill and the rich fertile soils around this docile volcano has bred a habitat of an array of birds that take refuge in the crevasses of the mountain, as well as zebras, giraffe, buffaloes and gazelles. The ever elusive African Leopard is also known to call the thick forests around the crater its home. The 3-kilometre trail takes you up high at the edge of the crater, where the flattened solidified lava has now covered with thick green shrubbery.

There are many festivals in Kenya celebrating the cultures of more than seventy different tribes. The country has been exposed to cultures from the Middle East and the rest of Africa. Although every day is a festive day in Kenya, the ones mentioned here gain most traction with foreign tourists. The year starts with the Safari Rally held in March. This Safari Rally rally is known to be the toughest in the entire world, and often racers think of it as three rallies in one. The race track is challenging because of the sharp rocks and unpredictable weather conditions of the road. The Lake Turkana festival is held in May and is a festival that brings all the diverse tribes of Kenya to promote peaceful co-existence. The festival features traditional dances and the opportunity to taste the different foods from the tribes living around the Lake Turkana region. November brings two amazing festivals: the Lamu Cultural festival and the Mombasa Carnival. The Lamu Cultural Festival is the festival of the Swahili. The celebrations involve the painting of henna on hands and arms, reciting poetry to loved ones, new flavours of the Swahili dishes and wedding ceremonies. Kenya shines on and enjoys the Mombasa Carnival. Mombasa being the cultural capital of Kenya brings out floats upon floats of dances representing the different tribes of the country.

Kenya’s main urban cities are connected by highways, which sometimes can become very potholed and dusty, never the less the buses do manage to take you from destination to destination. Travelling within the city is usually done by the matatu – extremely colourful zigzagging vans. The matatu can be a bit overcrowded and in rush hours can be stuffed with two dozen people, but they are now never overbooked, thanks to the government’s recent actions. Alternatively, there are car rental services all over Kenya that offer a fully functional vehicle for a price. Hired cars can be a bit more expensive but provide a more comfortable travelling experience.

Accommodation naturally becomes the first of concern and should you find yourself travelling without being sponsored by any friend or family, press your luck for short-term rentals, bread & breakfasts, hostels or inexpensive apartments. Leading names among Kenya’s hospitality industry are:

• Nairobi Serena Hotel
• Intercontinental Hotel
• Fairmont Norfolk Hotel
• Nairobi Safari club
• Best Western Plus Meridian Hotel