Dream Interpretation Udilova 

Kenya is the language of the country. Kenyan culture. Useful information for tourists

To get acquainted with how the ancient culture of Swahili developed, a tourist should go to the east of the state, or rather, to the coast of the Indian Ocean. On the coast, or rather along the coast, you can see the cities that have been preserved since ancient times. Lamu and Pate, these are the most ancient of all the cities that are there. The culture of Kenya is very interesting and unique.

The mysterious culture of Kenya

To find out what is really culture of kenya you should definitely come here. To know, to see with your own eyes, to walk around the ancient ruins of Arab and Swahili bastions, here you can also see mosques and Indian temples, cannons and forts. All this is not easy culture, it's all unique.

Religion in Kenya

As the statistics say, religion of kenya divided into several faiths. Protestants - 38 percent. Catholics - 29 percent, pagans - 20 percent, Muslims - 7 percent. Interestingly, the state has the largest number of Quakers in the world. To be precise, there are 133,000 of them.

Economy of Kenya

For today, Kenya it is a regional center not only for trade, but also for Africa's finances. More than 75 percent of those employed in agriculture are corn, tea, coffee, and cereals. 16 percent work in the industry, they make batteries, fabrics, soap, and cigarettes. So economy of kenya feels great.

Science of Kenya

It is very important that Science Kenya progresses every day. Kenya has by far the highest literacy rate. The first school to open in Kenya was founded in 1846. And after Kenya gained independence, education in primary schools became free.

Art of Kenya

The culture of Kenya is so diverse and at the same time different from neighboring countries. For example, in Kenya they do not carve masks for ritual dances, they just paint the face. There are quite a lot of sculptors in Kenya, because art of kenya can be called carving figures of animals and people. The most famous sculptor is S. Vanzhau. Because Geography of Kenya diverse and immense, here you can find many people who will not only tell, but also show you how to make figurines, techniques and much more.

Cuisine of Kenya

When you arrive in another state, you are always interested in what kind of food they have and how it is prepared. So here it is Kenyan cuisine was formed under the onslaught of European as well as Asian emigrants. Locals eat seafood, meat, it can be beef, pork, chicken (kuku is the name of chicken meat) and even goat meat. If you order a side dish, then it can be a variety of cereals, potatoes, beans and much more. Vegetables are also consumed by the locals in their diet.

Customs and Traditions of Kenya

If you are interested in Kenya, then, of course, you will be very interested to know not only what the locals eat, but also customs and traditions of Kenya. Many tribes live here, but an important custom for each tribe is the wedding ceremony. The hands and feet of the bride are covered with patterns, the paint for drawing is henna. The wife must wear these patterns for at least a year, this is necessary in order for her to confirm her marriage status.

Sports of Kenya

It seems to many that there are very few athletes in Kenya, but this is far from the case. It turns out that Sports Kenya is developing well and even in 2008, at the Olympic Games, medals were won - 6 gold, 4 - silver and 4 - bronze. Also, one of the most popular and growing sports in Kenya is rugby.

Chapter 1. Early Forms of Religions in Kenya

There are forty regional ethnic communities in Kenya, speaking eighty dialects. The religions of these peoples are also different, many profess traditional beliefs, while others also world religions.

1.1. Fetishism

The earliest forms of traditional African religions were fetishism, that is, the veneration of objects endowed with supernatural power, totemism, the veneration of the mythical ancestors of a clan or tribe, and animism, that is, belief in souls and spirits. They are found in the religious ideas of all peoples of the world in the early stages of human history.

Fetishism in Kenya is widespread in the form of a cult of deified material objects - from wooden tables, bars, shells, stones, trees, rocks to traditional African art (statues and figurines of people and animals, various decorations, masks, drums), all kinds of talismans and amulets ( objects that protect against illness, misfortune and bring good luck). Fetishistic ideas were often intertwined with animistic ones, and it is therefore difficult to separate one from the other.

1.2. Animism

Animism in the country is common among 10% of the total population.

Animism - the belief in the animation of objects - is an integral part of every ancient culture. At the dawn of mankind, the presence of the soul was attributed to the sky and the sun, the rainbow and the lightning; natural phenomena - thunder and lightning, rain and hail; the surrounding nature - the sea, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, springs and streams, mountains, hills, rocks, caves and individual stones, forests, groves, trees, etc.

The spirits of nature were considered patrons of individual families, clans, communities and villages, and later, as society developed and statehood was established, patrons of tribes, tribal associations, and royal dynasties. All spirits had their own names. Some spirits were more significant, others were less important, "local". The former sometimes acted as the main, supreme deities. For example, the Masai (Kenya and Tanzania) and the Kikuyu (Kenya and Tanzania) have Ngai, the god of the sky and thunder.

Both the main and the “local” spirits (gods) were honored and sacrificed, ritual huts and temples were built. Sanctuaries, objects of worship could be sacred pillars made of wood or stone, individual trees, glades, reservoirs, sections of the river, etc. Many spirits had their own priests or priestesses, sorcerers, soothsayers and healers who acted as intermediaries between them and their admirers .

Animism is still found among the villagers, although many consider themselves Christians or Muslims.

1.3. Magic

In traditional African religions, representations and rituals have always played a huge role, based on the belief in the possibility of influencing people, objects and phenomena of the objective world in a supernatural way. Witchcraft, witchcraft, prophecy (soothsaying, clairvoyance), divination, healing (quackery) can be attributed to magical methods and means.

Around magic, its origin and place in religion, there have been disputes for decades in domestic and foreign science, in religious literature. They continue today. Although it is already obvious that the arsenal of magicians includes the intuitive or conscious use of hypnosis, telepathy, and the not yet fully understood psychic abilities of a person.

Kenyans, who believe in magic, are convinced that some people, their speech, movements and thoughts, and even some objects, are endowed with supernatural properties. These special people with magical abilities live in an atmosphere of mysticism, they are able to put themselves and others into a state of trance. The power of their influence on believers is enormous.

Such people in pre-colonial and colonial Africa were the ministers of traditional cults. Some of them occupied a high social position and formed a special group. It consisted primarily of leaders and rulers, performing the functions of high priests. They were joined by priests-prophets (soothsayers). It was believed that they, like the "kings-priests", are endowed with the gift of clairvoyance, inherited. Formally, the priest-prophets were supposed to lead only the religious life of their people; in fact, among many peoples (Masai, Suba, Turkana, etc.), they were unofficial, but generally recognized political rulers.

Becoming a priest-diviner was not easy if the applicant did not have hereditary abilities for magic. It was necessary to go through a thorough selection and a serious two or three years of training. High priests and priests of temples (sanctuaries) of the most revered deities and spirits were very prominent figures. Priests possessed significant fortunes. They received numerous offerings and generous gifts from the population. Various ritual ceremonies and rituals that they led also brought income.

Another layer was formed by clergymen who were not directly connected with the authorities, and those who, for various reasons, sometimes concealed their involvement in magic - sorcerers, sorcerers, fortune-tellers, healers.

For society, sorcerers and sorcerers were and still remain a kind of embodiment and conductors of evil, evil forces. Ideas about the capabilities of sorcerers and sorcerers are different for different peoples. However, it is generally accepted that the sorcerer, being dangerous to others and even to relatives and friends, acts unconsciously, due to the peculiarities of his psyche and, as it were, under the influence of supernatural forces. Unlike the sorcerer, the sorcerer, who also personifies the evil inclination in many traditional African religions, acts in a directed way: in order to achieve the goal, he resorts to magic, uses harmful potions and berries. Accordingly, the attitude towards sorcerers and sorcerers was built. The former were tried to be avoided, and were pursued and punished only when they became active. Vedunov, on the other hand, were usually not spared, they were subjected to the most severe punishments: they were burned alive, impaled, stoned to death. True, in those cases when the threat came from foreign sorcerers (from another village, district, etc.), they turned to their own for help. So the traditional society tried to protect itself from the interference of dark forces.

The Luo people called sorcerers lu-joki (singular - la-jok) and divided into three categories: tal - "one who dances at night"; obiba or aquata - "a close friend of the kite"; yir - "evil eye". Most often, men were suspected of witchcraft, and it was believed that they inherit witchcraft qualities from the paternal side, as well as physical signs or character traits. The Luo are told that a sorcerer father would sometimes deliberately "breathe sorcerous power" into his son. However, in some African countries, especially in the past, witchcraft and witchcraft were also practiced by women.

Belief in witchcraft and witchcraft in Africa is not something unique, inherent only to the peoples of this continent. Researchers have repeatedly drawn attention to the similarity of African ideas about witchcraft with what Europeans call fate or fate.

In the worldview of many Africans, any unpredictable phenomena - the sudden death of a person from an accident, natural disasters, the death of a crop - received their deep explanation.

There are villages and entire regions where they still fight against witchcraft and witchcraft - both alone and with the whole world: they wear amulets, consecrated magic weapons, resort to spells, observe the prohibitions prescribed by fortunetellers and soothsayers, sprinkle possible places of appearance with sacrificial blood sorcerers and sorcerers. It is difficult to defeat them, because, according to popular beliefs, they can become invisible, fly, move with their heels forward and head down. Therefore, to fight against sorcerers and sorcerers, professionals like them are often involved, in particular, fortunetellers who conduct ritual “interrogations of the corpse” of the victim of witchcraft.

All the inhabitants of the village converge on the square. Relatives of the deceased - as everyone believes, someone killed by someone - carry out on a stretcher his remains or a bun of hair symbolically replacing them, personal belongings of the deceased, etc. Calling on the corpse, the fortuneteller conjures the soul of the deceased to indicate the killer: “This, this or this? ". For a while, the stretcher with the body in the hands of men remains motionless and suddenly leans forward: the culprit has been found. It is useless to deny it, otherwise the most severe trials await him: a poisonous infusion or poisonous juice poured into his eyes, or maybe boiling oil, where they will force him to lower his hand. Then, a painful death or expulsion from the community is possible, which is tantamount to moral death.

But more often, the convicted person simply asked for forgiveness from the deceased and paid monetary compensation to his family. They brought the deceased a collective sacrifice - a bull, and everyone put up.

1.4. totemism

Totemism is another ancient form of traditional African religions, particularly prevalent in Kenya. Totem (a term borrowed from the language of one of the North American tribes) is a species of animal or plant that is a symbolic patron, and at a later stage - the progenitor of a group of blood relatives. Totems personified the connection of man with wildlife. Their meaning is well expressed by African sayings: "The animal and man are twins", "Behind every person is a totem."

A special relationship to various wild and domestic animals is associated with totemic representations. Serpents, including poisonous snakes, to which supernatural power has long been attributed, are still deeply revered among some peoples today. Therefore, snakes are declared inviolable.

Traces of totemism appear in the bygone or still surviving generic names. Myths about ancestors are associated with totemism, in which images of a half-tree-half-man or half-animal-half-man appear.

Features of totemism are found in the preserved rock art (images of people with the heads of fantastic animals, etc. in ritual games and ceremonies.

1.5. ancestor cult

Kenya is a magical place where primeval nature and seaside resorts are wonderfully harmoniously intertwined. If you still doubt whether it is worth buying a tour to this country, here are a few facts that will allow you to make a faster decision.

Coming to Kenya, you step on the land where human civilization was born (yes, we are talking about the Homo sapiens who was born in these open spaces). No matter how funny it may sound, Kenya is the navel of the earth, and all because that the equator line runs through the territory of the state.

Kenya is famous for its national parks and for good reason, because on their territory there is the very “African Big Five”, namely: elephant, lion, rhinoceros, leopard and buffalo. If you are fond of diving, then in Kenya there is an opportunity to dive to the coral reefs in the Watamu reserve, which is simply teeming with the exotic Indian Ocean.

The origin of the state and its name

The origin of the name of this country is associated with the name of the mountain, which the local tribes call "Ke-niya", which means "White Mountain". This mountain, by the way, is considered sacred. Kenya was a British colony for a long time and gained independence in 1963.

Geographic location

Kenya borders Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, Uganda and South Sudan to the west, and Tanzania to the southwest. From the southeast, the country is washed by the Indian Ocean. The total area of ​​Kenya is 582,650 sq. km. The equator runs almost through the center of the state.

Climate

Due to the fact that Kenya is close to the equator, the weather conditions here are appropriate. In areas that are further from the coast, the temperature does not change much and is +23 degrees.

Seasonality is pronounced on the coast, the air temperature here reaches +26 degrees. In the period from April to May, showers often occur in the coastal part of the state.

Population

According to an estimate for 2016, the population of Kenya was 46 million people. The national composition of the state:

  • Kikuyu - 22%;
  • Luhya - 14%;
  • Kisii - 6%;
  • Kamba - 11%;
  • Other Africans, 15%;
  • Kalengin - 12%;
  • Meru - 6%;
  • Non-Africans - 1%.

State-political structure

According to the form of government, Kenya is a unitary republic of the presidential type. The basic law of the state is the Constitution (adopted in 2010). The legislative body of the state is the unicameral National Assembly.

As for the main institutions in Kenya, they were formed here in the early years when the state gained its independence. In the late 90s and early 2000s, large-scale liberal democratic transformations took place in Kenya, during which it was decided to fence off political activity from the armed forces and introduce a multi-party system in the country, as well as increase the role of the legislative authorities.

Currency

The national currency of Kenya is the Kenyan shilling.

Religion, culture and customs

In Kenya, 45% of the population adhere to Protestantism, 33% are Muslims, and 10% are adherents of aboriginal cults. Most of the locals are Christians.

Kenyans can be described as a very friendly and sociable people. Once in this country, you will feel the friendly and benevolent views. However, in order not to inadvertently violate the cultural foundations of local residents, as well as for their own safety, tourists should follow certain rules.

  • Fourth, you need to be vigilant, as pickpocketing often occurs in the country. Do not carry large sums of money with you and go for a walk at a late time.
  • Secondly, if you are not accompanied by a guide, then it is strictly forbidden to enter the dwellings of the locals.
  • First, do not take pictures of local residents without their permission. There is also a ban on photography in the central square in Nairobi.
  • Thirdly, if you are going on a safari, for your own safety, you should not get out of the car without the permission of the escort. Also, do not feed the animals, otherwise it may cost you a certain amount, since in national parks this action entails a fine.
  • Fifthly, special attention should be paid to your wardrobe, especially for the fair sex. Women should not expose their bodies too much (this rule does not apply to places like the beach).

National cuisine

If we talk about the quality of food in the country, then here it is excellent. Local fruits and vegetables are very different in taste from those sold in European countries.

The main products in Kenya are rice, chicken, beef, goat or maize. In some restaurants, you can find such a product as spinach or even sukumaviki. If you wish, you can find unusual food here, for example, meat of a zebra, ostrich, warthog, giraffe or crocodile.

If you want to drink something strong in the country, then it will cost you a pretty penny, since such drinks are imported here from abroad, so their cost is quite high. You should definitely try a local drink called chang "aa, which includes maize and sugar. They say that this drink is strong to death. More palatable is pombe beer, which is brewed from sugar, millet or bananas.

Beautiful white beaches and a long coral reef, savannas with wild animals, snow-covered peaks, desert and small jungle - all this attracts tourists from all over the world to Kenya and makes Kenya one of the most colorful countries in Africa.

Kenya is world famous for its protected areas.

Kenya is a paradise for ecotourism lovers. The country's landscapes range from arid coastal plains to forested highlands. The ancient Rift Valley crosses the western part of Kenya. In its vicinity there are snow-capped peaks of extinct and dormant volcanoes and numerous salt and fresh lakes with rich flora and fauna. Along the east coast of Kenya stretch sandy beaches, which are surrounded by colorful coral reefs.

Kenya - may be of interest to any traveler. There are many different landscapes and cultures intertwined here, there are many picturesque lakes, including Lake Victoria in western Kenya and the sacred lake of the Maasai - Naivasha, there are twenty national parks, where all the exclusive "Big Five" African animals are represented - elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo and rhinoceros. The largest national park is Tsavo, and the most famous is Massai Mara, where in July and August you can admire a breathtaking view of the skyline, which is simply dotted with hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes and empalas. You can feel like in paradise and enjoy the warm emerald water on the coast of the Indian Ocean, where there is a developed infrastructure.

Geography

Kenya is a country in East Africa. It borders Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. From the southeast it is washed by the Indian Ocean. The equator runs through the center of the country, dividing it into two almost equal parts. In the east, the country is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean, in the southeast it is bounded by Lake Victoria. The total length of the border is 3,446 km, the length of the coastline is 536 km. Total area 582,600 km2 (land area - 569,250 km2). The coastal zone of the plains gradually rises and turns into a vast desert plateau. Kenya occupies the northeastern part of the East African Plateau. In the center are separate mountain ranges with the country's highest point - Mount Kenya (5,199 m). To the west is the East African Rift Zone. Main rivers: Tana (Ozi) and Gala-na. On the territory of the country there is Lake Rudolph and partly Lake Victoria. Main minerals: gold, barites, rubies, limestone.

Time

Time in Kenya in winter coincides with Moscow, and in summer it is 1 hour behind, which greatly facilitates acclimatization.

Climate

The climate in Kenya is varied, as are its landscapes.

In the central part of the country (where most of the national parks are located) the climate is very even without large seasonal fluctuations of 21-26°C all year round. There is neither heat nor cold here. By some estimates, it has the best climate in the world. On the coast of the ocean, the temperature stays even all year round - 27-31 degrees, the climate is more humid than on the continental part of the country. The seasons differ in the duration of precipitation, not in temperature changes. The amount of precipitation per year varies from 12.7 in the dry regions of the northern plains to 101.6 in the coastal and mountain regions and 177.8 cm in the Lake Victoria region. There are two rainy seasons: " large" in April-June, and "small" in November, however, in Kenya there are practically no long, prolonged showers. During these periods, as a rule, it rains at night, while in the daytime their duration does not exceed 1 hour.

It is humid in the coastal zone, hot and dry in the inland regions, as well as on the northern plains, fresh and cool in the mountainous regions. Despite the fact that Kenya is located on the equator, the peaks of Mt. Kenya is constantly covered with snow. The average temperature of coastal areas is about 27, in the capital Nairobi 20, in the area of ​​dry plains - from 21 to 27 °C.

Language

The official language of Kenya is English. Of the local languages, Swahili is the most widely spoken.

The Gregorian calendar is used.

Religion

Officially, Kenya is a secular republic, the state religion is not established. Officially, 38% of the population consider themselves Protestants, 28% - Catholics, 10% - Muslims, but in reality, up to 50% of the population still profess traditional local beliefs.

Population

The population is 36 million (2010 estimate). The ethnic composition of the population: 98.6% of Africans - about 21% are Kikuyu, 14% - Luhya, 12% - Luo, 11% each - Kamba and Kalenjin, 5% - Meru. There are also Indians, Europeans, Arabs.

More than 60% of the inhabitants are Christians, 25% are pagans, religious minorities are Jews, Hindus and Muslims. The average life expectancy is 58 years.

Electricity

In Kenya, the voltage is 240V, the sockets are of the English standard, if the plugs do not match, there are adapters in the reception and accommodation service. In the lodges, electricity is received from a thermogenerator and turned off at night - there are candles in the rooms, but the lodges are everywhere switching to energy from solar panels.

Emergency Phones

Kenya code - 8-10-254, Nairobi - 2, Mombasa - 11, Kisumu - 35, Nakuru -37.

Ambulance, police, fire department - 999.

Connection

call center system, blue devices). The only place where you can directly call abroad is the Central Call Center of the capital. You can use the services of the operator system (number 0196, they speak English) or call directly from the hotel (the tariff is almost 2 times higher). In order to make a call to the country, you need to dial 8 - dial tone - 10 - 254 (international code of Kenya) - area code - number of the called subscriber. Communications are rather poorly developed. There are payphones only in large cities, and they work both with coins (red devices) and using telephone cards (sold at post offices and international

Cellular communication uses the GSM-900 standard. The coverage in cities is quite dense, in the provinces cellular communication is rather unstable. Local SIM cards can be purchased at KenCell and Safaricom offices.

Roaming is available to subscribers of major Russian operators.

Currency exchange

The Kenyan shilling (KES), equal to 100 cents, is the monetary unit of Kenya. There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 shillings.

Visa or Mastercards credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Checks are also recommended, the use of which can be very practical on a safari sector. However, in private shops and stores, checks are accepted with great difficulty.

It is best to change currency at the airport and in banks, and you need to take a certificate - without it, the return exchange will be impossible. Banks are open from 9:00 to 14:00 from Monday to Friday and from 9:00 to 11:00 every first and last Saturday of the month. Banks at the airport are open around the clock. At official currency exchange points, you need to show your passport.

Some major stores in Nairobi and Mombasa accept major international credit cards. Traveler's checks can be cashed at bank branches. It is unrealistic to pay with electronic money in the interior regions of the country.

It is not worth changing all the money immediately upon arrival: for many services, foreigners prefer to take dollars exactly (car rental, tickets to parks, entertainment, flights on airplanes and balloons, payment for hotels).

Visa

Russian citizens need a visa to visit Kenya. It is possible to obtain a visa both at the consulate of the country, and directly at the entrance.

You can get a visa for up to 3 months directly at the point of arrival in Kenya by presenting a valid passport and paying a fee.

All travelers must have return tickets and proof of sufficient funds for the entire stay in the country, but not less than 500 US dollars.

In practice, the availability of funds and return tickets is rarely checked.

Customs regulations

Import and export of national and foreign currencies is not limited, a declaration is required.

Persons over the age of 16 are allowed duty free import of:

up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 gr. tobacco, 1 bottle of alcoholic beverages, up to 568 ml. spirits.

Firearms and ammunition are imported only with the permission of local authorities. The import of fruits and plants is prohibited.

Holidays and non-working days

There are also holidays with an unfixed date: Good Friday, Easter Monday and Muslim holidays - the end of Ramadan (Eidul-Fitr), the birthday of the Prophet, New Year

Transport

Rail transport in Kenya:

The railway network links Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Nanyuki, Malindi, Lamu, Taweta, Amboseli National Parks, Masai Mara and Samburu. Trains usually depart in the evening and arrive at their destination the next morning, often running behind schedule. At the same time, most of the rolling stock is modern and comfortable, with bars and restaurants. There are three classes in local trains - the first is distinguished by the highest level of amenities and double compartments. The second class is approximately equal to our compartment car, and the third corresponds to our "reserved seat".

Sleeping compartments in first and second class carriages are best booked in advance. Children under the age of 3 travel free of charge, from 3 to 15 years - 50% of the cost of an adult ticket.

Water transport in Kenya:

Ferries run regularly between Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu, as well as on the lakes. In addition, in these ports you can hire one of the traditional Kenyan dhow sailing boats plying the coastal zone, remembering to stock up on food and drinking water before sailing.

Bus service:

Nairobi and Mombasa have fairly developed internal bus transport systems. Tickets are valid for a one-way trip and are sold by conductors. For a trip over short distances, you can use matatu minibuses for 12-25 seats. True, they, like all urban transport, are often overloaded and travel at a completely crazy pace, so they should be used carefully.

Taxi:

There are taxis owned by large companies (Kenatco, Dial a Cab and Jatco), as well as small transport companies or private carriers. The most reliable cars of large companies. The fare must be agreed in advance, before boarding the car. Many drivers also expect a tip of 10%. Catching a taxi on the street is not recommended, as there is a high risk of fraud - it is better to order a car by phone from the hotel. For a fee, taxi drivers often also provide the services of a guide or security guard.

Kenya transport rental:

The country's international airports have offices of major international car rental companies. They can rent a car on general terms. Many local companies offer car rentals, but rental rates are usually quite high, and many companies limit or charge high mileage. Foreigners are advised to rent a car with a local driver, which is not much more expensive, but removes a lot of minor problems. Most companies provide only four-wheel drive vehicles for travel to the hinterland, which, although noticeably more expensive, is not without meaning - local roads are mostly of terrible quality (out of 63.9 thousand km of roads in the country, only 7.7 thousand km are asphalted .).

Tips

Tipping is best done in local currency. Tipping is given in local currency, which is approximately 10 percent of the total cost of the service. The porter is supposed to give the amount equivalent to 1 USD; maid - about the same, but every day.

In restaurants, tips are usually 10% of the total cost of the order and are usually already included in the bill. If the tip is not included in the bill, then you can leave up to 20 shillings. If you decide to go on a safari, remember that during this trip the tip is the equivalent of 5 US dollars.

The shops

Shops are open on weekdays from 8:30 to 17:30 with a lunch break from 12:30 to 14:00. On Saturdays they are open from 8:30 to 12:30. Large supermarkets are open all week from 9:00 to 20:00. As for tourist shops, they tend to work without breaks and close late in the evening. On the streets of the cities there are many small shops and souvenir shops, where, like in the markets, you can bargain. The assortment of all souvenir shops is huge and absolutely the same anywhere in the country: these are masks, figurines, figurines, batik, calabashes (vessels made of hollowed out pumpkins), spears, drums, leather goods, wickerwork. In the "duty free" you can buy local tea and coffee in beautiful, original packaging.

The most profitable purchases are from merchants at random stops or at the Nairobi market. In large roadside shops and shops where tourist buses stop, prices for the same souvenirs are much higher (by the way, guides are usually vitally interested in tourists shopping in such places). The hotel shops are also overpriced.

In general, Kenya is considered a fairly “expensive” country: imported goods are subject to high import duties, so their prices are impressive. There is no tax free system.

National cuisine

Kenyan cuisine is a kind of "mix" of African, Indian and European culinary achievements. The national cuisine is rather peculiar, and is built on the wide use of inexpensive products in combination with what can be found in the savannah. In addition to beef and pork (which are traditionally expensive in Kenya), the meat of wild animals and birds is widely used. Tourists are usually tried to surprise with various exotics - antelope fillet, stewed elephant, crocodile meat with banana salad, fried side of a warthog, roast ostrich with fruit sauce, fried termites or locusts, buffalo meat steak, etc. The garnish is usually corn, beans and rice.

Seafood is widely used on the coast. Here you should appreciate the tortoise stew, octopus stew, char-grilled trout and Nile perch, char-grilled fish in banana leaves, various crustaceans, oysters and seaweed salad. All restaurants offer a large selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. The table is usually served with fresh juice with ice, tea (it is usually brewed here "in English" - with milk and sugar) and coffee of fairly good quality.

Locally produced alcohol ("changa") has a rather specific taste and is not popular with tourists. The only exceptions are, perhaps, the local beer "Tasker", "White Cap" and honey beer "uki", as well as cane gin "Kenya Kane" and coffee liqueur "Kenya Gold". But in any hotel you can buy imported alcoholic drinks.

Attractions

One of the most colorful countries in Africa, Kenya has a number of undoubted advantages - a unique fault zone gives the country's landscape a special variety, an unusual combination of equatorial climate and altitudinal zonality - rather pleasant climatic conditions, and the richest fauna and the long ocean coast make the country one of the best tourist destinations. objects of the continent.

The sights of the capital of Kenya - Nairobi include the Clock Tower in the very center of the city, the modern business center of the city, the Parliament Building with the mausoleum of the first president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta (1891-1978), the National Archives, the Indian quarter with dozens of magnificent Hindu temples, many mosques, St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, a Sikh temple, the Railway Museum and the National Museum with a sumptuous anthropological display, Snake Park serving national cuisine, and the nearby Langat Giraffe Center, Ngong Hills and Nairobi National Park.

Mombasa, the capital of Kenya until 1906, is one of the oldest cities in Africa and one of the richest ports of the Age of Discovery. Located on an island and connected to the mainland by dams, it still retains the appearance of a medieval city, in which European, Arabic, Persian and African traditions are intricately combined. The houses of the Old Town in the Arabic style, the Portuguese fortress of Fort Jesus (XVI century), the summer residence of the President of Kenya, as well as the Mzima Springs oasis are of interest here. The modern seaport at Mombasa is the second largest African port after Cape Town. But the main thing for which tourists come to Mombasa is many kilometers of beaches to the north and south of the city. Here, on the shores of the Indian Ocean, among shady palm groves, many first-class hotels and entertainment complexes have been built. The most popular beaches are near the town of Lamu, the resort areas of Kikambala and Watamu, as well as near Nyali, Malindi, Pate, Gedi, Bamburi, Shanzu, Kilifi and Mombasa.

The ancient city of Malindi is much more interesting than the capital. Here you can find the cross erected by Vasco da Gama (1498, the oldest Portuguese monument on the coast), the first church in Africa and the column of Vasco da Gama, and all the surroundings are built up with luxurious hotels. 16 km. south of Malindi lie the ruins of Gede (XIII century) - one of the most mysterious cities in Africa. The excavations uncovered the city wall, gates and towers, dwelling houses, mosques and crypts, the huge palace of the Sultan, as well as a developed system of wells and pools. It is still unknown what made people leave this once rich city, so excavations continue here.

Among natural attractions, 62 national parks with a fantastic world of wildlife stand out. A miracle of nature stretched across the country - the Great African Rift - a trace of ancient cataclysms that shook the continent in prehistoric times. But all the beauty of the luxurious African landscape is inferior to the main attraction of Kenya - wild animals.

No less interesting places are the Ngulia Canyon, the Mzima springs and the Tsavo River, on the banks of which huge flocks of birds, herds of antelope, buffalo and other animals have found shelter. A visit to the park allows you to see at once almost all the most significant objects of the animal world of East Africa.

Be sure to visit Naivasha - a beautiful freshwater lake in Kenya. It covers an area of ​​about 170 square kilometers and is surrounded by mountains, where extinct volcanoes are home to over 450 bird species.

Resorts

Kisumu- the third largest city in Kenya, it is the port of the western part of the country. The city is more like Mombasa than Nairobi, it's just as hot and humid, and the locals move just as slowly. Like any other major city, Kisumu has a variety of accommodation options to suit every budget. There are several attractions in the city, such as the market located next to the bus station, where you can buy inexpensive soapstone products. You can watch the sunset at the local natural treasure, Lake Victoria. Kisumu Port was founded in 1901 and was named Port Florence. In the 1980s, Kisumu's trade stagnated, but today trade is reviving due to oil exports.

Ferries on Lake Victoria connected the city to Mwanza, Bukoba, Port Bell and Jinja.

Before the advent of the jet era, Kisumu was the staging post for British mail planes on the Southampton - Cape Town route.

There is an airport in Kisumu, from where planes fly to Nairobi and other parts of the world every day. The administration plans to expand the airport due to increased trade turnover after the restoration of the East African Community of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Hippo Point- 600 acres of Lake Victoria. Despite its name, this place is better known as a place to watch the sunset on the lake, and not for hippos, but who's lucky. Hippo Point is located a few kilometers from the city near the village of Dunga. The village also has a fishing port and a camping site.

Kisumu Impala Game Reserve- This is one of the smallest wildlife sanctuaries in Kenya, its area is only 0.4 square miles. As the name implies, the reserve is home to herds of impala antelope, but here you can also see hippos, various reptiles and birds.

Keith Mikai- a huge rock with three peaks. It is known as the "weeping rock". It is believed that Mikai (which literally means "first wife") climbed a rock when her husband took his second wife, on top of this rock, according to legend, she still sits and cries.

Kisumu Museum- opened in 1980, has a number of open-air pavilions. For example, one of the pavilions is a chain of huge aquariums, which are home to various species of fish from Lake Malawi. Explanatory signs are located around the aquariums. Another pavilion houses a terrarium with mambas, spitting cobras, African vipers and many other venomous snakes in Kenya. In addition, the museum has other natural expositions - a bay with crocodiles and a snake moat. The rest of the pavilions display weapons, jewelry, agricultural tools made by the inhabitants of the province. The museum has a pavilion exhibiting an exposition of rock paintings, which, for safety reasons, was moved to the museum, because at the place of its discovery, pieces of rock were quickly covered with graffiti. The most important exposition of the museum, created with the help of the UNESCO Foundation, is Ber-gi-Dala, a full-scale model of the dwelling of the people from the Luo tribe. Ber-gi-dala consists of a house, a granary for storing grain, a cattle pen belonging to an imaginary man from the Luo tribe, a house for each of his three wives and an eldest son. Tablets and printed brochures will tell you about the Luo tribe, how they appeared in Kenya, traditional cultivated cultures.

Nakuru- the fourth largest city in Kenya, only slightly inferior in size to Kisumu. It is an important agricultural and trade center, a transportation hub, and is, among other things, the capital of the Rift Wali province. Unlike most settlements in Kenya, Nakuru is not inhabited by representatives of any one tribe, but by communities from various tribal groups, Swahili is widely used instead of tribal languages.

According to archaeological excavations at the Hirax Hill Reserve, the history of Nakuru dates back to ancient times.

Tourism is an important item in the budget of Nakuru and the surrounding areas. The main attractions here are Lake Nakuru and the salt lakes of the Rift Wali Valley, which are part of the Lake Nakuru National Park. This park is famous for its large colony of flamingos, which can be seen foraging in the lake. In addition, numerous other representatives of wildlife live in the park, which you can watch by going on a safari. It is in this park that your chances of seeing a real live rhino are higher than anywhere else.

Lake Nakuru National Park is small, but its fauna is quite diverse. The lake is located 10 km from the city center.

Rift Wali Sports Club is located in the city center, the most popular sport is cricket. Championships in this sport are held here all year round. Representatives of the Indian diaspora are most actively involved in such championships. There is a museum in the Hirax Hill area, which presents the findings of the latest archaeological expeditions.

The city continues to grow and has an extensive network of hotels. In 2006, Nakuru appeared in newscasts saying that the city was planned to be developed to the level of Kisumu and Mombasa in the coming years.

Nanyuki- a small city located in the northwest of Mount Kenya. The city offers the best view of the mountain, there are always a lot of climbers who are going to climb the Sirimon and Burguret routes.

There are many hotels in Nanyuki itself and in the surrounding areas. For example, Jaskaki Hotel offers you single and double rooms with private bathrooms and hot water. Cheaper, but not as good is the Jumbo House hotel.

If you have money to spare, head to the Nanyuki River Lodge Hotel located in the city center. In addition, the hotel has a swimming pool, three bars, a fitness center and a nightclub.

Nanyuki was founded by British settlers in 1907, some of their descendants still live in the area. Today, Nanyuki is the central base of the Kenyan Air Force, there is also a military base of the British, where military training and exercises are held annually.

The population of Nanyuki is 31,577 people. Most of the inhabitants live on income from trade. Initially, the shops were mostly owned by Hindus, who to this day make up a significant part of the population. There are no developed industries here, once the Nanyuki Textile Mills textile factory was located here. But the British intervention in 1978 brought it to bankruptcy. Later, an Indian, a native of Nanyuki, bought the factory, and some varieties of fabrics are still produced there. Previously, several sawmills operated in Nanyuki, but because of the ban on felling trees on Mount Kenya, they have all either gone bankrupt or are going through their worst years.

The park is located in the center of the city, two rivers Nanyuki and Liki pass through it. The southern part of the city is crossed by the equator line, this place is popular among tourists, many of them come to take pictures. Here you will be illustrated with the supposed action of the Coriolis forces, which consists in the fact that the water stream, flowing into the funnel, moves clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere. However, in fact, a full-fledged visible effect can only be observed in laboratory conditions. Nanyuki can be reached by plane, the airport is 6.5 km from the city and is served by small aircraft. Air Kenya also serves this airport, which is certainly convenient for the movement of businessmen and tourists due to the poor road conditions from Nairobi.

Nanyuki has the cleanest water in the entire country, fed from a river on Mount Kenya.