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Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta international airport is the hub of East African air transport, and it has connections to many European and US cities. It's from here that you're most likely to get a relatively cheap ticket, but it's worth checking out cheap charter flights to Mombasa from Europe too. Airport departure tax for international flights is US$20.

You can travel by bus between Kenya and Tanzania. The main routes are from Mombasa or Nairobi to Dar es Salaam and from Nairobi to Arusha and Moshi. There's also a once-weekly train connection between Voi in Kenya and Moshi in Tanzania. Ferries and, occasionally, dhows connect Mombasa with Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam.

The main border crossing into Uganda is at Malaba, though Busia is an alternative if you're coming from Kisumu. Nairobi and the Ugandan capital Kampala are connected by road and rail. There's a border crossing to Ethiopia frequently used by travellers and overland trucks at Moyale. There's no way you can enter or exit Kenya overland from Somalia or Sudan at present.

Money and Costs

Currency: Kenyan shilling (KSh), divided into 100 cents

Meals


• Budget: US$5-10

• Mid-range: US$10-15

• Top-end: US$15-25
  
  Lodging
  

• Budget: US$15-25

• Mid-range: US$25-40

• Top-end: US$40-80

The cost of budget accommodation in Kenya is very reasonable as long as you're happy with communal showers and toilets. At the lower end of the Kenya experience, you could get by on about US$15-20 a day. Double this for comfortable travel and expect to pay anything from US$25 to US$60 or more a day for a safari. Every town has small cafes catering to local people where you can get a traditional meal for under US$5. For just a little bit more, Kenya's Indian restaurants are great value.

With the deregulation of the money supply, foreign exchange bureaus are the best places to change money. Their rates are competitive and they don't charge commission. Banks will change money, but their commission can be steep. The place to carry your money is in a pouch against your skin. Anything more obvious will only make a thief's job easier.

With such an active tourist industry, Kenya is a country where tipping is expected. In anything more than a basic eatery, 5-10% of the bill is the usual amount expected. On safari, drivers, guides and cooks often rely heavily on tips to get by. Around US$3 per day per employee is about the right amount.