LANGUAGE
The national language is KiSwahili although English is spoken throughout.

Kenyans involved in the tourist trade speak English. However, it is good to have a working knowledge of Swahili (KiSwahili). In total, there are 42 ethnic languages in Kenya.

     

Kenya is situated on the equator alongside the Indian Ocean. The country has four geographical regions. The northern terrain is arid desert, with savannah grassland in the southern regions. Along the coast, and around the shores of Lake Victoria are fertile lowlands, and in the west are the highlands with the spectacular Rift Valley. Several extinct volcanoes can be found along the Rift, including Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa. Kenya borders on Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, in the south-west. Lake Turkana in the north is Kenya's largest lake. The two main rivers are the Galana and the Tana, both in the south.

WINTER: June - August
SUMMER: September - March

Kenya is divided by the equator and enjoys a tropical climate that varies greatly. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and north-east parts of the country. The hottest period is in February and March and the coldest in July and August.

The average annual temperatures in the main areas are as follows:

The long rains occur from April to June and short rains from October to December. Rainfall is sometimes heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon and evenings.