Life in Kenya - Kenya Travel Information
Life in Kenya - Business Hours, Public Holidays, Media, Currency etc
Business Hours
Most businesses in Kenya are open 
from Monday to Friday, though some also trade on Saturday. Business hours are generally 9:00am to 5:00pm, closing for an hour over lunch (1:00pm – 2:00pm). Banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. Many banks are now equipped with 24 hour ATM machines.
Public holidays in Kenya
1st January = New Years' Day
1st May = Labour Day
11th June = Kanu Day
10th October = Moi Day
20th October = Kenyatta Day
12th December = Independence Day
25th December = Christmas Day
26th December = Boxing Day Moveable holidays Good Friday and Easter Monday and variable Muslim holidays
Media
The most popular are the Daily Nation and the East African Standard. The East African is a weekly newspaper sold throughout Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. There are two seperate Swahili newspapers, Taifa Leo and Kenya Leo. There is also locally produced television and radio media. International newspapers and magazines are widely available in Kenya. Digital Satellite Television has become widespread throughout Kenya. Many hotels provide this South African based service, offering a range of channels.
When to come
The main tourist seasons are December-January and July-August corresponding to the international vacation schedules. The Great migration of wildebeest and Zebra usually reaches Kenya's Masai Mara during July-August. October-January is the best time for a beach holiday. The rainy seasons are usually in April-May and November. There are two rainy seasons in Kenya. A short rainy season in November and a longer one that usually lasts from the end of March in to May. It doesn't necessarily get cold, but the roads can become impassable. Here are the average weather conditions for Nairobi and Mombasa.
If you are on safari you can usually see more animals during the dry season as they congregate around the waterholes. If you wish to plan your trip around the annual migration of the wildebeest you should go between the end of July - September.
Currency
The official currency is the Kenya Shilling. The written abbreviation is either KSh or using /= after the amount. Available Notes are 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 shillings. Available coins are 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 shillings. Visitors to Kenya should change foreign currency at banks, bureaux de change or authorized hotels. The easiest currencies to exchange are US Dollars, Pounds sterling and EURO.
