Dos and Don’ts of Self-drive safaris in Kenya. The best way to save some money and enjoy the freedom of a safari is to go by self-drive safaris. It is important to know the things to do and those things to avoid when on self-drive in Kenya. Firstly, the things that are most important to take great care on are your safety, security and time. You will need to run your itinerary by the tour company for them to tell you what is possible and what is largely impossible to achieve within your time frame.

1. Top 17 Dos (Things To Do)on your Self Drive Safari in Kenya

Kenya Self-drive safari from Nairobi. Below are the things to do before and during your Kenya self-drive safari. You can decide to run through most of these dos with your Nairobi self-drive car hire company for them to advice you on your safety on the road, security at camp and at pit stops and time management between destinations.

• Do check your car hire vehicle condition
• Do check the terms and conditions of hire
• Do check on what is included in the cost and what is not
• Do check the validity of insurance and inspection sticker
• Do check the state of the tyres
• Do a test drive of the vehicle a day prior to hire
• Do confirm on rescue arrangements in case of breakdown or getting stuck
• Do lock up your vehicle at pit stops and ensure all doors and windows are secured
• Do a check list of cutlery and menu items to hire or buy
• Do take travel insurance before embarking on your safari in Kenya
• Do have some money in cash USD and local currency on safari
• Do take your malaria prophylactic drugs as prescribed by your doctor
• Do confirm your itinerary with the safari company day-by-day
• Do read park rules to avoid off road driving, littering or feeding wildlife
• Do enjoy the beautiful scenery across Kenya
• Do enjoy the freedom that comes with self-drive Kenya safari itineraries
• Do have a great time and interact with people in the towns, Kenyans are a very welcoming people.

2. Top 10 Don’ts (Things Not To Do) On Your Self-Drive Safari in Kenya

Here are 10 things that you should NOT do at all cost during your self-drive safari in Kenya. Most of these don’ts are things that ensure your safety on the road and security during travel. Kenya is mainly a safe country in the towns as long as you keep to the day time hours. You can be in the middle of a market with hundreds of people in rural Kenya and be safer than a street in New York. Kenyans are amazingly peaceful and happy people. But you should watch out for the secluded sections on major highways for highway bandits. Avoid having bathroom breaks in the middle of nowhere.

• Don’t pay full amount for the vehicle in advance before you view it
• Don’t drive off the vehicle without confirming it has a spare tire, wheel spanner and first aid kit
• Don’t assume availability of the same vehicle as show on the websites
• Don’t stop on major highways for whatever reason unless at petrol stations and safe areas
• Don’t expect any help to be offered for free by the local people; a coin is hard to come by and people are more than willing to help you out for the money.
• Don’t drive at night and time your arrivals to next destination at 1800hrs always
• Don’t display money or jewelry openly; for obvious reasons
• Don’t leave your phone, laptops, cameras unattended both in vehicle and at restaurants
• Don’t access money from ATMS that are located in plain sight of passersby, it’s tempting
• In case of a tire puncture, stop at places with crowds as opposed to secluded location

There are much more to know on the dos and don’ts while on Kenya self-drive safari but most of these also apply to other countries that you have ben to before. Taking a little caution is always the best way to avoid theft or getting stranded or lost. Where in doubt of the route, you can always stop at the petrol station and enquire on directions. Traffic and regular police are also always very happy to help you with directions.

3. Get More Details on Self Drive Car Hire Safaris in Kenya

Kenya is a beautiful country to explore on your own time and pace. A self-drive tour in Kenya gives you unlimited flexibility to explore the major national parks without breaking your bank. You also get to stay in either luxury lodges or ground camping. Whichever your choice, a self-drive in Kenya is easy to do and is highly recommended as opposed to the tight scheduled itineraries where your freedom is curtailed.

Book or enquire more about Kenya self-drive safaris in Nairobi from Robert; Send us a whatsapp message on +254722661827 or email us at info@sojournsafaris.co.ke