Hi Guys,
My wife and I are planning a trip to East Africa later this year, probably the "Big 5 Reserved" tour, but we are concerned about the level of violence in Kenya and the surrounding area which seems to be increasing. Only this weekend there were a number poachers and soldiers involved in a firefight on a game reserve in Kenya.
Has this affected the ImTrav trips? Is it still safe to go??
Cheers,
Allan.
Re: Kenya safety issues
Hi Allan,
Thanks for your question.
The destinations that we visit on our tours in East Africa remain very safe places to go. The geographic region of East Africa is very large and we would not send our travellers to any place if we weren't happy that they would be safe there. We speak to our local ground operators and the British Foreign Office when reaching a decision and the tour simply wouldn't go ahead if there were any doubts.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Brendan
Re: Kenya safety issues
Thanks Brendan.
Does anybody else have a view on this? Or have any experiences good or bad?
Re: Kenya safety issues
I don't think that the gunfight last weekend in Tana between poachers and soldiers should have any bearing on your trip. Firstly it must be remembered that Kenya is a large country with very distinct regions. The Tana area has had sporadic bouts of cattle rustling and poaching for decades precisely because it is a remote area seldom visited by outsiders.
Secondly, as Brendan points out, we use the latest advice from the FCO which we monitor daily. This is compiled by people on the ground in Kenya who have a very good idea of likely developments. We also have our own local staff in Kenya who advise us on situations. At the first hint of anywhere being even remotely unsafe we err on the side of caution.
The vast majority of visits to Kenya are trouble free. Like many cities in the developing world, Nairobi has its share of crime, but it tends to be highly localised and if you use common sense and take a few basic precautions such as following the advice in our [url=http://www.wanderwiki.com/index.php?title=East_Africa_Country_Dossier#Safety]East Africa Country Dossier[/url], such as not carrying valuables on display, using taxis rather than walking after dark and seeking local advice from your hotel to avoid potential trouble spots, you will be unlikely to encounter any crime.