Travellers are encouraged to follow general personal safety practices while on their journey – for example, keeping valuables secure (either on your person or in a safe), and avoiding walking alone at night in unfamiliar urban areas. For destination-specific information, we recommend checking official government travel advisories. However, for accurate, local insight, please consult your Guest Experience Liaison or Travel Designer, who can provide context on the areas you’ll be visiting, especially in relation to any nearby security concerns.
Our risk management team continuously evaluates safety conditions and works proactively with our operational teams to ensure all guests are well cared for. Guests travelling to our properties or affiliated properties should note that criminal incidents are rare, largely due to the remote locations of our camps, far from urban centers.
Upon arrival at camp, and before participating in any activity, guests will receive a safety briefing from their guide and management. These briefings are essential and must be followed for the safety of guests, staff, and wildlife. All our properties, like those of many similar operators, are located in unfenced, wild areas, where animals roam freely. All activities are led by qualified and experienced guides who will ensure that safety procedures are clearly explained and understood before any activity begins.
If at any point you feel unsafe or has concerns, our expert team is available and ready to support and respond promptly, whether in camp or during your transfers.
When travelling between our camps you will most likely find yourself on a light aircraft at some point. Due to strict weight and space restrictions, airline staff must insist that you comply with the following:
Baggage allowance is strictly 15 Kgs (34lbs) per passenger, inclusive of hand luggage in soft bags.
Excess baggage will be charged at prevailing rates and only carried subject to space availability.
If you arrive with oversized/overweight baggage you will be asked to repack into suitable bags which comply with internal airline regulations. Please bear this in mind when you are packing for your trip with us as failure to do so may result in a delayed departure or even a missed flight. When flying with Governors’ Aviation we offer storage facilities for any excess luggage at our office at Wilson Airport, for collection on your return to Nairobi.
All of our camps and lodges have Reverse Osmosis filtration systems installed and it is from these systems that all of your drinking water is derived. You will be provided with a complimentary (Governors’ branded) drinking water bottle at the first of our camps/lodges that you arrive at.
Tipping is customary in Kenya though not mandatory. Please speak to the camp manager if you would like advice on tipping guidelines for the camp/lodge staff or for your safari guide (guides are usually tipped separately from the rest of the staff).
We understand that you will want to take as many pictures of your holiday as possible, but before you begin to take pictures of people or their property, please ask for their permission. In some cases, you may be required to offer a tip for those pictures. Your guide is the best person to ask for advice.
Never approach or attempt to feed a wild animal at any stage, even if they appear harmless or habituated. You may hear sounds outside your tent or room during the night – do not be alarmed. Animals do not understand the con- cept of a hollow tent and they will simply move around it as if it were a boulder or mass of another kind. Please do not step outside your tent or room at any stage to investigate, during the night.
Charity and donations: Many visitors to Africa feel a strong urge to help the less fortunate whom they may encounter on safari, or when visiting a local village or school. It is best to seek an appropriate opportunity to buy gifts or supplies while you are traveling, rather than carrying them along from home. Many of our properties are actively involved in working with their local communities to sustain schools, clinics and other projects. Ask about this when you are there and visit the local school, clinic or project if you can.
A donation to something you have seen on the ground will bring you more satis- faction (and directly help the neediest). Resist the temptation to offer ‘hand outs’ to kids on the side of the road. This only encourages dependency on such generosity and teaches these children that begging brings reward. There is no dignity in begging and the harassment it fosters will not endear you to the next group of visitors either! A rather fun idea is to gift a football (soccer ball); Afri- cans love soccer, yet not all children have a ball with which to play.
Voltage in Kenya is 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. All rooms/tents have electric- ity for lighting and universal electrical sockets in the tents which can charge mobile phones and camera batteries. The sockets in our Mara camp tents will not support hairdryers – see more on this below underelectronics.
The dialling code for Kenya is + 254. Kenya has quite a widespread mobile network with an extensive range of 4G and 3G. Our properties all have Wi-Fi in the main areas.
The local currency is Kenya shillings but US dollars are widely accepted, and are accepted at most hotels, lodges and camps. Most properties (including Governors’ Camp Collection) will accept card payments from major credit cards – Visa and Mastercard. We suggest that you carry a combination of cash (preferably USD and Kenya Shillings) as a back up. Small notes are helpful for paying bills or tipping porters etc.
In the Masai Mara, Laikipia and Lake Naivasha regions, the mornings and evenings can be quite chilly. During the day it can warm to 30 degrees and, being near the equator and at altitude, the sun can feel quite strong. Do bring sun-screen and a hat. A light long-sleeve shirt will provide good protection from the sun.
Governors’ offers complimentary laundry services throughout our properties with a 12-24hr turnaround. This is not a specialist service and garments requiring special care should not be sent to the laundry.
Please note that we do not wash any underwear but bras will be laundered if needed. Laundry powder is provided in guest bathrooms incase you need to wash your own underwear.
