Travel & Accommodation

Hotel

Swahili Beach Resort

Diani town is quite small, so as long as you are in Diani Beach, you will be no more than a 10 minute tuk-tuk ride from any of the wedding events. The most practical and economic ways we recommend to book accommodation options in Diani are either Booking.com or AirBnB. There are many beautiful hotel, cottage, and private home options in Diani to take advantage of. For those looking for logistically easier options, the larger hotels are good options. For families or large groups, house rentals on AirBnB can be a very good, and often give the option of hiring cooks during your stay, who can do the shopping and cooking for quite good prices. The is also a local company, East Africa Retreats, which offers a very good selection of house and villa rentals. On any of these platforms, we recommend filtering for locations with high review scores (8+) Check out the venue! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DxCw4AdWDE

Flight

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (airport code NBO)

Travel to Nairobi will be into JKIA which is a large international airport located in the outskirts of Nairobi. Multiple hotels are available in the vicinity of JKIA for those that have overnight and do not wish to go into Nairobi (nice city, but not much of a tourist attraction). Mombasa hosts Moi International Airport (airport code MBA). This is a smaller international airport on the main coast city of Mombasa, with limited facilities, but often much less busy. Given the proximity to Diani, this airport can be a very good option if you find good flights fitting your schedule and budget.

Travel Note

Visa for Entry into Kenya

Visas for Entry into Kenya – Visas are required for almost all countries, including the US and UK. Visas are available for purchase on entry for almost all nationalities. There is a separate line at immigration for those getting visas. No photos are required, just $50 USD, €40 EUR or £30 GBP in cash for payment. Alternatively, you can get an e-visa prior to arrival (saves a little time at the airport) at http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html.

Travel Note

Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

All travelers arriving in Kenya will need to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate at the airport. Vaccinations and certificates can be easily acquired at travel clinics and other health facilities before traveling.

Travel Note

Nairobi to Diani

For those arriving in Nairobi, local flights will be the best option to reach Diani. There are two airports from which local flights depart and come back to Nairobi (NBO) and Wilson Airport (WIL). Wilson is only available for local flights and is a much smaller airport. Either one is a good option and very similarly priced most often, so it just depends on your logistical arrangements if you are OK to transfer from JKIA to Wilson after arrival, or if you prefer to choose a local airline that will allow to connect at JKIA. Even if you choose to fly form JKIA, you must go through immigration and get your bags at the international terminal, and then walk or take a shuttle to the local departure terminals. After choosing the departure airport, you will have two airport options for travel to Diani Below are the local airline options for booking Nairobi to Diani. Prices can range from $90-300 pp for a round trip, depending on time of booking. - JamboJet - Air Kenya - Fly Sax - Safarilink

Travel Note

A bit about Kenya

We are so excited to welcome you to Kenya! After getting engaged and welcoming our daughter Elle Zarah in Kenya's Capital Nairobi, we thought there was no better place to celebrate our wedding than here on the beautiful Indian Ocean. We know so many of you will be travelling from afar and will want to explore all that Kenya has to offer so we have put together some basic information guides below to help familiarize you with Kenya before your travels - Karibu Kenya!

Travel Note

About Diani Beach

Diani Beach is located on the Indian Ocean south coast of Kenya, about 500km from the capital city of Nairobi. There are two airport options for international travel into Kenya – Nairobi or Mombasa. Both options are covered in more detail below, along with local air travel options within Kenya. Mombasa is only a one hour drive from Diani, so may offer a more direct option, but may have fewer flight options. Nairobi, on the other hand, is the larger international airport in country. Local flights to safari locations are available from both Nairobi and Mombasa. So, the choice of either Nairobi or Mombasa may come down to either price, ease of travel, or connections to other tourist locations.

Travel Note

Language

- Language: English and Swahili are the two official working languages. In airports, hotels and large tourist centers expect most people to speak English. In smaller establishment or street transport expect limited English, but enough to get around. - Currency and finances: Kenya Shilling (KES) is the local currency. USD/GBP/EUR are often accepted at airports and large tourist establishments, but not for daily transactions at most locations. Forex bureaus and ATMs are widely available to exchange or withdraw KES. All major credit and debit cards are widely accepted in the majority of commercial establishments. Kenya uses chip and pin technology. - Shopping: Most shops will display prices in KES. Exchange KES to USD it approximately 100 to 1. So, take two zeros from the price to get your dollar equivalent.

Travel Note

Communications and Security

The most reliable way to stay connected while in Kenya is to buy a local SIM card. If your cellphone is unlocked by your carrier, you can insert local SIM cards for voice and internet. If you don't have an unlocked cellphone, you can either purchase a cheap unlocked phone prior to travel, or buy when you get to Kenya. The best and most reliable cell provider in Kenya is Safaricom, offering cheap, prepaid lines including voice and 4G internet. Safaricom SIM cards can be purchased at most airports and at Safaricom shops. You will need to present your passports to register a line. Travel Guides and Info - Lonely Planet - Kenya Guide - Kenya Board of Tourism Site - Kenya - Wikipedia - Kenya - Wiki Travel - TripAdvisor - Kenya Things to Do Safety and Security in Kenya - US State Department Kenya Travel Advisory - UK Foreign Travel Advise Kenya