Travel During the Pandemic…
DK Shares His Thoughts Following a Trip to Kenya
An open letter to the general public.
I had the pleasure of traveling to Kenya with my wife for a couple of weeks at the end of January and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. While I understand that traveling during a pandemic can seem crazy, irresponsible or overwhelming to some, I would encourage anyone that has the means, health and opportunity to travel to seriously consider doing so ASAP. Any travel, but especially international travel, comes with a certain amount of risk and must be done responsibly but if you are willing to properly prepare for your journey you are likely to be rewarded with an experience that may not be available to you again in your lifetime and has the potential to be life-changing.
In my opinion the two biggest necessities for responsible travel during the pandemic are a qualified, knowledgeable travel advisor and patience (flexibility would be an added bonus but not a requirement).
The unknown can be scary and the past year has been filled with them, especially as it pertains to travel – is that country allowing Americans? What are the entry requirements? When do I have to get my Covid test? Which type? What airlines fly there? When I get there can I go to a restaurant? Is there a curfew in place?
If you just got anxiety reading that last paragraph, you’re not alone. Not only are the answers to these questions confusing, they are also changing frequently and that is why it is so important to work with a trusted travel professional. Someone that can listen to your concerns, and also your priorities – what worries you about traveling and what is most important to you for this trip. They can then help guide you and equip you with the information needed to decide (1) whether you are ready to travel, and (2) what destination would be best for you.
Once you’ve gotten this far your advisor can help you prepare for what to expect on your journey to alleviate much of the unknown and hopefully curb most of your worries. The second key ingredient to an enjoyable travel experience is patience. Even if you know exactly what to expect and have all of your documentation ready that does not mean everyone else does which can cause delays. Additionally, with the added requirements, regulations and protocols there will be extra steps along the way that will result in more lines and more waiting but try to remember that the reason for this is an effort to keep you and all of your fellow travelers safe and healthy. A little patience goes a long way.
If you are comfortable enough to travel and keep these two points in mind (some of) the world is now your oyster. Airlines and accommodations are in the midst of the worst stretch in the history of the travel & tourism industry and they are going to great lengths to welcome you back. Not only are they going above and beyond to ensure your health & safety but many have incredible offers either via discounted price (my roundtrip flight from New York to Nairobi was only US$673 roundtrip!) and/or ‘value adds’ such as upgrades, free spa services or F&B credits. Another bonus of traveling that I didn’t realize until we were in Kenya was meeting so many like-minded people. It was sad to see most of the hotels and safari lodges in which we stayed near empty but everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly and eager to share their travel experiences as well as their situation at home, all while respecting personal distance of course. I found it fascinating to speak with other travelers about life back home and how it varied from what we are experiencing in the USA; I’ve always enjoyed this part of travel but it was even more meaningful now. However, the biggest benefit to traveling now is the ability to have potentially life-changing experiences in iconic destinations without the masses that normally share them with you. Some of the most popular tourist attractions around the world are sitting near empty but open for your to visit, explore, and enjoy – and have it all to yourself!
While there are obvious reasons for people in good health to be concerned about traveling, I wholeheartedly believe that they are far outweighed by the reasons to travel, responsibly.
I’d now like to share my personal experience specific to this trip to Kenya. If you’re not interested feel free to stop here but I hope you are now more open to the idea of exploring the world, even in the toughest of times. And even if traveling internationally is not for you hopefully you can better understand why it may be a great time to travel for others.
I don’t want to spend much time on protocols and requirements because they are constantly changing but I do think it’s important to share what we prepared for when we visited Kenya at the end of January.
Entry Requirements:
(1) Negative PCR test within 96 hours of departure.
(2) eVisa at a cost of US$50 + processing fee (about $1) – visitors MUST have an eVisa in advance of travel (no more visa on arrival) and it MUST be printed in COLOR. Allow 72 hours to process (ours only took ~24 hours). Online Application
(3) QR/Barcode that you receive after completing an online health survey (needs to be done AFTER receiving your negative test). Online Form
Heading to Africa in today’s world is appealing for a very obvious reason – when you are out in the bush on safari you can’t help but social distance and you are surrounded by natural beauty so you can actually relax, exhale and escape the real world a bit. However, I was most impressed by what I found in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and a bustling metropolis of more than 5 million residents.
Arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi was just like my other visits but with two additional checkpoints – the first to verify your negative PCR test prior to entering the immigration hall, and then a temperature check & scan of your QR code from the health survey prior to seeing the immigration officer (who collects your eVisa). The process was well organized and seamless since we were prepared with the required documents and equipped with a chill and patient demeanor.
Our friends and colleagues in Nairobi had been telling us that life was practically back to normal with two exceptions – masks and a curfew. Coming from New York I found that hard to believe and took their comments with a grain of salt. However we quickly began to realize that they were not exaggerating.
We immediately realized the impact of the curfew when we made it from the airport to our hotel in just 20 minutes. Our 11pm arrival paired with the 10pm curfew meant VERY few cars on the road. Anyone that has visited Nairobi knows that the traffic can be as bad as anywhere in the world so this was a welcome change. The curfew is in place from 10pm – 4am daily and it is being enforced with fines so residents are obeying this regulation.
During the day life was very much normal – restaurants, shops, offices, schools, and entertainment venues are all operating normally other than the fact that everyone is masked. Restaurants, bars, etc. are closing at 9pm to allow patrons ample time to get home before curfew and capacities are limited but not nearly to the extent of what we have back home. Kenyan innovation was on full display, as nearly every venue we visited had a pedal controlled handwashing station whose use along with a temperature check was mandated for entry. I forgot how much I missed the buzz of a busy restaurant, walking in & out of shops and small talk with passersby until I found myself back at it in Nairobi.
Following our short but superb visit to Nairobi we flew to the Masai Mara National Reserve, where we would spend the majority of our trip – 10 nights on safari! It is worth noting that the domestic airlines (we flew Air Kenya & Safarilink) require medical masks to fly with them.
Over the course of our safari we stayed at 4 properties (Cottar’s 1920s Camp / Sarova Mara Game Camp / Naibor Camp / Angama) making our way across the reserve from east to west. The Mara is one of the most visited game reserves in all of Africa and the major, if not only, criticism from safari veterans is that it can be too crowded. Sightings will often attract many vehicles jockeying for position and it can be difficult to get a good wildlife photograph without also capturing another safari vehicle. This was not the case on this trip! Most of the 10 nights we spent on safari we were the only guests in camp and despite the grasses being unseasonably high we had some incredible game viewing and rarely saw another vehicle while out on game drive. In one instance we found a beautiful male leopard sitting next to the road and we were joined by only one other vehicle to observe and enjoy the sighting, another day we spotted a beautiful cheetah posing perfectly on a termite mound and did not have another vehicle come by, and probably the most unlikely occurrence of the trip was when we spent a full two hours with a pride of 9 lions (including adorable cubs) without seeing a single other vehicle. Visiting the Mara and other iconic parks, landmarks, and sights during a pandemic allows you to experience it in a way that was not possible before last March and likely won’t be possible again in our lifetime.
Despite being nearly empty, life in camp was incredible. The quality of the experience was as good as ever at each of the properties and the service was even better. The staff was so happy to see you and overly accommodating. Masks were worn for check in and while you were in an area with other guests, but for the most part they remained in your pocket. Hand sanitization stations were everywhere and the staff respected your distance and kept their masks on while working in and around the camp/lodge.
The announcement that the USA would require a negative PCR test to enter the country came just days before our departure and would be in effect prior to our return. This caused a moment of concern for us, however I was beyond impressed with how quickly this requirement was sorted by our partners in Kenya. Most luxury safari lodges now offer in camp testing and you can expect your results in 24 hours (the cost is +/- US$150-200 per person). If this is not an option or you wish to save money, testing is widely available and inexpensive (+/-US$40) around Nairobi and results are same day!
Kenya has their s**t together and they are eager to welcome you. I can’t think of a better place to visit!