A gap year in Kenya
Gap years in Kenya
If you want to spend your Gap year getting 4x4 travel-sickness, snorkelling over a glorious coral reef, and spotting hippos, Kenya is the place to be. Overlooked in recent years, Kenya is a truly beautiful travel destination with white shores, amazing national parks, and outstanding dive opportunities. But it’s also in desperate need of tourists and volunteers for all kinds of jobs. Your Gap year will probably combine both – worthy community work and the safari of a lifetime. Whatever you do, don’t forget one thing: a hippo can outrun a human. Best pack your running shoes.
GAP opportunities
There’s a wide range of opportunities for gappers in Kenya: whether you’re interested in conservation or doing your bit in an orphanage, you’ll find something perfect for you.
Adventure itineraries combine all of Kenya’s most exhilarating activities: from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to camping in the National Reserves, and rafting to snorkelling. They’re not cheap – choose a package that includes food and accommodation to get the best value. If you’re planning to work in Kenya, you could save up for an adventure expedition at the end of your year.
Wildlife and conservation are key to Kenya’s tourist industry, so there is always a need for people to help with research and national park work. Conservation opportunities include working with oceanographers to chart dolphin and shark populations, tracking wildlife, building hammocks for monkeys – the list goes on and on…
Community and voluntary opportunities include working on a safari camp, teaching English or the principles of sustainable tourism, and working with street kids or orphans.
Sports enthusiasts can dive and surf from Kenya’s pristine white coast, qualify as a PADI open water diver, or even as an instructor.
About Kenya
Most of Kenya is still impoverished, which is a shock to most Westerners. Take shampoo miniatures, pens, pencils and notepads if you want to give something to the kids who invariably follow visitors everywhere. Mombasa, and particularly Nairobi, can be dangerous areas, so read up on the latest travel information before you go. In 2003 a terror alert resulted in most flights from the UK and US being grounded; although British flights have resumed, tourist levels have dropped significantly, and the country is suffering for it.
English is very widely spoken; you might also hear some Swahili – and people will be happy to teach you a few words! You’ll find the Kenyan community welcoming and easy-going; even touts are warm and smiley compared to their counterparts in other countries. Give away a cigarette or two and you’ll find that Kenyan people are as interested in chatting as they are in freebies from a wealthy Westerner.
Getting Around
Kenyan public transport is noisy, cheerful, disorganised and chaotic. Hop on a ‘matatu’ (minibus), pay your fare to the ‘conductor’ (who will probably be hanging out of the open door in shorts), and prepare for a wild ride. Vehicles swerve dangerously to overtake and undertake, honking madly as they jolt over road and ditch. Renting a car is thus inadvisable; taxi is probably one of the more favourable methods. If you’re taking a taxi, agree the fare in advance – and don’t be afraid to ask to stop if the driver seems unsafe. For a taste of old luxury, book a rail ticket, travel in the first class carriage, and enjoy the service. The game-spotting between Mombasa and Nairobi is a visitor favourite, and you can travel first-class, with dinner and breakfast included, for around £20.
Things to see
Nairobi is a big, expensive, dangerous city that most visitors bypass; a quick stopover will probably suffice. The real draw for most Kenyan visitors is the legendary safari. Spotting the Big Five is enormously rewarding, of course, although it could take a few days before you tick off the list. Travel to one of the National Reserves – it’s worth booking an organised trip that includes lunch at a lodge – or book a stay in one of the camps. Not all of the wildlife is on land – make sure you take a trip to the reef for some extraordinary snorkelling. Spend your month off in a cheap-but-cheerful hotel on the coast, where you can eat banana curry and get your hair braided by beach vendors until the monkeys come home.