For anyone who is planning a similar journey in the near future, here are a few helpful Ethiopian facts and figures.
On the road
Our route:
Todonyang, Lodwar, Eldoret, Nairobi, Kimana, Namanga, Nairobi, Lolgorien, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Kericho, Lake Baringo, Sigor, Lokichar, Lodwar, Eliye, Lodwar, Lorugum, Lokiriama.
Kilometers:
2998
Diesel:
Diesel was readily available. We made sure of course that we had more than enough whenever driving to remote areas like the Turkana or the Mara. The filling stations are generally modern, well maintained and well run. As usuall the filling is done by pump attendants, very often women.
Diesel costs:
35276,00 KES (304.10 EUR)
Diesel price:
around 105,00 KES (0.91 EUR).
Traffic:
Drive on the left. The main asphalt roads are generally speaking better than in Ethiopia. The dirt roads however much the same. Motorbikes are very popular and everywhere. Be aware of speed humps, especially in built up areas, animals and people on the roads and be very careful about lorries.
Checkpoints were not at all frequent and the police were polite and correct, with the exception of Lokichar which has a checkpoint at both ends and which we passed through twice. On both occasions we felt a little uneasy and were not treated that friendly, nothing dramatic though.
We were only once openly asked by the police to pay a bribe in Amboselli. We didn't pay of course.
Accomodation
Nights:
29 (29.07.18 – 26.08.18), including 1 on the car park, Amboseli National Park, inside the van free of charge, 1 at a filling station, inside the van free of charge, (we gave the guy on the night shift a few shillings), 22 inside the van on campsites and 5 inside the van in pension, hotel, or lodge courtyards or in front of them.
Total costs overnight:
37400,00 KES (322,41 EUR)
Average costs overnight:
11,12 EUR or 5,56 per person.
The best:
Without doubt under the stars on the shores of Lake Turkana. Kenya was the first country in Africa where we could often stay at proper campsites and enjoy sitting around the fire in the evenings,
The worst:
None really, if I had to choose, then probably just one of the pension courtyards without a shower and only a toilette in the bar. We were by now used to that though and had seen much worse. If needs be, we had both in our van.
Money
Exchange rate:
1,00 EUR = 116,00 KES, 1,00 KES = 0,009 EUR
ATM:
ATMs are available in most towns. As allways we prefered those at banks because they were guarded and in case of any issues with the machines or cards it’s handy to be able to go inside and have people there to speak to. In Nairobi, at an FNB machine, we could even withdraw more US dollars, which we would need later in Zimbabwe, if all went well.
Amboseli
Park entrance fee:
Park entrance fee:
120,00 USD for both of us (paid with credit card).
3,00 USD for the van (paid with credit card).
Van repaires
Welding a brocken jerrycan carrier in Lodwar.
Nairobian nightmare:
300,00 KES (including a 100,00 KES tip), 2,59 EUR.
Labour: 1 FRU (flat rate unit)= 5 minutes @ 250,00 KES.
Replaced front drive shaft CV joint boots, 100 FRU.
Stripped front wheel bearings and cleaned / greased them, 24 RFU.
Removed front brake discs and skimmed them, replaced brake pads, 24 RFU.
Checked and greased propeller shaft universal joints, 04 RFU.
Labour Total = 152 RFU @ 250,00 KES = 38000,00 KES, (327,59 EUR).
Parts:
4 front drive shaft boots, 0,00 KES ( we had spares with us).
2 sets front brake pads, 0,00 KES ( our spares).
2 front wheel bearing oil seals, 3565,00 KES, (30,73 EUR).
2 brake disc skimming, 1700,00 KES, (14,66 EUR).
0,2 Kg wheel bearing grease, 1260,00 KES, (10,86 EUR).
10 Ltr petrol for washing parts, 1100,00 KES, (9,48 EUR)
Parts Total = 7625,00 KES, (65,73 EUR).
Consumables, 793,00 KES, (6,84 EUR).
Driver skimming / balancing, 3000,00 KES, (25,86 EUR).
Grand Total:
Labour, 327,59 EUR.
Parts, 65,73 EUR.
Consumables, 6,84 EUR.
Driver, 25,86 EUR
Grand Total = 49418,00 KES, (426,02 EUR).
Shopping
Eating out:
29350,00 KES, (253,02 EUR).
Food:
38744,00 KES, (334,00 EUR).
Bits and bobs:
Hiking boots, 10,000,00 KES, (86,21 EUR).
LPG gas bottle, (used, from Chris), 4000,00 KES, (34,48 EUR).
Power cable, (used, from Chris), 1400 KES, (12,07 EUR).
South african plug, (used, from Chris), 600,00 KES, (5,17 EUR).
Plasic funnel, 600,00 KES, (5,17 EUR).
External harddrive (from Transcend), 8600,00 KES, (74,14 EUR).
Gas cooker, 3000,00 KES, (25,86 EUR).
Map, 300,00 KES, (2,59 EUR)
Other costs
East Africa Visa:
100,00 USD (84,75 EUR) each, or 200,00 USD (169,49 EUR) for both of us. This was bought at the Kenyan Embassy in Addis Abeba. It is Valid for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
Kenyan Insurance:
4007,00 KES, (34,54 EUR).
Comesa Insurance:
5575,00 KES, (48,06 EUR).
Insurance Transport and organizing done by Chris.
3000,00 KES, (25,86 EUR).
Photos of the Maasai and Turkana.
3000,00 KES, (25,86 EUR).
Parking Eldoret Airport.
200,00 KES, (1,72 EUR).
Laundry services (Chris).
800,00 KES, (6,90 EUR).
Bus tickets in Nairobi.
66,00 KES, (0,57 EUR).
Total costs Kenya
Diesel:
304.10 EUR.
Accomodation:
322,41 EUR.
Amboseli:
104,24 EUR.
Van repaires:
426,02 EUR.
Shopping:
832,71 EUR.
Other costs:
313,00 EUR.
Total:
2302,48 EUR.
In conclusion
Kenya was better than expected, especially the Turkana which I found particularly interesting. The focus of our Africa journey was the north, including Egypt, the Sudan and Ethiopia, and then the south, comprising Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Kenya, we thought, would just be a country in between. How wrong we were, it has far more to offer. We had our first Safari adventure in Kenya and were able to camp for most of the time and met some very nice people.
Because of the Van repair in Nairobi we were longer in the country than expected and decided not to drive to Mombasa and the coast (we would see the Indian Ocean later in Mosambique if all went well), but now to get to Uganda. our stay was a good deal more expensive than expected aswell, which is bitter, taking into consideration the fact that instead of a win win situation we actually had a loose loose one. Chris spent more time on the vehicle than he charged for, with which he couldn't have been happy, but then again, he knew that he had not done a good job. We drove off with a van that still had squeaking brakes, after investing a lot of time and money, with which we weren't happy either. Amboseli, Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana bettered our spirits and we now looked forward to the south.
- Thankyou Kenya