General Reports

[Mombie75]

How is police trying to get your money in this particular situation? They are checking if you have passport if not then bribe needed?

You are supposed to carry ID in Kenya, so a tourist a passport.

If they stop you and you are not carrying it then it is the story of they will arrest you, take you to court in the morning or just detain you and mess you around all day etc etc to solicit a bribe.

If you are an unexperienced traveller then it works for them or if you don't want the hassle and pay up.

In actual fact the law I believe states you would have to go to the local Police station within 24 hrs and produce ID to clear this. It happens in Nbi now and again but I have only heard of it once in Msa.

[Albert9989]

As others have said, get a Safaricom SIM card and have Safaricom activate mPESA. Use Wise, WorlRemit, etc.

If you can find a grocery store or business to exchange, it's the best rates. I used a grocery store in Dianne Beach side of Mombasa. The Forex in Nairobi Central and NBO require your passport. Beware of KRA (Tax) and police lingering outside. They're looking for an opportunity to shake someone down. Taxi drivers are often in on the scam so don't let the driver drop you in front of the forex.

But when you have your mpesa there is no more need to go to forex or anywhere else to change money.

Mpesa+worldremit and that's all.

By security go to an ATM to collect a small amount of cash to keep in case of need but all the rest is paid via mpesa.

[Leblon]

As others have said, get a Safaricom SIM card and have Safaricom activate mPESA. Use Wise, WorlRemit, etc.

If you can find a grocery store or business to exchange, it's the best rates. I used a grocery store in Dianne Beach side of Mombasa. The Forex in Nairobi Central and NBO require your passport. Beware of KRA (Tax) and police lingering outside. They're looking for an opportunity to shake someone down. Taxi drivers are often in on the scam so don't let the driver drop you in front of the forex.

How is police trying to get your money in this particular situation? They are checking if you have passport if not then bribe needed?

[Albert9989]

As others have said, get a Safaricom SIM card and have Safaricom activate mPESA. Use Wise, WorlRemit, etc.

If you can find a grocery store or business to exchange, it's the best rates. I used a grocery store in Dianne Beach side of Mombasa. The Forex in Nairobi Central and NBO require your passport. Beware of KRA (Tax) and police lingering outside. They're looking for an opportunity to shake someone down. Taxi drivers are often in on the scam so don't let the driver drop you in front of the forex.

I agree, but I still don't really understand why to exchange. Mpesa is so easy to use. Too much sometimes.

[Slowalk]

Where are the best places in Mombasa and Nairobi to exchange GBP to Kenyan Shillings? Also do you need to take your passport with you when exchanging currency?

As others have said, get a Safaricom SIM card and have Safaricom activate mPESA. Use Wise, WorlRemit, etc.

If you can find a grocery store or business to exchange, it's the best rates. I used a grocery store in Dianne Beach side of Mombasa. The Forex in Nairobi Central and NBO require your passport. Beware of KRA (Tax) and police lingering outside. They're looking for an opportunity to shake someone down. Taxi drivers are often in on the scam so don't let the driver drop you in front of the forex.

[Minty Polo]

139 here in Kenya for .

Where can you get that rate? In the place you advised previously?

[Mombie75]

The current rate for GBP / KSH in the UK is 135.3, is it better in Kenya right now? I'm pretty sure I got worse rates in Kenya compared to what I could get in the UK.

139 here in Kenya for £.

[Albert9989]

I am lying to everybody that I don't have mpesa and that I don't know how to use it. I get constant requests to send money because of sickness / accident / could not pay rent / birthday or just to send 200 shillings to get some food.

Especially I insist that I don't know how to send money from wordremit to mpesa, and that I don't want to know although many girls tell me that it is easy (true) and they will teach me how to do it. They want some support even though you are not in country.

Haha yes, fully agreed, that's a strategy that can be very helpful.

[Leblon]

For me the best solution has been to buy a sim card in a safaricom good shop and instal and activate mpesa.

Then you can pay everything through mpesa, hitel, restaurant, bottle of water along the road, massage, girls, anything or anyone has mpesa here.

No more cash in pocket.

Just load your mpesa via western union or worldremit or any other way to send money to your mpesa account.

But keep your phone loaded.

And by security keep some small cash just in case.

Currency exchange rate will be the one of your bank used to send money.

Mine use the exact rate of the day, no extra charge, no commission, just 0. 99 euros for worldremit for each transfer.

I am lying to everybody that I don't have mpesa and that I don't know how to use it. I get constant requests to send money because of sickness / accident / could not pay rent / birthday or just to send 200 shillings to get some food.

Especially I insist that I don't know how to send money from wordremit to mpesa, and that I don't want to know although many girls tell me that it is easy (true) and they will teach me how to do it. They want some support even though you are not in country.

[Minty Polo]

In Nbi depending on where you are staying but there exchange bureaus in town or cbd as the locals call it. There are 2 I use on Mama Ngina St in the 20th century building. Yes, you need your passport. In Nbi it is best to carry your passport with you as plenty of Police know it is a possible shakedown for them if you don't.

In Mombasa go to Cheers bar at Bora Bora, the very end shop aside the petrol station ask for Mike, in the back of the shop he has an exchange, always better rates than the touts outside.

The current rate for £ GBP / KSH in the UK is 135.3, is it better in Kenya right now? I'm pretty sure I got worse rates in Kenya compared to what I could get in the UK.

[Albert9989]

Where are the best places in Mombasa and Nairobi to exchange GBP to Kenyan Shillings? Also do you need to take your passport with you when exchanging currency?

For me the best solution has been to buy a sim card in a safaricom good shop and instal and activate mpesa.

Then you can pay everything through mpesa, hitel, restaurant, bottle of water along the road, massage, girls, anything or anyone has mpesa here.

No more cash in pocket.

Just load your mpesa via western union or worldremit or any other way to send money to your mpesa account.

But keep your phone loaded.

And by security keep some small cash just in case.

Currency exchange rate will be the one of your bank used to send money.

Mine use the exact rate of the day, no extra charge, no commission, just 0. 99 euros for worldremit for each transfer.

[Mombie75]

Where are the best places in Mombasa and Nairobi to exchange GBP to Kenyan Shillings? Also do you need to take your passport with you when exchanging currency?

In Nbi depending on where you are staying but there exchange bureaus in town or cbd as the locals call it. There are 2 I use on Mama Ngina St in the 20th century building. Yes, you need your passport. In Nbi it is best to carry your passport with you as plenty of Police know it is a possible shakedown for them if you don't.

In Mombasa go to Cheers bar at Bora Bora, the very end shop aside the petrol station ask for Mike, in the back of the shop he has an exchange, always better rates than the touts outside.

[Minty Polo]

Where are the best places in Mombasa and Nairobi to exchange GBP to Kenyan Shillings? Also do you need to take your passport with you when exchanging currency?

[Slowalk]

Nobody asked you for anything as document checks are done at origin check in: valid travelling document, entitlement to enter final destination, medical certificates.

That's the way it goes on worldwide air travel. Has always been like this. Failing on one document, one will be denied boarding.

The Kenyan health line at NBO rechecked my health requirements when I arrived. You will be unable to board the plane but Kenya still checks after the flight and before immigration.

I'll let you know when I return in a couple weeks.

[BionicMan]

Since I had to return to the US and my flight was 11:35 PM, I needed a negative PCR test the same day.


My results came to me via email in just 2 hours.
I was required to show the emailed results to enter the airport and to check onto the flight.

Once back in USA, no one asked for PCR results or proof of vaccination.

Nobody asked you for anything as document checks are done at origin check in: valid travelling document, entitlement to enter final destination, medical certificates.

That's the way it goes on worldwide air travel. Has always been like this. Failing on one document, one will be denied boarding.