Do you think Kenya is a safe place for a family holiday ?

[LardLizard]

Thinking for Possibly next year ?

Swimming at Cape Town? The water is freezing! It's meltwater from the Antarctic. You need the Indian Ocean side for warm water.
They have shark nets up on the beaches where there have been attacks, like Australia.
Not sure I'd fancy Sun City, but it's close to Pilanesburg, where you can normally see quite a lot of game, including elephants, giraffe and, if you are lucky, rhino. They do have big cats, but have never seen one there myself.

It depends how you judge risk. There is an ongoing, active threat specifically against tourists from Al Shabaab in Kenya. It's not that long ago that they killed over 150 people (not tourists to be fair) in a 'marauding gunman' style attack.

They are actively trying to target western tourists with a large attack to grab headlines and achieve some notoriety.

The Kenyan security forces are pretty good, but I wouldn't take my family there.

Something that has to be considered if taking young DC or someone with a weak bladder like me though Brillo

The bushes in Kenya were far less verdant than the hills in the Lake District. in other words very revealing 😸

If you can afford it, go to Botswana, go on safari every year, the country is beautiful, the people are lovely, they leave you alone and don't try to sell you stuff!

Yes to Botswana! They have huge herds of elephant and there are lots of lions. Such a magical place, and one of the most stable countries as well.

@KingIrving
It was mentioned upthread that holidays shouldn't be taken or that one shouldn't visit a country that has FGM taking place in it. It is illegal in Kenya to practise FGM, so we shouldn't dissuade someone from visiting there. There is corruption in the uk 🇬🇧 as in many countries, it shouldn't stop us exploring the world that we all inhabit.

Go and enjoy Kenya, beautiful land, beautiful people. and no, I a do not have any affiliation with Tourism Kenya

amatree well said. No country is perfect but I too wouldn't choose to spend my money somewhere that still largely mutilates it's female children.

Same as I wouldn't knowingly buy clothes from somewhere that used child labour. If that's an easier example for some posters to understand.

It's an ethical choice. Does not stop us travelling and enjoying places. Likewise not shopping in a child labour supplied shop doesn't mean we never buy clothes.

I took my DC 3yo & 1yo to Kenya in 2010 and we stayed just south down from Diani beach. It was so lovely.

There is no way I’ll be going back any time soon. Pirates, violence, danger, poverty. It has got worse.

We went to SA more recently and that was a great trip but again, we were freaked out by the high levels of crime.

The world is a big and beautiful place. Find a holiday that you can be relaxed on. For different people that will be different levels of safety. For me, Kenya is ruled out for now.

When I was 21 I spent 6 weeks travelling around Kenya by myself, never felt unsafe, was never theatened or harrased in any way (apart from the odd person yelling "mzungu" or singing that bloody "Jambo bwana" song at me - but that was just a bit annoying, not threatening). By contrast, I was mugged within a week of returning to England, just waiting at the bus stop in broad daylight. Kenya is sensationally beautiful and I strongly recommend you go there!

Nordic, but how long ago was this? Things can change ...

Yes fair point peanut, it was 2010, then I came back and stayed in Tanzania from 2011 - 2013. So not the most recent data. Maybe some of the stuff I did wouldn't be advisable any more. I still have a lot of friends living there though and a group of my British friends went there last year for their electives and loved it. I can't imagine that a week on safari and a trip to the beach would put op in danger.

A friend's father worked at the embassy and his job seemed to consist of rescuing backpackers who treated travelling round Kenya as if they were travelling in Europe. Some of her stories put me right off! That was years ago to be fair. We found it scary when we were there, again years ago, but our hotel had an armed guard on each floor and we advised by hotel staff not to go out at night.

And not sure its fair to say there is corruption in the uk . I would think overall compared with most places we do pretty well on that front.

No. We did the Masai Mara (ok but not as good as previous safari in S.A.). Then a week in Diani beach which was just weird! Not safe outside the hotel compound, and impossible to go in the beach due to constant (and I do mean constant) harassment from locals wanting us to buy their goods. The beach was eerily empty!
Oh and the dodgy tummy bugs both on the safari and in the hotel must have been poor hygiene in food preparation. Everyone was affected.

I recommend Durban area in SA, warm sea and shark nets! There is a good safari not far from there (about a 2 hour drive). Do the beach at Umhlanga rocks, then safari at umfolozi. But kids really need to be at least 8 or 9.

Babnks fir all the advice
I’ve decided it’s not for us next year
But maybe in the future

As a Kenyan mom , who has lived both in Kenya, the UK and the USA I am absolutely horrified by this thread. Many respondants make it sound as if FGM is common and widespread across Kenya. NO IT IS NOT. Im a Kenyan and I don't personally know A SINGLE person who has gone through FGM. Advice not to come here with kids is the same as advising others not to visit the UK in case of a terrorist attacks. Thankfully thousands of Britons, with and without kids come to Kenya every year to enjoy our fabulous beaches, game parks and other holidays. Kenya has a multiplicity of international organizations that AREN'T here to save us from famine or FGM but here running profitable businesses with expats living a pretty good life. Anyone who doubts this only needs to google or do some very very basic Trip Advisor research.