Can anyone advise me on getting Kenyan currency?

[MadreInglese]

Friends are getting married next month and have asked for money towards their honeymoon in Kenya in lieu of gifts. A few of us thought it might be nice to club together and get them some Kenyan currency as a gift. As far as I can tell with a quick google, every £10 will get us about 1250 Kenyan Shilling.

Is it as simple as getting this straight from a travel agent/post office, or is it an obscure currency that we'll need to order in? We're wondering whether it will be as easy to give them sterling cash for them to exchange when they get there. Also wondering what the cost of everyday items will be over there for tourists.

Anyone in the know who can advise please?

We needed to order it in from our local branch of the bank. It took 3 or 4 days to arrive. We found for some obscure reason that dollars were easier to exchange than pounds and although may people were willing to take payment in dollars it is (according to our hotel) illegal. I would go with KS it just makes it easier once they get there and won't have to go and find money changers/banks and won't get the stupid hotel exchange rates.

Thanks oops, will ask at the bank

Giving them shillings is a sweet idea but they can equally change your sterling very easily, they just need to go to a Forex bureau or a bank, all available even in holiday resorts. Where will they be?

Everyday items such as what exactly? If you go to a supermarket in Nairobi you will find all you need at probably just a fraction higher than you would spend in the UK, if you go to the supermarkets at the coast, they have been inflated as with any tourist destination, but not excessively.

They only thing I would suggest it is best you bring, is a decent sun cream as it is rather hot here at the moment.

Well, was just curious as to the cost of things over there, eg if we exchange a £100 for 12500 KS, would that buy them a bottle of wine with their meal, or all their dinners out for a week IYSWIM (so would it be useful or pointless to convert it)

If it's just a little pricier than here then Shillings might work as a nice present

Ok I see where you are coming from now, say for example they were getting married in Diani then the nicest restaurant around would be here. It's pretty pricey by our standards so a meal for two plus wine I would expect to be around 8/9,000 shillings in total. This is considered top of the range.

For a decent but average meal out with a bottle of wine I would expect to pay about 6,000 for two.

Does that help a little? By the way, both of the above places are sure to send you a voucher via email that you could buy with a CC as an alternative present?

Thankyou that's helped a lot. Vouchers are a nice idea but as we don't know where they'll be staying or what their plans are I think maybe just getting the shillings might be the best bet.

Duh, ah yes I read now they are coming for their honeymoon not for their wedding, sorry, should have read it a bit closer, I was too busy multitasking

Then getting the shillings is a lovely idea.