Kenya - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Don’t just see the sights—get to know the people.

Culture Smart! Kenya provides a cultural bridge that will carry you beyond the gloss of the hotels and deep into the warp and weft of everyday life; beyond the game parks and into the intricacies of community and wildlife coexistence; beyond the bounds of tourism and into the freedom of cultural understanding and exchange.

A true "insider’s take" gleaned over years of living and working in the country, this guide delivers key insights into the forces, ancient and modern, that have shaped Kenya—and practical guidance on how best to enter into the modern Kenyan social and business environment. Due to its high-action pursuits, cultural treasures, wealth of wildlife, and glorious beach life, it is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, and the unrivaled “safari capital of the world.” As to its people, Kenya is a cultural microcosm comprising more than seventy ethnic groups. Each has its own distinctive cultural identity. All extend the warmth of welcome that has proved to be Kenya’s most valuable asset to tourism. Demonstrate an interest in their history, traditions, and way of life, and your welcome will be warmer still.

Have a richer and more meaningful experience time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Jane Barsby is an English journalist, writer, and PR consultant who has spent twenty-five years traveling in East Africa. Based in Nairobi, she has lived on one of the last colonial cattle ranches; she worked as a reviewer of Kenyan hotels, as a commercial exhibition organizer, and as a local travel writer. She has also written a book on the history of the Block family, the founders of the Kenyan hotel industry, and worked with the Kenya Wildlife Service to produce a series of guidebooks on the Kenyan national parks.