Kenya safari and Internet connectivity
Kenya safari and Internet connectivity : Kenya is an excellent place to go on a safari and the country where the safari originated. The East African country first attracted travellers over a century ago, lured by tales of wild creatures. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean, with Mount Kenya rising over a work of art of little farms, green hills, and golden grassland. Safaris in Kenya showcase the nation’s striking landscapes, which are home to the “Big Five” (elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros, and buffalo) in a number of national parks and reserves.
One of the best travel experiences in the world, safaris require knowledgeable local guides and custom tours. If you have any immediate plans to travel to Kenya, you may be wondering whether the country has access to the internet and whether WIFI is widespread. Kenya boasts some of the fastest internet speeds in Africa and exceptionally good internet coverage. The country’s internet network coverage is spread out rather equally, with the majority of big cities having 5G and 4G connections and the majority of the remainder of the country having reliable 3G connectivity. The majority of Kenyans access the Internet using their mobile phones; only a very small minority do so using broadband or fiber optic cables. On the best ways to access the internet in Kenya, as well as certain factors to take into account including price and network quality.
Famine, civil war, poverty, and other issues may come to mind when you think of Africa. This is the perception that has existed for a while, therefore it is understandable that many outsiders are shocked to hear that Africa is a global leader in mobile technology. Therefore, to answer your question, Kenya boasts some of Africa’s best internet connectivity. We are ranked 43rd in the world for internet speeds, with Kenya having an average speed of 12.2 Mb/s. We are ranked higher than China, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Russia, and Greece.
All of this serves to highlight Kenya’s excellent internet connectivity, which enables users to access Internet at a respectable speed in the majority of the nation. A limitation to this is that since most internet in cities is 5G and 4 G and speeds tend to drop once you reach the suburbs, you will find considerably faster internet there. This implies that the speed of your internet connection will not be as high as someone who is in the city for anyone who is going on safari (which is typically in remote areas of the country).The majority of Kenyans use their mobile phones to access the internet, and while there are many Wi-Fi hotspots available (at coffee shops, hotel lounges, and everywhere in between), most of Kenyans prefer utilising mobile data.
Where to find free WiFi in Kenya
There are several locations in most cities where free Wi-Fi is available. Among them are coffee shops, malls, and hotels. Some taxis, the airport, and some public transportation vehicles. Most people dislike using any of these Wi-Fi hotspots for the following two reasons:
- They are typically quite slow, and using mobile data instead of Wi-Fi allows me to explore more quickly.
- For Security reasons: Since the majority of these free hotspots might be configured to attempt to hack into my devices, I don’t trust them. I rarely use any Wi-Fi hotspots, and the only occasions I do are when I am certain of the connection’s origin and have confirmed that it is secured with a password.
A guide to reliable internet connection in Kenya
I would suggest that you make plans to acquire a SIM card at the airport when you arrive in Kenya, which you will use to buy a data plan for your mobile phone. Without having to rely on unstable Wi-Fi hotspots that can be dangerous and subject to attack, this will be the most dependable method of accessing to the internet.
To obtain a SIM card, you will need to present your passport and pay a small cost of roughly $2. In order to avoid any problems with law enforcement in the event that your SIM card is used without your knowledge, you must keep it safe and notify it if it is lost. This SIM card will be registered to you.
Common Network providers in Kenya
There are only two options available when selecting an internet service provider in Kenya:
Safaricom: Kenya’s largest and most dependable 4G network is provided by Safaricom, the nation’s most popular network operator. Safaricom is the network that visitors should select for their internet if they plan to go on Kenya safari and visit distant areas of the nation.
Airtel: The cities and major towns in Kenya experience good network coverage from both Safaricom and airtel. I would not suggest using the Airtel network for travellers visiting Kenya and going on safari because it has the tendency to be weaker outside of large cities.
You will first need to top up your SIM card with the appropriate amount to match the cost of your Internet bundles: For information on the most recent internet prices, visit the Safaricom website. Select a plan that is good for 30 days and will last you the entire time you are in Kenya. By dialling *544# and choosing the bundle of your choice, purchasing Safaricom data bundles is made simple. Choose the bundle size and validity term that best suits your needs by following the prompts. The bundle can be purchased using either airtime credit or your M-Pesa account.
How fast is the internet
Depending on where you are when utilising the internet, internet speeds vary:
City: Your chances of having extremely fast internet are higher if you live in a city. Strong 5G and 4G networks in most cities enable speeds of more than 12 Mb/s. You were typically anticipated to have significantly faster internet speeds in the city compared to the more rural areas of the country, though it may vary depending on what sections of the city you are in. Remote Areas/Villages can stream videos without buffering with this kind of internet connection.
Remote places/Villages: Due to the fact that these places are less densely populated than other parts of Kenya and that the locals do not have a great need for the internet, internet speeds are much slower and 3G internet coverage is expected. The maximum speeds would be in the range of 2 Mbps here, which would be substantially lower. Even though you won’t be able to stream videos on this internet, you should be able to send emails and browse simple websites.
Internet Access in the National parks
The majority of Kenya national parks are situated in remote regions with poor internet connectivity. Although not particularly fast, the internet in this location might be adequate for casual use.
Although you can be sure you won’t be able to use it for streaming or making video calls, it should be adequate for very modest online operations. Your lodge or hotel may provide satellite-delivered broadband Wi-Fi service. However, not all hotels have these features, and if they do, you will probably pay more for your stay.
The type of phone to buy for Internet Access
One will require a GSM-enabled phone that can take international SIM cards if she/he plans to access the internet in Kenya through mobile networks. For the phone to function with the local network providers, it must be unlocked and not tied to any specific network. I would advise using an Android or iOS smartphone, but I would advise against getting a really costly one to avoid being flashy and to lessen your chances of drawing unwanted attention.
