For more on etiquette and customs in Kenya, see The Global Etiquette Guide to Africa & the Middle East (Wiley Publishing, Inc.).
Appropriate Attire -- On safari, clothes in muted colours are best, though it's not necessary to buy ready-to-wear safari gear. You may want to dress up for dinner at the upmarket safari lodges and camps, and everywhere in Kenya it's important to wear long sleeves and pants and use mosquito repellent at dusk when the mosquitoes are at their most active. On the coast, which is predominantly Muslim, beachwear is fine in the resorts, but in the towns and especially on Lamu, women should wear trousers or skirts that fall below the knee and tops that cover the shoulders, while men should always wear shirts that cover their shoulders.
Gestures & Greetings -- Shaking hands is customary on meeting. It's perfectly normal for men to hold hands with men and women with women, but this doesn't often happen between the sexes. Public displays of affection between couples aren't really done, especially in the Muslim areas. The KiSwahili expression "Hujambo, habari" means "Greetings, how are you?" A simple "Jambo!" -- "Hello!" -- is a common casual greeting on the coast, while "Habari gain?" -- "What is the news?" -- is common in non-coastal areas. Eye contact is important, as people are more willing to trust a person who will look them in the eye.
Eating & Drinking -- Kenya has no national dishes; food is generally plain but filling. The exception, however, is on the coast, where thanks to its long association with Indian Ocean trade there is a distinctive regional cuisine, with rice and fish flavored with coconut, tamarind, and exotic spices. Kenyans love their meat, and nyama choma (roasted meat) is a common meal served from roadside stalls. The most common meats in Kenya are goat, beef, lamb, chicken, and fish. Pork is less common as Muslims don't eat it. Staples include ugali, a stiff dough made from cornmeal, millet, or sorghum; kitumbua, fried bread; and chapati, a flat bread. Food is eaten with the right hand or with utensils, and the men are usually served first.
Photography -- It is essential to ask people first before you take a photograph. Some people in the tourist areas -- the Masai around the Masai Mara, for example -- will expect payment for a photograph. Alternatively, many safari operators offer their clients a guided tour of a Masai village where you can take photographs for a fee. On the beach, a long way from their respective home regions, Masai and Samburu warriors ply their trade as models for photographs. Kenya is among the best locations for wildlife photography in the world and taking your camera on safari is easy enough, but it's a good idea to keep it in a bag to protect it from dust. Most safari vehicles have "pop-up" roofs for taking photographs.
