Download These Apps for a Thrilling Kenya Wildlife Safari from Israel

There are hundreds of apps that can make your travel to Africa more exciting. The article looks at five such apps that you should install in your mobile device while traveling for a wildlife safari to Kenya from Israel.

Kenya, a county located in East Africa, is increasingly becoming a popular wildlife safari destination for Israelis. Data from the Kenya Ministry of Tourism reveals that in 2019, over 20,648 tourists traveled from the Middle East to Kenya. This number represented a higher 1,02% compared to 2018. Among other factors, the ease and affordability of traveling from Israel to Kenya is a key factor why this East African country is surging in popularity in the Middle East. Flight from Israel to Kenya takes about 6 – 7 hours, with airlines such as the Turkish airlines offering rates as low as $690 for a one-way trip.

But how do you plan a memorable Kenyan Safari from a continent away? Thanks to advancements in internet and mobile technology, you no longer need handwritten travel plans and paper maps to visit Africa. Armed with the best mobile apps for travelers, one can look up the best destinations to explore, plan your trip, make the booking, give you directions, and save all your to-do lists. In the next section, James Gatheru, the Managing director for AjKenyasafaris.com, a Nairobi based travel agency, reveals the 10 apps you should download when planning to Kenya for a wildlife safari.

Google Translate App

Swahili is the national and most spoken language in Kenya. Nearly everyone you will meet during your holiday in Kenya will speak and understand Swahili. Google Translate is an app for iOS and Android tablets and smartphones that enables you to translate English into Hebrew or any other language. The app boasts over 500 million downloads and instantly interprets up to 103 languages including the Hindi language, German, Telugu, French, Italian, and more.

Android users can find this app on the Play Store, while iOS fans can download it from the App Store. The top display of the tool shows two languages when you launch it, the original dialectal and the desired one.

The app comes in handy when communicating with a local who only speaks Swahili, and you do not understand it. One thing to note is Google Translate matches the original text or word with millions of similar documents on the website, giving you a more accurate translation compared to other online language convertors. Other factors that make Google Translate the perfect language converters for travelers include:

Text Translation: You can translate between 103 languages by typing words or phrases, including Swahili to English, and Hebrew to English, and more.
Offline Translation: It lets you translate without internet connection in the remote regions of Kenya. It supports 59 languages.
Instant Camera Translation: You can translate words in images by pointing the camera. It enables up to 90 languages.
Photos: You can import or take pictures to enjoy a higher quality translation, and it supports 50 languages.
Conversations: Speak to the locals in Hebrew, and the app will translate into Swahili, and vice versa. This feature supports up to 43 languages.
Handwriting: Google Translate also lets you draw characters to translate between 95 languages.
Phrasebook: It is a feature that lets you star and save the translated conversation, words, and phrases for future use. It supports all languages.

Currency Converter App

Kenyan Currency

The best currency conversion apps consolidate all your financial transactions under one roof. They help you check the real-time exchange rate between Israeli Shekel and the Kenyan Money (called Kenya Shillings), manage global money transfers, stay and manage budget limits. These apps also let you compare prices while traveling to be sure you are getting the most valuable deal at the present rate. They let you use your Android, iOS, or Windows devices to access your finance. While there are many currency conversion apps that you can download, make sure to choose one that allows you to:

Monitor Currencies: The right app should monitor up to multiple currencies, including your local currency and your destination one.
Access to Real-Time Rate: Exchange rates change constantly, and due to that, the app should provide the latest ones.
Calculator Functionality: The feature can allow you to compare prices or know your net spending.
Saves Rate: You should access the last updated rate when offline.
Auto-Select Currency: The right app should automatically select the Kenyan shilling while you land at the airport and give you the freedom to change that manually.

Your app should do more than just converting currencies; it should allow you to send money from Israel to Kenya when booking accommodation.

Google Maps App

It would not make sense to find a paper map in a tour guide’s car – not because it is useless, but because they use the latest technology, Google Maps. A Google Maps App is an online map that you can install in your iOS or Android mobile devices. Google Maps can provide you with a step-by-step directions guide while in a self-drive safari in Kenya. You can find the shortest route to your accommodation or hotel, and even take you through the busy city of Nairobi. The key capabilities of Google Maps include:

Traffic Updates: It lets you know which routes are congested and suggest an alternative one.
Useful Information: The app contains information about different places, like address, phone numbers, location, and opening/closing hours.
Destination tips and information: It helps you to know what you need to learn about Kenya before you take your flight from Israel.
The most reliable maps: Google Maps app is not limited as it uses satellite imagery, photos, and street-view to give you real-time data.

Airbnb App

Airbnb is an online market that matches property owners with potential tenants or travelers looking for accommodations. The tool covers most rental properties in Kenya and can enable you to find your dream accommodation. It is easy to install this app in your Android or iOS smart devices to let you pick the most affordable hotel, lodge, or rental home. The key merits of Airbnb include:

Wide Selection: Airbnb lists hundreds of properties from all destinations ranging from apartments, single rooms, moored yachts, a suite of rooms, castles, entire houses, and houseboats.
Customizable Search: You can search the app’s database by location, date, amenities, price, host’s language, and type of property. You can even use keywords like “Properties Near Masai Mara National Reserve”.
Protection of Guests: It also protects you by withholding your money for 24-hour before releasing it to your host.

Magical Kenya App

Magical Kenya is a helpful app that lets you discover and experience little safari sites within the country’s borders. It is a tool you can install in your iOS or Android device while in Israel to help you decide your destination and know what you can do or see when you land. The app helps in the following ways:

Planning Kenya Safari: It lets you know about the various tourist destinations in this country.
Connect with Local Facilities: It has a location feature that allows you to connect with local travel companies, restaurants, and hotels.
Sharing: It also allows you to create a video album that you can share with your friends on all social media.

In Conclusion

Simple to download, easy to install, user-friendly, and extremely valuable, the above apps can give you a thrilling Kenya wildlife safari from Israel. They let you experience your safari like a local. Visit ajkenyasafaris.com and start planning your Masai mara safari.