Kenya through our eyes

Viola Saiya, 22, and her friend, Yasmin Munsika, also 22, run a travel and adventure blog that showcases beautiful places in Kenya.

Viola points out that there are many places to visit in the country, even on a shoestring budget.

“One such place is the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) helipad that offers you a stunning view of the cityscape. The entry fee is just Sh150, money that most, even students that rely on pocket money, can afford,” she says.

Viola was in her first year of study at Catholic University of Eastern Africa studying law when she began to toy with the idea of starting a travel blog.
She says,
“The idea came about after reading an amazing review of Uhuru Park, right within the CBD, by fashion blogger Sharon Mundia. I was amazed, because I had never given any thought to the park, yet it is a beautiful place where one can relax and have fun.”

Viola sounded the idea to her friend, Yasmin, then a freshman at Daystar University studying communication. Yasmin thought it was a fantastic idea, she wanted in.

In 2013, the two started frequently visiting various leisure spots around Nairobi purely for fun, they would then share the pictures they took on Instagram and Facebook.

Within a short time, they started receiving queries on the cost and directions to these places, which compelled them to start researching on how to write travel and adventure blogs that would respond to the questions they kept receiving.

It is while researching that it occurred to them that they could actually make money if they started a blog. Last year, they put up www.violayasmineadventures.com

Their first post attracted more than 1,000 views within 48 hours, convincing them that they were on the right track.

Viola talks about their journey so far.

Is it just Sharon Mundia’s review that motivated you to start this blog?

No. Growing up, I longed for school holidays because we would always travel to a new location. We visited places such as Thompson falls, Lake Victoria and the crying stone in Kakamega. During these trips, I realised that there are many awesome places to visit in Kenya yet I had not heard of them prior to that.

I enjoyed myself so much, I promised myself to travel back to those places, take nice photos and inspire friends to visit.

When I met Yasmin during an event at the Nairobi Arboretum in 2013, we realised that we had something in common - our love for travel and adventure. When the idea to start documenting my travels came up, I knew that she would be the perfect adventure partner.

How do you pay for your trips?

We save from our pocket money. I am also a social media influencer; I get paid to market products online or attend activations, thanks to my significant following on Instagram. At the moment, I have 42.k followers. The activations earn me an average of Sh50, 000 on a good month, which I partly use to visit various places. Our travel expenses depend on the place we visit. The obvious fees we usually part with are fare to the location and entry fee.

What influences where you decide to visit?

We research a lot and usually do it county by county. Often, we request friends to share the various attractions wherever they live. Before we visit a certain location, we research on the logistics involved and determine if we can afford it.

There are many travel blogs; what makes yours unique?

Our main focus is travel and adventure, so we can afford to be detailed. We also go ahead and discuss the expenses one will incur, guide prospective visitors on how to get there, and discuss the dos and don’ts when there. We also feature eateries - we figured that when people visit an attraction site, such as the Nairobi National Park, they would also need recommendations on where to eat or relax later.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered along the way?

Our biggest challenge is financial constraint. We are yet to travel to destinations far from Nairobi because this would come with added expenses such as accommodation. The other challenge is finding time when we are both free, since we’re still in school. When we graduate, I foresee us becoming more flexible, and therefore doing more.

How much money do you make from the blog?

At the moment, we have not received much in terms of monetary value since the blog is still young, however, from time to time, we receive complimentary tickets from various establishments, including spas and restaurants.

On my 22nd birthday recently, for instance, Urban Eatery on Waiyaki Way catered for the food and drinks, worth Sh30, 000.

We are not just waiting for business to come by though, we have written to several counties and tour and travel companies expressing our desire to market their services on our blog. The response is encouraging.

From what you have observed in your trips, are Kenyans avid domestic tourists?

That’s a big ‘No’. Many Kenyans do not regard leisure highly – to them, travelling for fun is synonymous to wasting money. There are also those that have widely travelled to foreign countries, but are yet to see and enjoy what Kenya has to offer. Through our blog, we hope to inspire people to travel and explore Kenya; it is such a beautiful country.