The 300-mile Nairobi-Mombasa Highway has become a nightmare for travelers because of organized groups of bandits plaguing the highway day and night. The bandits work in groups of ten and communicate by cell phones to report on approaching victims and to warn of any police patrols. They are armed with AK-47s and machine guns, much heavier weapons than the police possess, and operate openly along the entire route. Their favored targets are private motorists driving alone or with families. They have avoided attacking tourists traveling in groups, so this is a case where it’s safer traveling in tourist vehicles. The most dangerous areas are a 20-mile stretch between Sultan Hamud Town and Kibwezi, the plateau between Mtito Andei and Voi, and the area between Machakos and Athi River.
