Kenya
Kenya for first-time visitors: what to know before you go
First-timers should file the eTA at least a week before flying, plan 1–2 nights in Nairobi, 3–4 lodge nights in the Masai Mara and 3–5 coast nights, and fly light aircraft between parks instead of driving. Carry cash in Kenya shillings for tips and park-area extras. Skip the coast if you have under 10 days.
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- Field checked
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- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
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GuideKenya
Key facts
- Entrycheck
- eTA required before travel; apply at least 7 days ahead (check)
- Currency
- Kenyan shilling (KES); USD accepted at many lodges and for park fees
- Cash vs card
- Cards work in Nairobi malls and hotels; carry shillings for tips, markets and small stops
- Tippingcheck
- Guides and camp staff: roughly USD 10–20 per day for a guide, less for general staff (2026 estimate)
- Getting between parks
- Fly Wilson Airport to airstrips for the Mara and Amboseli; drive Nairobi–Naivasha
- Language
- Swahili and English; English is widely used in tourism
- Time zone
- EAT, UTC+3, no daylight saving
- Healthcheck
- Yellow fever certificate may be requested if arriving from a risk country; malaria prophylaxis for parks and coast (check)
Details
Kenya rewards a simple shape: one city stop, one savanna park, one coast. Most first trips fail by adding a third park and spending the holiday in transit. The parent guide's 7-day route (Nairobi, Naivasha, Masai Mara) and 10-day route (Mara, Amboseli, Diani) are the two patterns worth copying.
Fly, don't drive, when time is short. Scheduled light aircraft from Wilson Airport reach Mara and Amboseli airstrips in under an hour, while the road from Nairobi to the Mara takes most of a day and is rough after rain. Drive only the short Rift Valley leg to Naivasha, roughly 2 hours.
Book the eTA online before you fly and print or save the confirmation. Have your passport valid for at least six months and one blank page. Check the current yellow fever rule against your route, since it depends on where you have been in the previous days.
Pack layers. Nairobi sits around 1,700 m and mornings are cool; the Mara is cold at dawn on game drives and hot by midday. The coast is humid year-round. Bring binoculars, a neutral-coloured layer, sun protection and a plug adapter for UK-style type G sockets.
Money is straightforward if you plan. Change some cash at the airport or a Nairobi bank, keep small notes for tips, and expect park fees and lodge extras to be quoted in USD. Mobile money (M-Pesa) is how Kenyans pay for almost everything; visitors can use it with a local SIM, but cards and cash cover most tourist needs.
| Item | What to expect | Note |
|---|---|---|
| eTA | Apply online before travel | At least 7 days ahead (check) |
| Visa on arrival | Not the normal route | Use the eTA (check) |
| Currency | Kenyan shilling (KES) | USD widely accepted at lodges |
| Card use | Hotels, malls, larger restaurants | Carry a backup card |
| Cash | Tips, markets, small shops | Keep small notes |
| Park fees | Paid per person per night | Often quoted in USD (check) |
| Domestic flights | Wilson Airport to airstrips | Bag limit usually 15 kg in soft bags (check) |
| Tap water | Not for drinking | Bottled or filtered (check) |
| Plugs | Type G, 240 V | UK-style three pin |
| Time | UTC+3 all year | No daylight saving |
Tips
Do the Nairobi sights on the morning after arrival, not the day you land. The Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum and the elephant orphanage sit close together, and the orphanage needs an online booking.
Keep one buffer night in Nairobi before your international flight home. Domestic airstrip flights are weather-dependent and a delayed Mara departure can otherwise cost you the long-haul connection.
Agree the price before any taxi, curio or extra activity. If someone approaches you at a market or viewpoint with unsolicited help, a firm no and walking on is enough.
Carry a copy of your passport and eTA separately from the original, and keep medication in hand luggage with the prescription.
- Book the Sheldrick elephant orphanage visit online in advance.
- Take a soft bag for light aircraft; hard cases often will not fit.
- Ask your lodge about laundry — it is usually cheap and saves luggage.
- Use a local SIM or eSIM for data; hotel Wi-Fi is patchy outside Nairobi.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What should first-time visitors know about Kenya?
File the eTA at least a week before flying, keep the trip to one city, one park and one coast, and fly between parks rather than drive. Carry shillings for tips, expect cool mornings in Nairobi and the Mara, and keep a buffer night in Nairobi before flying home.
How many days do I need in Kenya?
Seven days covers Nairobi, Naivasha and the Masai Mara. Ten days adds Amboseli and a few coast nights. Twelve days or more lets you add Samburu or Laikipia, or a longer beach stay on the south or north coast.
What are the biggest mistakes tourists make in Kenya?
Cramming three parks into a week, driving long distances instead of flying, skipping the eTA until the last minute, arriving with no cash, and booking no buffer night before the flight home. Packing a hard suitcase for light aircraft is another common one.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialKenya Tourism Board
- officialKenya eTA portal
- officialKenya Airports Authority
- secondaryWikivoyage – Kenya