🇰🇪 Kenya

Classic savannah safaris, Great Rift Valley lakes and Swahili coast towns on the Indian Ocean.

Continent: Africa
Capital: Nairobi
Best time to go: July to October for the Great Migration; January to February is also dry
Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES)
Languages: Swahili, English

Quick guide: Kenya essentials

🛂 Visa & entry

Visas were replaced in 2024 by an online Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) that almost all visitors must get before travel, for a fee. Apply well ahead.

💉 Vaccines & health risks

Yellow fever vaccine is recommended, and a certificate is required if you arrive from a yellow-fever risk country. Malaria prevention is needed for most areas outside central Nairobi. Hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies are commonly recommended.

🚗 Driving

Drive on the left. Bring an International Driving Permit. Roads can be poor and driving after dark is risky; most safari visitors use a driver-guide.

🏥 Healthcare & emergencies

Good private hospitals in Nairobi and Mombasa, limited care elsewhere; get insurance that includes air evacuation. Emergencies: 999 or 112.

⚖️ Drug laws

Cannabis and other drugs are illegal, with long prison sentences possible. Khat (miraa) is legal in Kenya but illegal in many other countries, so don't carry it home.

🎉 Nightlife & party scene

Nairobi's Westlands and Kilimani have clubs, rooftop bars and live music, often with nyama choma (grilled meat) nights; Mombasa and Diani have beach bars. Drinking age 18.

Last reviewed 2026-10-17. Entry, health and legal rules change and can depend on your passport; always confirm with official sources before you travel.

City guides

Nairobi

The only capital with a national park on its doorstep, and the gateway to the Maasai Mara.

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Mombasa

An ancient Swahili port with an old town, Portuguese fort and white-sand beaches nearby.

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All cities in Kenya (112)

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