​Getting There – Kenya

Anthony Ham
Expert
By Anthony Ham

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Map of Kenya Map of Kenya
Kenya Map

Kenya's main airport is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), located 15km/9mi southeast of Nairobi. Kenya's second international airport is Moi International Airport (MBA), located 9km/6mi west of Mombasa, but aside from flights to Zanzibar, this is primarily used for domestic and charter flights.

From Nairobi or Mombasa, you can fly or drive between reserves, or opt to do a bit of both. Most (but not all) domestic flights out of Nairobi depart from Wilson Airport (WIL), 6km/4mi south of Nairobi.

Whichever mode you choose for travel, in most cases the local tour operator will arrange pickup at the airport and all further transportation as part of the safari package.

Flights & Airlines to Kenya

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Kenya and what tickets would cost.

Domestic Airlines & Flights in Kenya

Wilson Airport (WIL) is used for flights to Tanzania and most domestic flights.

Domestic flights can be booked with several carriers:

  • AirKenya (Flights to/from Amboseli, Tsavo West, Kilimanjaro, Kisumu, Lewa Downs, Loisaba, Meru, Migori, Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, Nanyuki and Samburu, as well as Tarime in Tanzania and Entebbe in Uganda)
  • Mombasa Air Safari (Flights to/from Amboseli, Diani Beach, Tsavo West, Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi’s Wilson Airport)
  • Safarilink (Flights to/from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, Tsavo West, Diani Beach, Kitale, Kisumu, Amboseli, Nanyuki, Kilimanjaro, Lamu, Lewa Downs, Loisaba, Migori, Malindi, Mombasa, Naivasha, Samburu and the Masai Mara, as well as Zanzibar in Tanzania)
  • Fly540 (Flights to/from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Diani Beach, Eldoret, Lamu, Lodwar, Mombasa and Malindi, as well as Zanzibar in Tanzania)
  • Kenya Airways (Flights to/from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and most major and medium-sized Kenyan cities)
  • Jambo Jet (Flights to/from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Diani Beach, Malindi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Lamu and Eldoret)

Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements

Entry requirements can change, so please contact your local Kenyan embassy/high commission to verify that the information below is current.

  • A passport is required for all foreign visitors and must be valid for at least six months.
  • Passports must have a clean and a full visa page for endorsement.
  • Citizens of most countries require a visa. A list of countries that don’t need a visa is available from the Kenyan Immigration Department.
  • Visas can be obtained in advance from Kenyan embassies or high commissions.
  • You can also apply through the online visa-application portal, the official website of the Kenyan Department of Immigration Services.
  • A visa can also be obtained on arrival for which you pay cash (new notes only).
  • When arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country in Africa or the Americas, a yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required.
  • For more information, including COVID-19 related entry requirements (if any), please check the website of your local Kenyan embassy/high commission or the government travel advisories below:

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