Entry, health and insurance

Electronic Travel Authorisation

Kenya operates an Electronic Travel Authorisation system. Travellers should use the official Kenya eTA portal, check exemptions and submit the required passport, travel and accommodation information before flying. Approval to travel is not the same as automatic admission at the border. Avoid unofficial sites that imitate the government portal or charge unnecessary service fees.

Passport and travel documents

Check that your passport meets the current validity and blank-page requirements for your nationality and itinerary. Keep offline copies of your passport, eTA approval, insurance, flight details, emergency contacts and accommodation confirmations. Travelling through another country may create separate transit or vaccination rules.

Yellow fever and other vaccinations

Kenya’s Ministry of Health requires a valid yellow-fever certificate from travellers arriving from countries where yellow fever is endemic. Requirements can also depend on transit history. Discuss routine and travel vaccinations with a qualified clinic well before departure; some vaccines need time to become effective.

Malaria and personal health

Malaria risk varies by region, altitude and season. Seek individual medical advice rather than relying on a lodge or website to prescribe medication. Pack enough regular medicine in original packaging, carry a prescription or doctor’s letter where appropriate and keep essential medicine in hand luggage.

Travel insurance

Use comprehensive cover that includes medical treatment, evacuation, trip interruption and the activities you will actually do. Standard policies may exclude high-altitude trekking, technical climbing, riding, diving or remote evacuation. Confirm the altitude limit in writing for Mount Kenya or Kilimanjaro.

Food, water and heat

Use safe drinking water, wash hands regularly and manage sun exposure. Safari days can be dehydrating because cool mornings become hot quickly. At altitude, hydration helps comfort but does not prevent altitude illness; the correct response to worsening symptoms may be to stop ascending or descend.

Emergency preparation

Save your insurer’s assistance number, your operator’s emergency contact and the contact for each accommodation. Mobile coverage is uneven in remote areas. Tell a guide immediately about symptoms, allergies or medication needs rather than waiting until they become severe.

Official links

• Official Kenya eTA portal
• Kenya Immigration eTA information
• Kenya Ministry of Health — incoming travellers
• Kenya Port Health entry requirements

Reviewed 4 August 2026

Before you book flights

Check passport rules, eTA eligibility, transit requirements and health advice using official sources for your nationality and route. Names on tickets, passports and authorisations must match. Keep a record of application numbers and allow more time than the minimum processing estimate.

Medical planning for different trips

• Classic safari: consider malaria advice, sun, dehydration, dust, long drives and access to medical care.
• Mount Kenya: confirm altitude coverage, evacuation, medication, previous altitude history and an itinerary that allows acclimatisation.
• Coast: consider heat, humidity, water activities, marine risks and secure storage of medicines.
• Remote north: prioritise evacuation cover, communication and continuity of essential medication.

Insurance questions to ask in writing

• What altitude is covered?
• Are trekking, climbing, riding, ballooning, diving or self-driving included?
• Does cover include helicopter or fixed-wing evacuation where medically necessary?
• Must the insurer approve treatment before payment?
• What records and receipts are required for a claim?

Document pack

Carry digital and offline copies of your passport, eTA, insurance certificate, emergency contacts, prescriptions, itinerary, accommodation confirmations and next-of-kin details. Share a copy with a trusted person who is not travelling.