Kenya is the easiest country in East Africa to travel in independently, with good roads on the main routes, widespread English and an infrastructure built around tourism for sixty years.
Entry
Kenya abolished visas in January 2024 and replaced them with an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which almost all foreign nationals must obtain online before travelling. It costs about 30 US dollars plus a processing fee, is usually approved within three days and is valid for a single entry of up to 90 days. East African Community citizens are exempt. A yellow fever certificate is required if arriving from a country with risk of transmission.
Park fees
Kenya Wildlife Service raised fees in 2024. Non-resident daily entry is roughly 30 to 60 US dollars for most parks, with Amboseli and the Nairobi park higher, and the Masai Mara, which is county-run rather than KWS, charging 100 US dollars per person per day in high season. Conservancies levy their own fees, generally included in nightly rates. Payment at KWS gates is cashless, by card or the eCitizen platform.
Money
The currency is the Kenyan shilling. M-Pesa, the mobile money system, is used for everything from taxi fares to market stalls and is far more common than cash; a local SIM from Safaricom makes it available to visitors. Cards work in hotels and city restaurants. Tipping is expected: 10 percent in restaurants, and roughly 20 US dollars per day for a safari driver-guide from the vehicle.
Health
Malaria is present below about 1500 m, so the coast, the Mara, Tsavo and the lakeshores carry risk, while Nairobi and the highlands are considered low risk. Take prophylaxis. Recommended vaccinations are hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus. Do not drink tap water outside good hotels. Private hospitals in Nairobi are excellent and expensive, and AMREF operates a flying doctor service worth having on a policy.
Safety
Petty theft in Nairobi and Mombasa is the realistic risk. Do not walk at night in the cities, do not display phones, use ride-hailing apps. Avoid the border areas with Somalia, parts of the north-east and any large political gathering. Wildlife parks are safe when you follow guide instructions; the annual injuries come from people leaving vehicles.
Getting around
The Madaraka Express connects Nairobi and Mombasa in under five hours. Domestic flights link Nairobi with the safari airstrips and the coast and save days. Matatus, the decorated minibuses, are cheap, fast and driven accordingly. Self-drive is feasible on tarmac but rarely worth it inside parks. Kenya banned single-use plastic bags in 2017 and enforcement at the airport is real.