Kenya for Black Travelers: eTA, Safety Numbers and Ride Apps (2026)

Nairobi is East Africa's biggest hub and the starting point for most safari trips. Every visitor now needs an electronic travel authorization, so sort that first. Checked 6 October 2026.

Entry for US passport holders

• You need an eTA before you fly. Apply at etakenya.go.ke. Fees start at $30, with an expedited option for $100 more. Processing takes about 3 business days; apply at least 2 weeks before you travel.

• Passport valid 6 months, with 2 blank pages.

• Yellow fever card: only needed if you arrive from a yellow fever country.

Numbers to save

• Emergency: 999, 112 or 911

• US Embassy Nairobi: +254 20 363-6000 (after hours: +254 20 363-6170)

Getting around

• Ride apps: Uber and Bolt both run in Nairobi.

• The State Department warns that people using taxis hailed on the street have been robbed and kidnapped. Book through an app or your hotel.

Know before you go

• The US advisory for Kenya is Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution (July 2026). Do not travel to Nairobi's Eastleigh and Kibera neighborhoods, or to several border and coastal counties (Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Lamu, Tana River outside Tsavo, and the coast north of Malindi).

• Snatch thefts by motorcycle riders happen in crowded areas. Keep your phone out of reach of the street.

• Same-sex activity is criminalized in Kenya, with up to 14 years in prison.

Before you go

Enroll in the State Department's STEP program at mytravel.state.gov/s/step so the embassy can reach you in an emergency. For more African countries in one download, get the Black Travel Guide: Africa Edition on blacktravel.org.