Health & Safety in Kenya (2026)

Required

Yellow Fever. A certificate (ICVP or Yellow Card) is required if arriving from a yellow fever endemic country, which includes Uganda, Ethiopia, DRC, Brazil and Nigeria among others. Proof must be for travellers over 9 months of age. Even if it is not required for entry, get it if your itinerary covers the Rift Valley, Western Kenya or safari destinations. Those areas carry transmission risk. The certificate is valid for life with no boosters needed under WHO 2016 rules. Keep it in your hand luggage, not checked baggage.

• Transit rule: if you have a layover of more than 12 hours in an endemic country en route to Kenya, you need the Yellow Card even if your home country is non-endemic.
• Official link: Kenya Ministry of Health, Incoming Travellers.

• COVID-19. Kenya removed all COVID-19 entry requirements in 2022. No test or vaccine certificate is needed.

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis B
• Polio if not up to date
• Rabies pre-exposure, especially for children, safari visitors and anyone spending time near wildlife, monkeys or stray dogs
• Meningitis, particularly for travel to the Rift Valley
• Tetanus and Diphtheria standard boosters

Book a travel clinic appointment 4 to 6 weeks before departure. Some vaccines need multiple doses to be effective.

See UK TravelHealthPro Kenya or CDC Travellers' Health Kenya.

Most of Kenya including all the safari destinations we cover is a malaria-risk zone. High-altitude areas like Nairobi above roughly 1,800m and the central city itself are considered low-risk, but do not skip prophylaxis for outdoor trips.

• Kenya malaria strains are resistant to chloroquine, so standard chloroquine prophylaxis does not work.
• Recommended options are Atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), Doxycycline or Mefloquine. Your doctor will advise based on your itinerary and health profile.
• Start tablets before arrival and continue after leaving. Follow the specific timing for your medication.
• Also use DEET or picaridin repellent of at least 30 percent, long sleeves and trousers at dusk and dawn and a bed net if your accommodation does not provide one.
• If you develop a fever above 38°C any time from 1 week to 1 year after returning, see a doctor and tell them you were in a malaria zone.

See CDC Malaria, Kenya.

• Drink bottled or treated water outside Nairobi and major hotels.
• Nairobi mains water is treated but we still recommend filtered or bottled for visitors not used to local water.
• Avoid ice in drinks unless you know it was made from treated water.
• Stick to hot, freshly cooked food at reputable establishments.
• Peel fruit yourself or eat fruit that comes with intact skin like banana, orange or mango.
• Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccines cover the most common food and waterborne illness risks.

Kenya has two rainy seasons. The long rains run March to June and the short rains run October to December. Weather varies a lot by altitude and region. Here is the current 7-day forecast for each destination we cover.

• Kenya major tourist circuits, Nairobi, the Aberdares, Hell's Gate, Samburu, Amboseli and Mount Kenya, are broadly safe for visitors.
• Avoid border regions with Somalia (Mandera, Garissa, parts of Wajir and the coastal areas north of Malindi). Multiple government advisories classify these as high-risk.
• Road safety. Kenya roads carry real risk. Use vetted transport and avoid night driving on rural roads. Our field operations use dedicated tour vehicles with experienced drivers.
• Petty theft is a risk in urban areas. Use hotel safes and keep valuables out of sight.
• As of June 2026, protests and demonstrations have occurred in Nairobi and other towns. Monitor local news before travel in-country. The US Embassy Kenya advisory is a useful real-time source.

Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended. AMREF Flying Doctors offers an annual membership worth considering for extended stays.