Kenya - Facts
FAQs
Pre-Arrival Boat: If entering at Kilifi, advance notice of arrival is requested. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: A Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) must be applied for in advance. See Immigration for more details.
Where can I enter? Clear in at either Shimoni or Kilifi, as they are geared to facilitate yachts. Do not attempt to clear in at Mombasa as this is consistently problematic. Click on the anchor symbol in the blue “Explore Country” drop down, to see ports of entry.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? Yacht fees are in the region of USD$25, crew fees $32.50. See Fees for more details.
What security concerns should I know about? Some parts of the coast are not safe. See Security for more info.
Facts for Sailors
- The Republic of Kenya is located in the Eastern Africa region. Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and largest city, while Mombasa, its oldest and second-largest city, is the major port city on Mombasa Island in the Indian Ocean.
- Kenya is renowned for its stunning landscapes, extensive wildlife sanctuaries, and rich cultural heritage.
- According to UN estimates, the population is around 54 million people. The official languages of Kenya are Swahili and English.
- The official currency of Kenya is the Kenyan shilling (KES).
- Kenya observes Eastern Africa Time all year (UTC +3).
- The variations in altitude and terrain create the contrasts in climatic conditions. Kenya, an Equatorial country, enjoys pleasant and good weather year-round. See Weather for more details.
- Kenya has some 300 miles of coastline made up of beaches, mangrove swamps, and creeks. Much of the coast is protected by coral reefs, which provide excellent diving, while the beaches are reputed to be the best in Africa.
- The most popular base for visiting yachts is Kilifi, north of Mombasa, where good repair facilities are available and a yacht can be left in reliable hands while touring the interior. Facilities in Mombasa, Kenya’s chief port, are more limited.
- Although slowly improving, yachting facilities are still limited. However, provisioning is generally good and less expensive than the Indian Ocean islands. Diesel and LPG are also reasonably priced.
- The lights and buoys on the coast cannot be relied upon and entry anywhere is not advisable at night.
- For details of services for cruising boats see Yachting Essentials.
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Trusted Travel Codes
As of Monday, January 11, all travellers entering or departing Kenya must present a digitally-verified negative COVID-19 test.
Departing travellers: Starting on January 11, 2020, outgoing travellers must obtain a negative COVID-19 certificate in accordance with the trusted Traveller (TT) Initiative (www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel) and the PanaBios system (www.panabios.org).
Travellers who intend to depart Kenya must first visit an authorised laboratory (according to the government of Kenya, all PCR COVID-19 testing laboratories are now part of the TT system), obtain a PCR COVID-19 test with a negative result, and be issued a TT code that be verified by airlines and immigration authorities. The traveller will receive a text message (SMS) from PanaBios as well as an email from the testing laboratory and/or from admin@panabios.org with a link to guide the traveller on how to generate a Travel Code at trustedtravel.panabios.org. If the test results meets Kenya’s exit requirements, a Travel Code is issued to the traveller online.
All COVID-19 testing laboratories, starting on Saturday, January 9, 2021, must use the TT process when issuing COVID-19 testing certificates.
Arriving travelers: The government of Kenya also announced that, starting on January 11, 2021 this new TT electronic verification system will also apply to the negative COVID-19 certificates that are already required for travelers who are entering Kenya; however, details are not available at this time. The Embassy is seeking clarification of this new requirement for incoming travelers and will report any additional information to the U.S. citizen community.
No More Kenya Visa on Arrival to Kenya
Effective January 1, 2021, Kenya has banned all visas on arrival.
You must apply for your visa wall in advance of your intended travel to Kenya. Fortunately you can apply for your visa to Kenya online and the Kenya e-visa costs only US $51 in total to get in about 48 hours.
Click here to apply and create your eCitizen account: http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html