Coming home to Kenya, with everyone taken care of

Children and spouses on foreign passports

This is the question we are asked most. Kenyan citizens travelling on Kenyan passports don't need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA). Family members travelling on foreign passports do, unless their nationality is exempt, and that includes children born abroad.

• If your children hold Kenyan passports, they can travel on them. If they travel only on a foreign passport, they need an eTA like any other visitor.
• Apply for each person separately, only on the official site, etakenya.go.ke, and check the current fee and rules there.
• Do it early, well before your flight, and keep the approvals on your phone and printed.
• Check everyone's passport validity at the same time, especially children's passports, which often expire sooner.

Our eTA and entry checklist goes through children, spouses and dual citizens step by step.

If a spouse or partner is visiting Kenya for the first time, our first-timer's guide answers the questions they might feel shy to ask.

The December rush

December is when the diaspora comes home, and everyone knows it. Flights, cars, train seats and holiday stays fill up early, prices rise, the JKIA arrivals hall is at its busiest and the roads upcountry are full around Christmas.

• Book flights, transport and stays as early as you can, ideally months ahead.
• Allow longer at the airport, in both directions.
• Book the SGR train to the coast early; seats sell out around the holidays. See our Mombasa guide.
• Plan upcountry journeys for early mornings, and avoid driving at night.

Tell us your dates as soon as you know them, and we will start holding the pieces together. Our month-by-month guide shows the holidays and school breaks that shape the season.

Weddings, ceremonies and celebrations

From traditional ceremonies to church weddings and receptions, family celebrations mean moving a lot of people at once. We can plan airport pickups for guests flying in, cars and drivers for the day, a van or a Coaster bus for the wider family, and somewhere comfortable for guests from abroad to stay.

Coming home as a group

Bringing the whole family, your association, your church or your old classmates home together? Our group trips page explains how it works: one request for the group, and one licensed travel agent in Kenya who plans and quotes the whole trip, from arrivals on different flights to the celebration at the end.

When you need to come home for a burial

When a loved one passes, you may have days, not weeks, to get home, and burials are often upcountry. Tell us what you need and we will help with the practical parts: a driver waiting at JKIA whatever time you land, transport for the journey upcountry, and cars for elderly relatives and family arriving from elsewhere. You focus on your family.

Sending a car for your relatives

You don't have to be in Kenya to look after family there. We can arrange a chauffeur-driven car to collect a parent from the village for a hospital appointment, take grandparents to a family gathering, or bring relatives to the airport to meet you. Transport is provided by our sister company, Urban Escape Luxury Cars: 2019 models or newer, with professional drivers.

Upcountry trips

Going home often means going upcountry. Long days on busy highways are tiring after a long-haul flight, and roads you knew well may have changed.

• Consider a chauffeur for the long drives, so you can rest and enjoy the view. The guide to self-drive or chauffeur weighs up both.
• A 4x4 such as a Land Cruiser or Prado is more comfortable for long distances and rougher roads. Compare them in the Land Cruiser V8 vs Prado guide.
• If you haven't driven in Kenya for a while, read the guide to driving in Nairobi and check the documents you need.
• Leave early, plan fuel stops in the bigger towns, and aim to arrive before dark.

Money and your old line

If you kept your Kenyan Safaricom line while abroad, check it is still active before you travel, so M-Pesa works from the moment you land. If it lapsed, a Safaricom shop can help, with your ID or passport. Our guide to money in Kenya explains how to keep a line active while you are away. The guide to paying from abroad covers settling bookings before you fly.

Children's first trip home

For children raised abroad, a first trip to Kenya can be a big moment. Keep the first few days gentle while everyone adjusts to the time difference, see a travel clinic well before you fly, and mix family visits with something just for them: a morning in Nairobi with the giraffes and baby elephants, a weekend at Lake Naivasha, or a few days on Diani Beach. Ask us about child seats when you book transport.

Gifts and luggage

Single-use plastic carrier bags are banned in Kenya, so pack gifts in reusable bags. If you are bringing electronics or goods for family in large quantities, check the customs allowances before you travel.

Home, without the logistics

You bring the people. We take care of the rest, from the time you leave home until the time you return. Plan your trip with us, or read our guide to getting around Kenya.