Irish citizens need three things to travel to Kenya: an Irish passport with at least six months' validity and two blank pages, an approved Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), and travel insurance. Vaccines and malaria tablets are strongly advised. Here is what each involves and when to sort it.
Passport
The Department of Foreign Affairs says your Irish passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival and have two blank pages. The Irish passport card is not accepted for Kenya.
The Kenya eTA
Ireland is not on Kenya's exemption list, so you need an eTA before you fly. Apply only on the official site, etakenya.go.ke. You will need your passport details, travel dates, accommodation and a photo. The fee is about US$30 to US$32.50, and processing usually takes around three working days, but the government advises applying at least two weeks ahead.
Book your flights from Ireland to Kenya first, because the application asks for your travel details.
Vaccines and malaria
See your GP or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go. NHS travel guidance for Kenya usually advises diphtheria, tetanus, polio and hepatitis A, and suggests considering hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, meningococcal and yellow fever depending on your trip. Your doctor will advise on your own situation.
Malaria is a risk all year in most of Kenya, including the Masai Mara and the coast. Nairobi and the highlands above 2,500 metres are lower risk. Antimalarial tablets are normally advised for a safari, along with repellent and sleeping under the nets that camps provide.
Kenya asks for a yellow fever certificate only if you arrive from, or transit for 12 hours or more through, a country with a risk of yellow fever. Flying from Dublin through Europe or the Gulf does not trigger this.
Current travel advice
The DFA rates Kenya as “high degree of caution”, level 2 of 4. It advises against non-essential travel within 75 km of the Somalia border and gives specific guidance for some other areas, so read the full page when you book and again before you fly. In October 2026 Kenya confirmed a single imported Ebola case linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the DFA page carries health guidance on this. Check it for updates.
Our safari routes run in the main parks and reserves, and we are happy to talk through any part of the advice with you.
Travel insurance
Buy a policy that covers medical treatment, emergency evacuation by air, and cancellation. Your EHIC is not valid in Kenya. If something goes wrong in a remote park, evacuation to Nairobi by light aircraft is how serious cases are handled, and without cover it is very expensive. Insurance also protects the 30% deposit you pay to confirm the safari.
Money, phones and tipping
- Currency: the Kenyan shilling. Safari prices and many tips are in US dollars. Bring clean notes printed after 2006, as older or damaged notes are often refused.
- Cards: accepted at larger lodges and in Nairobi; cash is easier for tips.
- Phone: a local Safaricom SIM, registered with your passport, gives cheap data and access to M-Pesa mobile payments.
- Tips: a common guide is US$10 to US$20 per guest per day for your driver-guide.
For the full cost picture, see what a Kenya safari costs from Ireland.
A simple checklist
- Passport valid 6 months beyond arrival, 2 blank pages
- Safari booked and flights confirmed
- eTA approved (apply at least two weeks ahead)
- Travel clinic visit 6 to 8 weeks before departure
- Insurance with evacuation cover
- DFA advice checked the week you fly
Once the paperwork is sorted, the fun part is choosing the trip. Browse our Kenya safaris for travellers from Ireland, or see the best time to go if you are still deciding on dates.
Last updated: 15 October 2026
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