Canadian citizens need an approved Kenya electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before they fly, and a passport valid for at least six months with one blank page. Read the Government of Canada’s travel advice before you book, take advice on vaccines and malaria, and buy insurance with medical evacuation cover. This guide is current to 7 November 2026.
The Kenya eTA
Kenya’s official eTA portal lists Canada as eTA required. Apply only on the official site, etakenya.go.ke, not through a look-alike. A standard eTA costs US$30 and is generally processed within three business days. Expedited processing costs US$100 more.
Each traveller needs their own. The official FAQs say you will need a photo, contact details, your itinerary, your accommodation confirmation and a payment card. We send you the itinerary and lodge details once your safari is confirmed. Apply at least two weeks before you fly.
Government of Canada advice
Canada’s travel advice for Kenya tells Canadians to take a high degree of caution in Kenya, and it lists areas to avoid, mostly near the Somali, South Sudanese and Ethiopian borders. Read the page yourself, because it changes, and tell us if anything on it concerns you. We can talk through your route park by park.
Check how your insurance treats government advice, because some policies limit cover in certain regions.
Ebola: the current position
In October 2026, Kenya reported an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola, in Nairobi. The World Health Organization reported nine confirmed cases as of 20 October, all linked to that first patient, and it advises against travel restrictions. By 3 November, five patients had recovered, and the Ministry of Health reported no new infections for two weeks. It will not declare the outbreak over until a 42-day countdown ends.
Canada’s advice asks you to monitor your health while in Kenya and for 21 days after you leave. Its border measures, including 21-day quarantine for returning Canadians, apply to Uganda, South Sudan and the DRC. Kenya was not on that list on 4 November. Anyone transiting those countries is covered, so our flight guide explains which routes to avoid.
Vaccines and malaria
Book a travel clinic four to six weeks before you leave. The CDC lists Kenya among the countries with areas at risk of yellow fever, so ask about the vaccine and keep any certificate with your passport. Malaria is present in many safari areas and on the coast, and your clinic can prescribe tablets.
Insurance and money
Since 5 October 2026, most visitors to Kenya must also buy Kenya’s own inbound travel health insurance, through the eTA application or the eCitizen portal, according to the US Embassy in Nairobi. Reports put it at about US$48 per adult for 90 days. A foreign policy does not satisfy the rule, so buy the Kenyan cover and keep your own as well.
Buy a policy with medical treatment and evacuation. Provincial health plans offer limited cover abroad, so do not rely on one alone.
Our prices are in US dollars, so budget for the exchange rate. Bring some US dollars for tips, for which we suggest US$20 to US$25 per person per day. A 30% deposit confirms your lodges, and the balance is due 60 days before travel.
A simple checklist
- Passport with six months’ validity and a blank page
- Approved eTA for each traveller
- Kenya’s mandatory inbound travel insurance
- Latest Government of Canada advice, read and saved
- Travel clinic visit
- Insurance with medical evacuation
When those are in hand, choose your dates with our guide to the best time to go, and look at Kenya safari tours from Canada. If you are wondering what private travel adds, see what a VIP safari includes.
Last updated: 7 November 2026
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