Kenya Travel Requirements for Swiss Citizens

Swiss citizens need a passport valid for at least six months with a blank page, an approved Kenya electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), and Kenya’s own mandatory travel insurance, which came in on 5 October 2026. Read the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) travel advice before you book. This guide is current to 7 November 2026.

The Kenya eTA

Kenya’s official eTA portal lists Switzerland as eTA required. Apply only on the official site, etakenya.go.ke. A standard eTA costs $30 and is generally processed within three business days, and expedited processing costs $100 more. According to the official FAQs, every traveller needs their own, and you need a photo, contact details, your itinerary and your accommodation confirmation. We send you the itinerary and lodge details once your safari is confirmed.

Kenya’s mandatory travel insurance

This is the requirement most people have not heard of yet. Since 5 October 2026, most visitors to Kenya must buy Kenya’s own inbound travel health insurance before they travel, through the eTA application or the eCitizen insurance portal. The US Embassy in Nairobi says airlines may check for it at boarding and travellers without it may be refused entry. A foreign policy does not satisfy the rule.

Reports put the cost at about US$48 per adult for 90 days of cover, with a lower rate for children. It is basic cover, so keep your own travel insurance with medical evacuation, and check that it covers a balloon flight if you plan one.

FDFA travel advice

The FDFA publishes travel advice for Kenya in German, French and Italian. Read it before you book and again before you travel, because it changes. If anything in it concerns you, tell us and we will talk through your route park by park.

Ebola: the current position

Kenya reported an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a type of Ebola, in Nairobi in October 2026. The World Health Organization reported nine confirmed cases as of 20 October, all linked to that first patient, and it advises against restrictions on travel to or trade with affected countries. 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, so check the latest position before you book and again before you fly.

Vaccines and malaria

Book a travel clinic four to six weeks before you leave. The CDC lists Kenya among the African countries with areas at risk of yellow fever, so ask about the vaccine and carry any certificate. Malaria is present in many safari areas and on the coast, so ask about tablets too.

Money

We quote in US dollars, so budget for the exchange rate from Swiss francs. A 30% deposit confirms your lodges, with the balance due 60 days before travel. Bring some US dollars for tips, for which we suggest $20 to $25 per person per day.

A simple checklist

• Passport with six months’ validity and a blank page
• Approved eTA for each traveller
• Kenya’s mandatory inbound travel insurance
• Your own insurance with medical evacuation
• Latest FDFA advice, read and saved

Then compare flights from Switzerland to Kenya and choose from our Kenya safari tours from Switzerland. If you are planning a higher-end trip, what a 5-star safari costs shows real prices.

Last updated: 7 November 2026