How safe is Kenya for travelers?

Where not to go

• The FCDO advises against all travel to Mandera County, to parts of Wajir County within 60 km of the Somali border, to most of Garissa County, and to Lamu County apart from Lamu Island and Manda Island.
• It advises against all but essential travel to Garissa Town, to Tana River County north of the river as far as Saka, and to a 15 km strip of the east coast between the Tana and Galana rivers.
• Nairobi, Mombasa, Diani, Watamu, the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo, Naivasha and Nakuru are all outside those areas and carry no such restriction.
• Check the advice before you book, because the boundaries move and your insurance follows them.

Crime

• Mugging and bag snatching are the common risks in Nairobi's CBD and around Eastleigh, and in Mombasa's Old Town and by the Likoni ferry.
• Do not walk at night in Nairobi. Take a taxi or a ride-hail even for three blocks; residents do.
• Carjacking happens, usually at junctions and gates. Keep doors locked and windows up in traffic, and hand over the car.
• Do not display a phone in traffic or on the street, and carry a decoy amount of cash.
• ATM skimming and follow-outs are real. Withdraw inside a bank or mall.

Terrorism and protests

• Al Shabaab attacks have targeted hotels, malls and public places, and the threat is officially assessed as high.
• Protests are common in Nairobi and can turn violent quickly, with police using tear gas and live rounds. The demonstrations that began in June 2024 have recurred on their anniversaries.
• Avoid demonstrations entirely and avoid the CBD on days one is called.
• Follow local news and your embassy's alerts, since roads close with no notice.

Roads and wildlife

• Road accidents are the single biggest cause of injury to visitors. Night driving, matatus and boda bodas concentrate the risk.
• Wear the helmet on a boda boda or do not get on it.
• Wild animals are wild. Stay in the vehicle unless the guide says otherwise, do not stand up through the roof at close range, and never walk in an unfenced camp at night.
• Hippos and buffalo kill more people than lions. Both are around lodges at dusk.

Practical

• Carry a photocopy of your passport and eTA, not the originals.
• Police checks happen on the roads and are routine; be polite and produce documents.
• Same-sex relationships are criminalised in Kenya and public affection carries real legal and social risk. This is a matter of law, not of local mood.
• Do not photograph police, soldiers, airports or government buildings.