Jomo Kenyatta International Airport transfer

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is Kenya's main gateway for long-haul flights from Europe, the Gulf, Asia and the rest of Africa. Many flights land in the evening or early morning, when a waiting driver is especially welcome.

Your driver meets you in the arrivals area with a name sign. The local provider confirms the exact meeting point with you by phone or WhatsApp; sharing your flight number lets them follow delays. Expect security checks on the roads into and out of the airport, which is normal in Nairobi and adds a few minutes.

The drive times above are typical free-flow times. Nairobi's traffic is heavy on weekday mornings and evenings, and a city ride can take considerably longer at those times. Late-night and weekend arrivals usually move more freely.

The Nairobi Expressway, an elevated toll road, links the JKIA area with Westlands. Whether your driver uses it depends on the time of day and the route, so check your offer if you want to know how tolls are handled rather than assuming they are included.

Many safari travellers spend their first night in Karen, Westlands or Gigiri and start the long drive the next morning. It lets you recover from the flight and leave for the parks in daylight.

For road trips into the Rift Valley, to Mount Kenya or to the parks, plan to arrive before dark. The final stretches towards Amboseli and the Mara are rougher than the main highways, and park entry fees are paid separately from the transfer. Kenya has its own visa and entry rules, so check the current requirements before you travel.

Wilson Airport, a separate airport in Nairobi, handles many light-aircraft safari flights. There is no airside link from JKIA, so you need a road transfer between the two.

A standard car suits one to three passengers with normal luggage. Families and groups of up to about seven usually take a minivan, and larger vehicles can be requested. Safari bags tend to be soft and compact, but camera gear and extra luggage for a long trip add up, so say what you are bringing.

For Amboseli and the Mara a safari-style 4x4 such as a Land Cruiser can be requested; it is usually priced higher than a minivan. Child seats are available on request when you book.