The short answer
What to know first.
Yes. Kenya's mandatory travel insurance applies from 5 October 2026, and the cover costs up to US$44. Home-country policies are not accepted. Guests buy it themselves inside the eTA application. Sail Safaris DMC, the private East Africa safari specialists, advises you on each step but does not buy the cover for you. Last reviewed 17 October 2026.
At a glance
The planning brief.
Who needs it
Any non-Kenyan who intends to enter and remain in Kenya for less than twelve months, under section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.
The minimum cover
A cumulative limit of not less than US$50,000, with five minimum benefit lines, from an insurer licensed in Kenya.
From 5 October 2026
The rule applies from 5 October 2026, and the cover costs up to US$44.
Where to buy it
Guests buy it themselves inside the eTA application. Home-country policies are not accepted. Sail Safaris DMC advises but does not buy it for you.
01
What does Kenya's mandatory travel insurance rule say?
The rule sits in section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023. It says a non-Kenyan who intends to enter and remain in Kenya for less than twelve months must hold travel health insurance cover as designated by the Cabinet Secretary for Health.
On 29 July 2026 the Cabinet Secretary signed Gazette Notice No. 11492, published in the Kenya Gazette of 30 July 2026. It sets the minimum benefits and says the cover must be provided by insurers approved and licensed under Kenya's Insurance Act.
The rule applies from 5 October 2026.
02
Who needs Kenya's travel health insurance?
Every non-Kenyan intending to enter and remain in Kenya for less than twelve months, under the wording of the Act. That includes guests on a private Maasai Mara or conservancy safari.
The eTA has its own list of exempt travellers, published on the official eTA site. That list is about the eTA, not about the insurance. We have not found an official list of exemptions from the insurance rule, so we do not state one for children, residents or transit passengers. Tell us each traveller's nationality and we will check the official position for your file. Our wider safety, health and entry guide covers the other documents.
03
What must the cover include?
The Gazette notice sets a cumulative policy limit of not less than US$50,000, and these minimum benefits, shown as insurable limits in US dollars.
The cumulative limit is the overall floor. The five lines are the minimum benefits within it.
Medical expenses
US$20,000
Emergency medical transportation
US$25,000
Prescribed medicines
US$300
Mental illness
US$1,000
Repatriation of mortal remains
US$5,000
04
How do I buy it and fit it to the eTA?
The cover costs up to US$44. Guests buy it themselves inside the eTA application. Sail Safaris DMC advises on the steps but does not buy it for you.
1. Apply for each eTA and buy the cover inside it
Only on etakenya.go.ke or the official Kenya Travel Authorisation app. The eTA is per person, and the site has a group option. Guests buy the insurance themselves inside the eTA application.
2. Plan the timing
The eTA site says applications are usually processed in three days and recommends applying at least two weeks before travel. The standard fee starts from US$30, and the urgent service adds US$100.
3. Keep every reference
Keep every reference and confirmation for each traveller, with the approved eTA, in one folder you can open offline.
05
What should I carry on arrival?
Carry your passport, your approved eTA and your insurance confirmation. The eTA site says the eTA must be shown at all departure and arrival points, and that holding one is not the final authority to enter Kenya.
The Ministry of Health's administrative framework provides for immigration officers at ports of entry to check that non-Kenyans hold valid cover. It also states that holding an eTA does not excuse a traveller from the insurance rule. We have not found an official list of the documents an officer will ask to see, so we ask guests to carry everything.
06
Can my own travel insurance count?
No. Home-country policies are not accepted for this rule. Your own comprehensive travel insurance is a separate matter, and we still ask every guest to hold it.
07
How does this fit a Kenya and Tanzania route?
Kenya's rule is its own. If your route continues into Tanzania, the entry steps there are separate and we confirm them on your file. Our entry paperwork guide for Kenya and Tanzania sets out how the two countries' documents sit side by side, and our Kenya and Tanzania private safaris are planned around one set of papers confirmed for your dates.
08
For travel advisors
Sending a Kenya file to Sail Safaris DMC? Send us, for each traveller: the full name exactly as in the passport, nationality, arrival and departure dates, the airport or border post of entry, and whether any stay in Kenya will run to twelve months or more. We set out the eTA and insurance steps for each passport, name the official portals, and keep the reference list with the file so you can show your client the same sheet. Your client stays your client: we work in the background, under your branding if you ask. See our Travel Advisors page for how we work with advisors.
09
Official sources and when we checked them
Each rule below was read on 11 October 2026. The start date, the cost, the purchase route and the position on home-country policies were confirmed by Sail Safaris DMC on 17 October 2026.
Who must hold cover
A non-Kenyan intending to enter and remain for less than twelve months must hold travel health insurance as designated by the Cabinet Secretary. Source: Ministry of Health administrative framework (November 2025), quoting section 26(6) of the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023.
Minimum cover
Cumulative limit not less than US$50,000, with five minimum benefit lines; insurers approved and licensed under the Insurance Act. Source: Kenya Gazette Notice No. 11492 (Vol. CXXVIII, No. 129, 30 July 2026) on Kenya Law.
eTA
Apply only on the official site or app; each traveller; apply at least two weeks ahead; fee from US$30; not the final authority to enter. Source: etakenya.go.ke FAQs and General Information.
10
Plan your Kenya safari with Sail Safaris DMC
Inquire with Sail Safaris DMC about your Kenya safari. Send each traveller's nationality and dates, and we will confirm the eTA and insurance steps for your file.
Email: safaris@sailadventuresafarisdmc.com. WhatsApp: +255 796 309 258. Offices: 332 Unity Mall, Katabi, Entebbe, and 142 Sokoine Road, Arusha.
Sail Safaris DMC holds Uganda licence UTB/RTT/TT/2022/100217 and Tanzania licence No. 035809.
Raw, Untamed, Authentic. This is your Africa.
Questions travellers ask
Useful answers, before you decide.
Do I need Kenya's travel health insurance for a safari?
Yes, if you are not a Kenyan citizen and intend to enter and remain in Kenya for less than twelve months. Under the Social Health Insurance Act, 2023, that covers safari visitors. We have not found an official list of exemptions from the insurance rule, so tell us each traveller's nationality and we will check.
What must Kenya's mandatory travel insurance cover?
Cover of at least US$50,000 in total, with minimum benefits of US$20,000 for medical expenses, US$25,000 for emergency medical transportation, US$300 for prescribed medicines, US$1,000 for mental illness and US$5,000 for repatriation of mortal remains. The insurer must be approved and licensed under Kenya's Insurance Act.
Where do I buy it?
Guests buy it themselves inside the eTA application, on etakenya.go.ke or the official Kenya Travel Authorisation app. Sail Safaris DMC advises on the steps but does not buy it for you. Keep every reference with your approved eTA.
How much does it cost?
The cover costs up to US$44. The eTA fee starts from US$30, with an extra US$100 for urgent processing. The rule applies from 5 October 2026.
Can I use the insurance I bought at home?
No. Home-country policies are not accepted. Buy the Kenyan cover inside the eTA application, and keep your own comprehensive travel insurance as well.