Travel to Kenya: What Is Happening Right Now?

There is currently an Ebola outbreak affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. This is serious for the communities directly affected, and it is right that regional governments and health authorities are paying close attention.

However, Kenya has not reported Ebola cases linked to the current outbreak at the time of writing. Kenya does not share a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the areas affected by the outbreak are far from the places our guests travel in Kenya.

It is also important to understand how Ebola spreads. Ebola is not a flu-like or COVID-like illness that spreads casually through the air. Transmission requires direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola, or with contaminated materials. For ordinary travellers on a Kenya safari itinerary, the practical risk is therefore very different from the way it may sound in broad international headlines.

Kenya has increased health screening and preparedness measures because it is a regional transport hub. That is what responsible countries do. It does not mean that there is Ebola in Kenya, and it does not mean that tourists are being exposed to Ebola by travelling to Nairobi, the Maasai Mara, Laikipia, the coast, or other established tourism areas.

You may also have seen news about a proposed U.S.-supported Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base near Nanyuki. I live in Nanyuki, so this is not a distant or abstract story to us.

Personally, we do not understand why the United States would seek to outsource this type of risk to a poorer country, or why Kenya’s political leadership would consider accepting such an arrangement. Many people in Nanyuki and across Kenya have asked the same question, and we think it is a good and necessary discussion to have.

That said, it is important to separate the political debate from the practical travel question. The proposal does not mean that Ebola is present in Kenya. It does not mean that tourists are being exposed to Ebola. It is a proposed contingency facility, not a response to an Ebola outbreak in Kenya.

The matter is also being challenged in court and, in our view, is unlikely to become operational before the current outbreak has passed. In June 2026, a US surgeon who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo was successfully treated and discharged from Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, one of Europe’s leading university hospitals. The existence of such a facility does not automatically make a country unsafe to visit.

There has also been disruption around parts of the Middle East because of the Iran-related conflict. This is understandably concerning for travellers, especially those flying long-haul.

For Kenya, the practical situation is more reassuring than many people assume. Flights from Europe to Nairobi generally travel south, crossing only one time zone. Unlike many routes to Japan, Thailand, China, or other parts of Asia, they do not need to cross Middle Eastern airspace. They also do not rely on airspace affected by the Russia / Ukraine war.

This means that many of the main routes into Kenya remain straightforward. Airlines such as KLM, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and others continue to provide practical routings into Nairobi. For many European travellers, Kenya is probably one of the more straightforward long-haul destinations to reach right now.

Our advice is simple: choose a stable routing into Nairobi, avoid unnecessarily tight connections, and check directly with your airline before departure. If you are unsure about your routing, we are happy to give a practical second opinion based on what we are seeing from guests travelling now.

Please continue to prepare for your safari as normal. We recommend:

• following any official health or entry guidance from your own country and the Kenyan authorities;
• speaking to your travel insurer or medical provider if you have personal health concerns;
• contacting your travel planner if your flights change or if you would like help reviewing your route.

On the ground in Kenya, tourism is continuing as normal. Guests are arriving, game drives are running, and the safari areas are calm.

Kenya is a large, established travel destination with strong tourism infrastructure, international medical facilities, experienced aviation links, and a long history of managing regional travel responsibly. International headlines often compress a whole continent into one story. The reality is more specific.

Our view is that travel to Kenya remains practical, safe, and enjoyable for guests following normal travel guidance.