Overview: Car hire in Kenya starts with the search box above. Choose where and when to collect the car, compare budget to premium options and reserve the one that suits your plans, then pay when you pick it up.
Book now, pay later · Free cancellation · Budget to premium cars · Online check-in · Unlimited mileage · 24/7 support
Read on for the booking steps, the licence and road rules for driving in Kenya, and some classic drives to plan your trip around.
Why Reserve Your Car Through Travelwings?
- Book now, pay later: reserve the car online and pay when you collect it.
- Free cancellation: useful while your plans are still taking shape.
- Budget to premium cars: options for different trips and budgets.
- Online check-in: complete check-in before you arrive and get on the road sooner.
- Unlimited mileage: made for long drives between parks and towns.
- 24/7 support: someone to help, any time of day or night.
How Do You Rent a Car in Kenya Online?
Fill in the search box at the top of the page:
- Pick-up and drop-off location: enter the place where you want to collect the car, then choose the right result.
- A different drop-off point: tick this box if you plan to leave the car somewhere else, and a second location field appears.
- Pick-up date and time: when you will collect the car.
- Drop-off date and time: when you will hand it back.
- Driver aged 30 to 69: this box is ticked by default, so untick it and enter the driver's age if they fall outside that range.
- Search: compare the cars available for your dates and reserve.
What Do You Need to Drive in Kenya?
- Carry your licence: under Kenya's Traffic Act, anyone driving must carry their driving licence and show it to the police if asked.
- Visitors who live outside Kenya: an International Driving Permit is accepted, and a licence issued in your home country can be used for up to 90 days from the date you enter Kenya.
- Good practice: Kenya's tourism board recommends carrying an International Driving Permit together with your home licence.
What Are the Road Rules in Kenya?
- Drive on the left: traffic in Kenya keeps to the left-hand side of the road.
- Speed limits for private cars: 50 km/h in towns and urban areas, 100 km/h on single-carriageway roads and 110 km/h on dual carriageways, unless signs show a lower limit.
- Seat belts: required for everyone in the car, in the front and the back.
- Phones: drivers must not use a mobile phone, or any device not fixed to the car, while the vehicle is moving.
- Alcohol: driving under the influence is an offence, and the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/dl.
- Breakdowns: if your car is stopped where it could endanger or obstruct traffic, place 2 red reflecting triangles at least 50 metres from it, one ahead and one behind.
Which Drives in Kenya Are Worth Planning a Trip Around?
- Nairobi National Park: Kenya's first national park, gazetted in 1946, about 10 km from Nairobi's city centre. Lions, black rhinos and more than 400 bird species live here, with the city skyline on the horizon.
- Hell's Gate National Park: a park of cliffs and water-carved gorges in the Great Rift Valley, reached via Naivasha. You can hike or cycle its trails, and rock climbers head for Fischer's Tower.
- Lake Nakuru National Park: about 156 km north-west of Nairobi, with around 450 bird species and the lake's flamingos. In 1987 it became Kenya's first government-managed rhino sanctuary.
- Amboseli National Park: around 220 km from Nairobi by the Namanga road, known for its large elephant herds against the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is also a UNESCO Man and Biosphere reserve.
- Fort Jesus, Mombasa: a fort built by the Portuguese between 1593 and 1596 to guard the port of Mombasa, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
If you would rather have a trip planned for you, the holiday packages from Kenya show the destinations Travelwings lists for travellers from Kenya, and each destination page has a form to enquire about it.
How Do You Look Up Your Car Booking Later?
Whenever you need to check your reservation, go to Manage my booking and fill in 2 details: your car rental booking number and your last name.
Disclaimer: Car availability, rates and booking features are shown when you search and may change without notice. Road rules and licence requirements are set by the Kenyan authorities and can change, so check the latest guidance from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) before you drive. Attraction details are for general information only.
Frequently Asked Questions: Car Hire in Kenya
1. How do I hire a car in Kenya online?
Enter the pick-up location, dates and times in the search box, check the driver's age setting, then compare the cars and reserve.
2. Can I pay for the car when I collect it?
Yes. You can reserve online and pay when you pick the car up.
3. Can I cancel my booking for free?
Free cancellation is one of the booking features on this page. Your reservation can be found in Manage my booking with your car rental booking number and last name.
4. Can I drive in Kenya with a foreign licence?
Yes, if you live outside Kenya: a licence from your home country is valid for up to 90 days from the date you enter Kenya, and an International Driving Permit is also accepted.
5. What is the speed limit in Kenya?
For private cars, 50 km/h in towns, 100 km/h on single-carriageway roads and 110 km/h on dual carriageways, unless signs show a lower limit.
6. Which side of the road does Kenya drive on?
The left.
7. Do I need warning triangles in Kenya?
Yes. If your car is stopped where it could endanger or obstruct traffic, place 2 red reflecting triangles at least 50 metres away, one ahead of the car and one behind.
8. Can I use my phone while driving in Kenya?
No. Using a mobile phone, or any device not fixed to the car, is not allowed while the vehicle is moving.
Free Cancellation
