Is Nairobi safe? Travel risk overview
As of October 16, 2026, 4 governments publish travel advice for Kenya, and those using numeric levels all place it at level 2.
Official government travel advisories for Kenya
Four governments assess the same country independently. Levels run 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest).
| Government | Level | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. State Department | Level 2 | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO | — | Warning FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Kenya. ! Warning FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Kenya. The FCDO publishes written advice rather than a numeric level. |
| Smartraveller | Level 2 | Exercise a high degree of caution |
| Global Affairs Canada | Level 2 | Exercise a high degree of caution |
U.S. State Department
Exercise increased caution in Kenya due to risk of crime , kidnapping , terrorism , unrest , health , and traffic safety . Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Crime Violent crime can occur at any time. Violent crimes include armed carjacking, mugging, home invasion, sexual assault, and kidnapping for ransom. Petty crime is common. Criminal fraud targeting Americans is
Smartraveller
Australian Government travel advice for Kenya. Exercise a high degree of caution. Travel advice level YELLOW. Understand the risks, safety, laws and contacts.
Crime and safety indices
Numbeo indices are crowd-sourced perception measures for Nairobi; the UNODC rate is an official national statistic. They measure different things and are shown together for context, not as a combined score.
Health
Current CDC notices: Global Dengue, Global Measles.
Health considerations for Kenya:
- Routine vaccines
- COVID-19
- Chikungunya
- Cholera
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Malaria
- Measles
- Meningococcal disease
- Monkeypox
- Rabies
- Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health. Vaccination needs depend on your history and itinerary — consult a travel health provider.
Natural hazards
Active GDACS events for Kenya:
- Orange DR — Drought in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad
- Orange DR — Drought in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Full assessment for Nairobi
This page shows published advisories and indices. A Secure Traveler assessment adds eight categories of analysis for your specific trip — crime, targeted risks, cyber, IP risk, identity and financial, transportation, embassy and emergency, and medical — plus an emergency card with local numbers, hospitals and embassy contacts. Three full reports are free.
Generate a free assessmentSources
- U.S. State Department — official advisory
- UK FCDO — official advisory
- Smartraveller — official advisory
- Global Affairs Canada — official advisory
- Numbeo crime and safety indices for Nairobi
- UNODC Global Study on Homicide (2021)
- CDC Travelers' Health — Kenya
- GDACS — Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
Not available when this page was built: usgs: no M4.5+ earthquakes within 500km of Nairobi in the last 30 days. These are named rather than omitted so the gaps are visible.