Private jet to Kenya

Most private flights from Europe to East Africa end in Nairobi. Jomo Kenyatta International, south-east of the capital, has a runway of 4,117 m and works round the clock, so a long-range jet from London, Geneva or Milan lands there non-stop in seven to eight and a half hours. From the city the trip usually splits: a turboprop from Wilson, the second Nairobi airport, to a camp in the Masai Mara, Laikipia or Amboseli, or a short hop to the Indian Ocean coast at Mombasa, Diani, Malindi or Lamu.

The country draws three kinds of private passengers. Families and groups come for safari, above all from July to October, when the wildebeest herds are in the Mara. Delegations and companies fly to Nairobi for the regional offices of the United Nations, embassies and business. As a broker, we compare aircraft from European and Gulf operators and plan permits, handling and the safari flights as one itinerary.

Send the dates, the number of passengers and where you will sleep: Nairobi, a camp or the coast. A consultant replies with aircraft, routing and prices for the whole trip.

What a private flight changes on this route

Flight times from Europe and the region

Non-stop times to Nairobi in a Falcon 7X from Europe and in light or midsize jets from the region, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Larnaca 5:09 h, Athens 5:45 h, Istanbul 5:58 h, Rome 6:41 h
• Nice 7:11 h, Vienna 7:13 h, Milan Linate 7:15 h, Munich 7:26 h, Geneva and Zurich 7:30 h
• Madrid 7:37 h, Frankfurt 7:46 h, Paris Le Bourget 7:58 h, Hamburg 8:05 h, Amsterdam 8:11 h, London Farnborough 8:22 h
• Kilimanjaro 0:49 h, Entebbe 1:12 h, Zanzibar 1:18 h, Kigali 1:31 h and Addis Ababa 2:03 h in a Phenom 300
• Seychelles 3:18 h and Jeddah 3:56 h in a Phenom 300, Dubai 4:54 h and Cairo 4:56 h in a Praetor 500

The Praetor 600 and the Challenger 650, the two cheaper columns in the main table, fly non-stop from the Alps, Italy, Madrid, Vienna and the eastern Mediterranean. From London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Hamburg they stop once for fuel, which adds about an hour and a half on the ground and a second set of handling charges. The operator files the route around closed and restricted airspace, so the real track is often a little longer than the straight line.

Private jet prices to Kenya

Each figure is the one-way charter of the entire aircraft, with the Kenyan landing permit, handling, airport charges and taxes added on top, on the basis of a jet available near your departure airport. Flight times in the tables belong to the left-hand aircraft of each row.

From the European hubs to Nairobi

The non-stop Falcon 7X costs EUR 89,000-94,000 from Nice, Milan, Vienna, Munich, Geneva and Madrid and EUR 105,000 from London. A Praetor 600 from the same southern hubs is about EUR 53,000-56,000 and needs no stop, with nine seats and less room for luggage. From Larnaca, Athens and Istanbul the sector takes five to six and a half hours, and the Praetor 600 costs EUR 39,000-44,000.

From Europe to Mombasa

Moi International has a runway of 3,350 m and takes every business jet, so the coast can be the first landing in the country:

Mombasa is about 400 km further than Nairobi from most of Europe. The Challenger 650 still flies it non-stop from Milan, at EUR 71,000, and from Rome; from Geneva and London it needs a stop.

From the Gulf, Africa and the Indian Ocean

Neighbouring capitals and parks sit within light-jet range: Kilimanjaro, Entebbe and Kigali are an hour and a half or less from Nairobi, Jeddah about four hours, and Dubai and Cairo about five:

From Dubai and Cairo the Phenom 300 would need a stop and is quoted on request; the Praetor 500 flies these sectors non-stop for EUR 30,000. Zanzibar - Mombasa in a Phenom 300 costs EUR 9,500 for 50 minutes.

A long-range jet is rarely based in Kenya, so it positions from Europe or the Gulf, and an aircraft already in the region brings the price down; crew rest, any fuel stop and the permits are separate lines. In Europe, the French tax on business-jet passengers increases with distance (EUR 420 within Europe, about EUR 2,100 to Kenya), Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on flights to and from the country beyond 1,500 km, and Austria EUR 12. UK Air Passenger Duty is due at the higher private-jet rate on aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, such as the Challenger 650 and the Falcon 7X, while the Praetor 600 pays the standard rate for its distance band.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips priced

Price per person

A charter is priced per aircraft, so every extra seat filled cuts each traveller's share. The eTA, visas for neighbouring countries and passenger taxes are paid per head on top:

Online calculator

The calculator sends a first estimate for your route by e-mail. It covers the jet only; safari flights, waiting time and permits are added in the detailed quote.

Airports for private flights in Kenya

Two airports take a jet from Europe: Jomo Kenyatta in Nairobi and Moi in Mombasa. The rest of the network is domestic: Wilson for safari and light aircraft, and short coastal runways at Diani, Malindi and Lamu.

Nairobi is high: Jomo Kenyatta lies at 1,625 m. Thin air lengthens the take-off run and can reduce the payload on a warm afternoon, mainly on the long flight back to Europe with full tanks. The runway is long, so length is not the issue; the operator calculates the take-off weight for the day and tells us in the quote whether a full cabin and luggage fit with a non-stop return or whether a fuel stop is planned.

Permits and domestic legs

A foreign aircraft needs a landing permit from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, and an overflight permit where Kenyan airspace is crossed. Handling agents quote about 72 working hours as the normal lead time; the authority works on weekdays, so a weekend flight is requested by Thursday. The request names the purpose of the trip, a local contact such as the lodge or the host company, and every passenger, and a change of airport or date needs a revised permit.

Safari airstrips are served by Kenyan operators with turboprops such as the Pilatus PC-12 and the Cessna Grand Caravan, and domestic legs between Nairobi and the coast are flown by Kenyan-registered aircraft as well. Whether the jet that brought you may also carry the same passengers from Nairobi to Mombasa is settled in the permit, and we confirm it for your aircraft before you commit. Domestic flights are quoted on request.

Which aircraft for Kenya

For six or more passengers on a night sector, most clients choose ultra long range or long-range aircraft with seats that convert into beds. The light aircraft to the camps limit soft luggage to about 15 kg per person on scheduled flights; a chartered turboprop is more generous, but the camp sets the final limit, so heavy bags stay in Nairobi or on the jet.

To compare a non-stop flight with a cheaper aircraft and a stop, leave your number and a consultant will call:

Where private flyers go in Kenya

A helicopter can replace a long road transfer, for example Nairobi - Naivasha or Nairobi - Nanyuki. Helicopters are provided by Kenyan operators, and every landing site in a reserve or conservancy needs permission, so we confirm the machine and the sites when the itinerary is fixed.

When to fly: season by season

The best months for a safari are January to February and July to October, when the parks are dry; the long rains of April and May are the quietest time. Empty Legs are most frequent in early January and in late August and September, when long-range jets return to Europe after the holidays and the migration peak.

Nairobi sits near the equator at about 1,600-1,800 m, so days are mild all year, around 24-28 °C, and evenings cool. The coast is hot and humid. Kenya keeps East Africa Time (UTC+3) without daylight saving.

Empty Legs to and from Kenya

Empty Legs are timed by the paying flight, and a long leg is cancelled or moved whenever that booking changes, so a window of several days gives the best chance. Tell empty-legs@jets.flights which way you want to fly and the days that suit you. The landing permit is requested again with your passenger details, so allow at least three working days.

Flying with a dog or cat

The pet travels in the cabin beside you if the operator agrees in advance. The paperwork takes longer than the flight:

• Import permit issued in advance by the Kenyan veterinary authority, entry through Jomo Kenyatta.
• Microchip, rabies vaccination given at least 21 days and not more than 12 months before entry, and a health certificate from your vet, endorsed by the veterinary service of the departure country, after an examination shortly before the flight.
• Parasite treatment around arrival, as set out in the permit.
• Return to the EU: Kenya is not on the EU list, so a rabies antibody test in an EU-approved laboratory, taken at least 30 days after vaccination, is needed. Done before departure and recorded in the pet passport, it avoids the three-month wait on return.
• Return to the UK: the antibody test, a Great Britain pet health certificate and an approved route; dogs also need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival, which for a trip of five days or less can be given before leaving the UK.

Entry rules, documents and safety advice

Before departure: checklist

• Approved eTA and passport with six months' validity for every passenger.
• Health insurance as required for the dates, and a yellow fever certificate if the trip continues to Tanzania.
• Passenger names, dates of birth and passport details at least four working days ahead for the permit.
• Name of the camp or lodge and its airstrip, and the time of the last safari flight of the day.
• Camp luggage limits respected: soft bags only, the rest left on the jet or at the Nairobi hotel.
• If a pet flies: Kenyan import permit, the antibody test report and the endorsed health certificate.

How to book a private jet to Kenya

1. Send the route, dates, number of passengers and the places you will stay, and say whether the jet should wait in Nairobi.
2. We compare a non-stop long-range jet with a cheaper aircraft and one stop, and check the take-off weight for the return from Nairobi's altitude.
3. Two to four offers follow, each naming operator, model and routing with cabin photos and the whole-aircraft price, and listing safari flights and permits.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we collect passport details, apply for the landing permit and slot, and book the handler and the turboprop.
5. On the day, come to the terminal 20-30 minutes before take-off with passport and eTA; in Nairobi the handler meets you at the aircraft.

Questions about private flights to Kenya

• • What does a private jet to Kenya cost?

  • From the southern European hubs a Praetor 600 to Nairobi costs from EUR 53,000 one way for the whole aircraft, and a non-stop Falcon 7X from EUR 89,000. From Larnaca the Praetor 600 is EUR 39,000.

• • How many hours from London to Nairobi?

  • 8:22 h non-stop to Nairobi in a Falcon 7X. A Praetor 600 or Challenger 650 stops once for fuel from London and takes about ten to ten and a half hours.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Jomo Kenyatta International in Nairobi for almost every flight from Europe, or Moi International in Mombasa for the coast. Wilson airport in Nairobi serves the safari turboprops.

• • Can a jet land in the Masai Mara?

  • No. The airstrips in the reserve are unpaved and built for turboprops. The jet lands in Nairobi and a Kenyan operator flies the group from Wilson to the camp in about an hour.

• • What documents do passengers need?

  • A passport valid six months after arrival and an approved eTA for every passenger, plus the health insurance required for the dates. A yellow fever certificate is needed only for onward travel to some neighbouring countries.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • The landing permit takes about three working days, so a week is comfortable. For the migration season and Christmas, book aircraft and camp flights six to eight weeks ahead.

• • Does Nairobi's altitude affect the flight?

  • It can reduce the payload on the long return to Europe on a warm day. The operator calculates the take-off weight for the date, and we tell you in the quote whether a fuel stop is planned.

• • Can we combine Kenya with Zanzibar or Uganda?

  • Yes. Nairobi - Zanzibar takes 1:18 h and Nairobi - Entebbe 1:12 h in a Phenom 300. Each country needs its own permit and entry documents.

• • Can we take our dog?

  • Yes. Kenya issues an import permit in advance, and the EU or UK will want a rabies antibody test for the way back. Plan three to four months ahead and check that the camp accepts animals.

• • Are there Empty Legs from Nairobi?

  • Sometimes, mostly back to Europe in early January and after the migration season, and regional legs to the Gulf and Zanzibar. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • Can the jet stay in Nairobi while we are on safari?

  • Yes; parking and the crew's hotel are then charged as extra lines. For a stay of a week or more we usually compare that with two separate one-way flights.