Car hire in Nairobi: your questions answered

Yes. Book online from anywhere and your booking is confirmed straight away by email, so your car is secured before you board your flight. Around 70% of our clients are Kenyans living abroad. See car hire for the diaspora.

Choose a car from the fleet, pick your dates and delivery point, and get an all-in quote. Book online and your booking is confirmed straight away and emailed to you. How to book walks through each step.

Yes. Send us the car you would like, your dates and where you would like it delivered, and we will reply with an all-in quote.

As soon as you know your dates, and for December book now: it is our busiest month, and seven-seaters and 4x4s go first. See December car hire.

Your booking is confirmed straight away and emailed to you with your rental agreement. Only the reservation deposit is paid to hold the vehicle when you book. You pay the remaining balance when you see the car, or receive a full refund if you aren't satisfied with the vehicle at the delivery inspection. The reservation deposit is 30% of the total, paid within 2 hours of booking: we send you a card payment link, or share our M-Pesa details by WhatsApp, phone or email. The balance can be paid by M-Pesa, bank transfer, credit card or cash.

Yes. Cancellation is free until the car is handed over to you, and anything you have paid is refunded in full, including if you are not satisfied with the car at the delivery inspection. To change your dates, message us on WhatsApp. Once you have the car, there are no refunds for returning it early.

Share your flight details when you book and we track your flight, so if you land early or late we adjust and our driver is there to greet you. If you are held up inside the airport, send us a WhatsApp message so we know.

We focus on cars and drivers. For stays, safaris, the train to Mombasa and arrival essentials such as the eTA, our sister company Urban Escape Kenya plans the whole trip, with airport pickups and cars from us.

Self-drive daily rates run from KES 4,000 (Mazda Demio) to KES 35,000 (Land Cruiser Safari), before 16% VAT. For example, the Mazda CX-5 is KES 8,500 a day and the Toyota Prado KES 14,000. Every car is on our prices page. Delivery and collection cost KES 1,000 each way, and every booking has a one-time Returned Vehicle Cleaning and Service Fee of KES 1,000, which covers cleaning the car after you return it. A chauffeur costs KES 4,000 a day within Nairobi or KES 5,000 a day outside Nairobi. Pick your dates on any car page to see the full price including VAT.

Yes. The minimum rental is 3 days.

Everything except fuel, fines and tolls. Your quote shows the full cost: the rental, delivery and collection (KES 1,000 each way), a one-time Returned Vehicle Cleaning and Service Fee of KES 1,000 (it covers cleaning the car after you return it, so there is no car wash charge), a chauffeur if you want one, and VAT (value added tax) at 16%, which is added to our rates. Every car comes with comprehensive insurance and unlimited mileage. There are no hidden fees added when you land. If you take a chauffeur on a trip away from Nairobi, you also cover your driver's food and overnight accommodation.

By M-Pesa, bank transfer, credit card or cash. Only the reservation deposit is paid to hold the vehicle when you book. You pay the remaining balance when you see the car, or receive a full refund if you aren't satisfied with the vehicle at the delivery inspection. The reservation deposit is 30% of the total, paid within 2 hours of booking: by card through a secure payment link we send you, or by M-Pesa to the details we share by WhatsApp, phone or email. It is easy to pay from anywhere in the world. Our guide to paying for car hire from abroad explains each option.

Yes. Only the reservation deposit is paid to hold the vehicle when you book. You pay the remaining balance when you see the car, or receive a full refund if you aren't satisfied with the vehicle at the delivery inspection. Cancellation is free until the car is handed over to you, and anything you have paid is refunded in full. There is no refund for returning the car early.

Yes. In most cases you will know the exact car assigned to you in advance: your booking page shows it, with its licence plate and photos. If we ever need to change it, you get the same model or better at no extra cost, or you can cancel for a full refund.

No credit card is required for checkout, and there is no USD 1,000 card hold like the airport desks. You pay a refundable reservation deposit within 2 hours of booking, by M-Pesa or a card payment link, and the balance when you see the car. Cancellation is free until handover.

On self-drive hire, yes. You see the exact security deposit for your car in your quote before you book, and again on your booking page. It is fully refundable and due with your remaining balance by handover. It is not an extra charge: it is returned when the car is returned. The security deposit is refunded immediately after the return handover inspection, the same way you paid it, minus only what is owed, each item shown with the video or a receipt. With one of our chauffeurs driving there is no security deposit and no Excess Fee for Damage. Our guide to the car hire security deposit explains it step by step.

No. Our daily rates, delivery, chauffeur and cleaning fees exclude VAT (value added tax). VAT at 16% is added to your total, and your quote shows the subtotal excluding VAT, the VAT and the total including VAT on separate lines, so you see exactly what you pay before you book.

No. We hand the car over with fuel in the tank and ask you to return it at the same level, like for like, so the next traveller can set off straight away.

No. Every car comes with unlimited mileage.

The refundable security deposit is 10% of the rental before VAT, or the minimum for the car's class if that is higher: KES 20,000 for economy cars, KES 30,000 for mid-size cars and compact suvs, KES 50,000 for prado, land cruiser v8 and other large 4x4s, KES 75,000 for porsche cayenne and other luxury cars. It is due with your remaining balance by handover. It is not an extra charge: it is returned when the car is returned, immediately after the return handover inspection, minus only costs you owe under the agreement.

Only these can be taken off:

• fuel below the level you received, at the pump price
• traffic and speed camera fines, parking and tolls, at cost
• a late return, after the 1-hour grace period
• new damage shown on the handover and return videos, up to your Excess Fee for Damage

Anything taken off is on a written list, with the video or a receipt to show it, and there are no admin or processing fees.

With one of our chauffeurs driving there is no security deposit and no Excess Fee for Damage. We are also happy to waive the security deposit for example for returning customers upon your request.

You have a 1-hour grace period. After that, each hour late costs 10% of the daily rate. If you are more than 5 hours late, a full extra day is charged. Need longer? Ask for an extension on your booking page before your return time.

Every driver must be 25 or over and have held a driving licence for at least 2 years. We can sometimes waive the 2-year rule; ask us before you book.

Return the car with the same fuel level. If it is lower, we charge only the cost of topping it up at the current pump price, with no service fee.

Traffic fines, speed camera fines, parking fines and tolls are passed on at cost, with no admin fee. The Expressway toll from JKIA to Westlands is about KES 330 for a car (January 2026 rate; rates can change). Speed camera and traffic fines are sent to us, as the car's owner, sometimes weeks after your hire. We send you the official notice with your booking reference. You pay only the fine, at cost. There is no admin or handling fee. Fines are paid only through official channels (eCitizen, a bank or our official payment details), never in cash at the roadside.

1. Make sure everyone is safe, then call or WhatsApp our 24/7 support line. 2. For an accident involving anyone else, or a theft, report it to the police and get a police abstract (the official police report) within 24 hours. 3. Photograph the damage, the scene and the other party's details, including their number plate. 4. Do not admit fault, or agree any payment, with anyone else involved. On a self-drive booking, the most you pay for damage to our car is the Excess Fee for Damage in your agreement, as long as its terms are kept.

Yes: KES 500 a day for a child seat and KES 300 a day for a booster seat, each capped at KES 5,000 per hire. Tell us your children's ages when you book and we will fit the right seat.

Smoking in our cars is not encouraged. If anyone smokes in the car, a cleaning charge applies.

Pets are welcome if they travel in an approved pet carrier. Any damage to the inside of the car caused by a pet is charged.

A driving licence held for at least 2 years, and your passport or Kenyan ID. Visitors on a foreign passport also need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) to enter Kenya, unless their nationality is exempt. See the documents you need.

Only if your licence is not in English. You can drive in Kenya on a valid foreign driving licence for up to 90 days from arrival. If your licence is not in English, you also need an International Driving Permit. Staying longer than 90 days means converting to a Kenyan licence through NTSA (the National Transport and Safety Authority), so confirm with NTSA if you are staying longer. See driving in Kenya with a foreign licence.

25. You also need to have held your driving licence for at least 2 years. We can sometimes waive the 2-year rule; ask us before you book.

Yes. Extra drivers are welcome. We add them to the rental agreement, and they need to meet the same requirements as the main driver, including being 25 or over and bringing their licence and passport or ID.

Yes, from KES 4,000 a day within Nairobi. Every car can be booked with one of our professional chauffeurs, and every car except the Alphard can also be self-drive, within Nairobi and throughout Kenya. A chauffeur costs KES 4,000 a day within Nairobi or KES 5,000 a day outside Nairobi. The chauffeur price includes up to 12 hours a day. Extended hours are available for an additional fee (KES 500 an hour). Away from Nairobi, the driver's allowance is KES 1,000 a night, and you also cover the driver's hotel and food. Our drivers are vetted, long-term members of our team, and many repeat clients ask for the same driver again. Read self-drive vs chauffeur to decide.

Anywhere in Nairobi, for KES 1,000 each way: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) arrivals, and to hotels and homes in Westlands, Parklands, Upper Hill, Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Lavington, Karen, Langata, Gigiri, Runda, Muthaiga and the city centre. Elsewhere in Nairobi by arrangement.

Your driver shares their live location with you on WhatsApp, so you find the exact meeting spot. It is usually the passenger pick-up and drop-off lot right in front of the terminal. Your driver holds a sign bearing your name. We track your flight, so early or late landings are covered, and free waiting time after your flight lands, and before your flight home. We walk you to the car, go round it with you and hand over the keys. Read our JKIA arrival guide for the full picture.

Before you meet it, we send you photos or a video of the actual car you will drive.

We show you the spare wheel and jack, and our driver films a video walkthrough of the inside and outside of the car. We encourage you to film your own as well, so everything can be checked against it when you return the car.

Can't see your driver? Stay inside the arrivals hall and call or WhatsApp +254 729 635 168 or +254 796 135 377, day or night. No Kenyan SIM? Use the airport Wi-Fi. Only go with the driver whose name and number we sent you. Flight late? We follow it and wait. You never pay for waiting. If our driver is late, we tell you how long. Over 30 minutes, we pay for an official airport taxi and bring the car to you. Flight cancelled or moved? We move your booking at no cost.

Yes. You choose where we collect the car when you book, whether that is the airport, your hotel or your home. At JKIA, waiting before your flight is free, and your driver shares their live location so you find each other.

Yes, anywhere in Kenya on paved roads. Just tell us your destination when you book, so we can plan support and confirm your route. Visiting family? Murram (dirt) roads to family homes are allowed with our approval, as part of your area of use. Tell us the route when you book. For long drives, a 4x4 such as the Toyota Prado or Land Cruiser V8 is the most comfortable choice.

Yes. Mombasa is on paved roads, so it is fine with our approval: tell us your route when you book and we confirm it. It is a long day's drive, so many people add one of our chauffeurs: KES 5,000 a day outside Nairobi. Away from Nairobi, the driver's allowance is KES 1,000 a night, and you also cover the driver's hotel and food.

Yes. Our cars are not allowed on safari game drives, except in our Land Cruiser Safari, and they are not allowed on unpaved roads (except murram roads to family homes, with our approval) or in areas of high safety concern. We confirm any off-limits areas with you when you book, based on where you are going. Lodges and camps also run game drives in their own vehicles.

Only in our Land Cruiser Safari, our game-drive vehicle for the Maasai Mara and other parks. It is the only car in our fleet allowed on game drives; every other car stays on paved roads. Tell us which parks you are visiting when you book.

No. For security reasons our cars cannot be driven out of Kenya, into Tanzania, Uganda or any other country.

Yes. Every car has GPS tracking and an anti-theft system. Every car is also a 2019 model or newer, and is serviced, maintained and cleaned before each rental, with its tyres, engine, brakes and fluids checked.

Stay calm. Traffic checks are common in Kenya. Be polite and show your driving licence. Official fines are paid through eCitizen or a bank, never in cash. Call us and put us on speaker. Read staying safe in Nairobi before you drive.

Most trips in Nairobi are uneventful, and a few calm, simple habits keep them that way. Keep the doors locked and the windows up in slow traffic. Keep phones and bags out of sight, and never leave them in a parked car. Plan long drives to arrive before dark, and avoid driving between towns at night. Use main roads after dark, and secure parking at malls, hotels and offices. At night, do not stop for strangers waving you down. If you think someone is following you, drive to a petrol station, mall or police station and call us. Every car has GPS tracking, and our 24/7 line can see where you are. Our guide has more on staying safe in Nairobi.

Speed camera and traffic fines are sent to us, as the car's owner, sometimes weeks after your hire. We send you the official notice with your booking reference. You pay only the fine, at cost. There is no admin or handling fee. Fines are paid only through official channels (eCitizen, a bank or our official payment details), never in cash at the roadside.

Our support line runs 24/7, so call or WhatsApp us straight away, day or night. If the car has a manufacturer (mechanical) issue, we give you a replacement car.

Yes, the Nairobi Expressway between Mlolongo, JKIA and Westlands. Tolls vary by where you join and leave, and we pass them on at cost with no admin fee. Most of our cars carry an electronic toll card: tell us in advance if you would like to use it and we will set it up. See JKIA to Westlands.

Yes. Every car includes comprehensive insurance, which covers damage to other people and their property (third parties). If our car is damaged on a self-drive booking, the most you pay is the Excess Fee for Damage shown when you book.

Tell us immediately so we can resolve it together. Damage claims are generally closed out before or at the return inspection, so there are no surprise charges or bills later. Read our fair damage promise.

Often not. Card cover is usually secondary, many cards exclude luxury or high-value vehicles and unpaved roads, and some stop after 15 or 31 days. UK car insurance does not cover hire cars in Kenya. Check with your card issuer before you travel.