December Homecoming Checklist: Flights, eTA, Car and SIM

Key dates for December 2026

• Saturday 12 December: Jamhuri Day, a public holiday.
• Friday 25 December: Christmas Day.
• Saturday 26 December: Boxing Day.
• Friday 1 January 2027: New Year's Day.

The busiest days at JKIA and on the roads out of Nairobi are usually the week before Christmas and the days around New Year.

October: book the big things

• Flights. Fares for mid-December rise as the month fills up.
• Your car. Seven-seaters and 4x4s are the first cars we run out of in December. Book online and your car is confirmed straight away; you pay a refundable reservation deposit within 2 hours of booking. See December car hire in Kenya.
• Where you are staying, if it is not with family.
• Wedding and ruracio transport, if there is a family event. A convoy with chauffeurs books up early: see wedding car hire.

October and November: documents

• Passports: check every expiry date, including the children's. Many countries and airlines expect several months of validity left.
• eTA: visitors on a foreign passport need an Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter Kenya, unless their nationality is exempt. That includes children born abroad who travel on a foreign passport, even when their parents are Kenyan. Kenyan citizens on a Kenyan passport do not need one. Apply only on the official government site.
• Driving licence: bring your full licence. A valid foreign licence works for up to 90 days from arrival; carry an International Driving Permit too if it is not in English, and confirm with NTSA if you are staying longer. Our guide to driving in Kenya with a US, UK or EU licence explains.
• Every driver must be 25 or over with a licence held for at least 2 years.

The car: what to decide

• How many people and how many suitcases? A family of six or seven usually needs a seven-seater such as the Mazda CX-8. Our guide to which car for 5, 7 or 10 people gives honest luggage advice.
• Where will you go? Nairobi only, or upcountry too? Our cars stay on paved roads; tell us your route when you book.
• Who will drive? If elderly parents need the car on days you are busy, add a chauffeur: KES 4,000 a day in Nairobi, KES 5,000 outside.
• How long? Many families take one car for the whole stay, from JKIA arrivals to JKIA departures. The minimum hire is 3 days.

Money

• M-Pesa runs Kenya, from fuel to parking. You need a Safaricom line registered in your name to use it.
• Paying for the car: by M-Pesa, bank transfer or cash, before or at delivery. Prefer a card? Our team sends a secure card payment link after you book. Our guide to paying for car hire from abroad explains each option.
• Tell your bank you are travelling, so your card works at hotels and malls.

Phones

• Install a travel eSIM before you fly if you want data from the moment you land, and get a Safaricom line in person if you need M-Pesa. Our guide to SIM or eSIM on arrival compares them.
• Save our WhatsApp number and, the evening before you land, your driver's name and number.

The week you fly

• Add your flight number to your booking, so we track your flight.
• Check the road news: the Nairobi to Nakuru highway has roadworks. See our Naivasha and Nakuru roadworks update.
• Pack soft bags where you can: they fit car boots better than hard cases.
• Leave gifts unwrapped in case customs ask to look.

Landing at JKIA

Mid-December is one of the busiest times at the airport. Allow extra time for immigration and baggage, and tell family it may take a while. Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name. Our JKIA arrival guide walks through every step, and JKIA car hire explains the handover.

Before you fly home

• Choose JKIA departures as your return place when you book, and allow extra time for the security check at the airport entrance.
• Return the car with the same fuel level you got it with.
• We film the car with you and give you a written return receipt.

Ready? Pick your car from the fleet and see how to book.