You will want mobile data from the moment you land: for ride-hailing, maps and messaging. Kenya has good 4G coverage in towns and along main roads, and patchy coverage in remote parks.
Your options
A local SIM card. Cheapest for data, and the only way to get M-Pesa. Buy at the airport or any Safaricom or Airtel shop with your passport - registration is compulsory. Then buy a data bundle.
A local eSIM. Safaricom and Airtel offer eSIMs for compatible phones, issued in a shop after the same registration. Useful if you want to keep your home SIM in the phone.
A travel eSIM. Bought online before you leave from an international eSIM seller, and activated by QR code. Convenient - you land connected - but data usually costs more than a local bundle, and it does not include a Kenyan phone number or M-Pesa.
Roaming. Easy, but often very expensive. Check your home network’s Kenya rates first.
Which to choose
- A short trip or safari: a travel eSIM is simplest.
- More than a week, or you want M-Pesa: get a local Safaricom SIM or eSIM.
- Both: many people land on a travel eSIM, then add a local SIM for M-Pesa and cheaper data.
Which network
- Safaricom has the widest coverage, including in many parks and along safari routes, and M-Pesa.
- Airtel is often cheaper for data and works well in towns.
Before you travel
- Check your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM if you want one.
- Download offline maps for parks and remote areas.
- Keep your passport handy; you need it to register a local SIM.