Kenya eSIM
Prepaid Kenya travel data from $3.99 USD (500 MB, 1 day). No physical SIM and no contract: you get a QR code by email and install it from your phone's settings. Check your phone
Choose your package
How many days?
Count arrival and departure days.How much data?
Plan details · 1 GB, 7 days
- Coverage
- Single country
- Plan type
- Data only
- Network type
- 3G/4G
- Activation
- On network connection
- Hotspot
- Check plan terms
- Top-up
- Available
Need a particular mobile operator? before you buy.
Full plan terms, coverage & refunds
Listed network types describe plan support; 4G/5G availability and speeds vary by location and device. Country coverage does not guarantee a signal throughout your route. If you need a specific network or location, confirm it with support before buying.
Refunds: who is eligible and how to request one are set out in our refund policy.
Free eSIM in Kenya — free data for first-time users, claimed in the Wanderly app.
Kenya eSIM plans at a glance
Wanderly lists 19 fixed-data Kenya plans, ranging from 500MB up to 50GB over 1 to 30 days. Prices range from $3.99 to $174.99, and the lowest cost per gigabyte is $2.10/GB on the 20GB 30-day plan.
Unlimited day-passes are also available from $4.99 per day, billed per day rather than per gigabyte. 11 of the 24 Kenya data-only plans, counting day-passes, can be topped up without reinstalling the eSIM.
Calls and SMS depend on the selected plan. Install using the supplied QR code and keep your home number on its own line. Activation timing varies by plan; check your selected plan's terms before purchasing or installing.
How much does a Kenya eSIM cost?
A Kenya eSIM from Wanderly costs $4.99 for 1GB (7 days), $13.99 for 5GB (30 days) and $41.99 for 20GB (30 days), as a one-off price with no subscription. Larger plans cost less per gigabyte: $4.99/GB at 1GB against $2.10/GB at 20GB.
In the November 1, 2026 edition of the Wanderly eSIM Price Index, Kenya's data-only plans have a median of $4.20 per GB, above the $1.41 median across 181 destinations. 132 of those destinations have a lower median.
Cheapest plan that lasts your trip
| Trip | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Long weekend (1GB or more) | 1GB, 7 days | $4.99 |
| One week (3GB or more) | 3GB, 15 days | $9.99 |
| Two weeks (5GB or more) | 5GB, 30 days | $13.99 |
| One month (10GB or more) | 10GB, 30 days | $23.99 |
The data amounts are a starting point. Estimate how much you will use.
Cheapest plan by data size
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | 7 days | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| 3GB | 15 days | $9.99 | $3.33 |
| 5GB | 30 days | $13.99 | $2.80 |
| 10GB | 30 days | $23.99 | $2.40 |
| 20GB | 30 days | $41.99 | $2.10 |
Cheapest current data-only plan at each size, as charged at checkout. Prices checked November 12, 2026, from the live catalogue. Compare Kenya with every country in the eSIM Price Index.
🇰🇪 About eSIMs in Kenya
A Kenya eSIM gives you mobile data from the moment you land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, which is when you most need it: messaging your driver or lodge, checking a domestic flight to the Mara or the coast, and pulling up booking confirmations. Kenya's two largest mobile networks are Safaricom and Airtel. Current Kenya plans list one or the other, not both, so if you want a particular network, check the one named in the plan details before you buy.
You do not need to register your phone to use it. Kenya asks people importing phones to declare their IMEI numbers, but the Kenya Revenue Authority says devices on roaming (foreign) numbers do not need to go through any declaration process, and that tourists and short-term visitors are not affected. A travel eSIM roams on a Kenyan network, so that is the rule that applies. A local SIM is a different process: it is registered to your original passport, and Safaricom runs shops at JKIA (Gate 15, Terminal 1A and Terminal 1E) for that.
On safari, treat signal as a bonus. Coverage around the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and other reserves depends on the network and on where your camp sits, so ask your lodge what to expect, and download offline maps, your itinerary and your guide's contact details while you are still in Nairobi or on lodge Wi-Fi. If the trip continues to Tanzania for the Serengeti or Zanzibar, or to Uganda, a Kenya-only plan stops working at the border: add a Tanzania or Uganda plan, or choose one whose country list names every stop.
Data-only plans include no Kenyan number. Some Kenya plans add calls and texts with a number of their own, assigned after purchase and not guaranteed to be a Kenyan number; the plan says so when it does. Use WhatsApp or another messaging app for drivers and camps. Kenya's National Police Service publishes 999 and 112 as emergency numbers. Before you buy, check the selected plan's start rule and hotspot terms, and see our guide to the best eSIM for Kenya for a side-by-side look.
How to activate your eSIM in Kenya
- 1Time the installationCheck the selected plan's start rule. If it starts on its first network connection and allows installation before travel, install it over reliable Wi-Fi before you fly; if it starts at installation, install it when you need it. The QR code usually arrives by email within minutes.
- 2Install the eSIMiPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Scan QR. Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add eSIM.
- 3Land and switch dataAt Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) or Moi International in Mombasa (MBA), set the Kenya eSIM as your line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for that line. Keep your home line on for calls and texts if you need them, with its own data roaming off.
- 4Save your safari offlineBefore leaving Nairobi or a lodge with Wi-Fi, download offline maps, your itinerary and your guide's phone number. Game drives cross areas where you may have no signal.
Kenya eSIM FAQ
Which network does a Kenya eSIM use?
It depends on the plan. Current Kenya plans list either Airtel or Safaricom as the local network. The plan details name the network, so check them before you buy if you want a particular one.
Do I need to register my phone's IMEI in Kenya?
Not for a travel eSIM. The Kenya Revenue Authority says devices on roaming (foreign) numbers do not need to go through any declaration process, and that tourists and short-term visitors are not affected. Buying a local Kenyan SIM is a separate process that is registered to your passport.
Will a Kenya eSIM work in the Maasai Mara?
Do not count on it during game drives. Coverage near reserve gates and camps depends on the network and the camp, so ask your lodge what to expect, and download maps, bookings and your guide's number before leaving Nairobi.
Does a Kenya plan work in Tanzania, Zanzibar or Uganda?
No. A Kenya-only plan works only in Kenya. For the Serengeti, Zanzibar or Uganda, add a plan for that country before you cross, or choose a plan whose country list names every stop.
Can I make calls with a Kenya eSIM?
Data-only plans include no Kenyan number, so use WhatsApp or another app, and keep your home line on for verification texts. Some Kenya plans add calls and texts with a number of their own; the plan says so when it does. The emergency numbers are 999 and 112.
Explore nearby destinations
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