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Plan Your Stay · Arrivals
Most of what goes wrong on a Nairobi arrival goes wrong in the first hour. A long flight, an unfamiliar terminal, a negotiation you did not want to have, and a drive you cannot evaluate. Almost all of it is avoidable by deciding a few things before you fly.
The two airports
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) handles international flights and sits east of the city. Wilson Airport handles domestic and light-aircraft traffic, including most safari flights to the Mara, Amboseli and the coast, and sits south-west of the centre — the Karen side.
If your trip is international in and safari out, you will very likely use both. That is worth knowing when you choose where to sleep: Wilson is the closer of the two to Karen, which matters on a morning flight.
Transfers, at a fixed price
We quote per vehicle, not per person, and the price is agreed before you travel:
| JKIA, sedan | US$55 per vehicle |
| JKIA, 4x4 Land Cruiser | US$95 per vehicle |
| Wilson, sedan | US$45 per vehicle |
| Wilson, 4x4 Land Cruiser | US$85 per vehicle |
If you are arriving, sleeping and leaving on a safari flight, the Nairobi Arrival Package bundles the pickup, a quiet room and breakfast at US$150.
Late arrivals, early departures
The front desk here is staffed 24 hours. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out is by 10:00, but tell us your flight number when you book and we will plan around it rather than around the standard times. Guests catching dawn flights out of Wilson usually want two things — an early departure and something to eat — and both are easier to arrange with notice than on the night.
Three October-specific notes
- Rain changes the drive. The short rains start in October. A wet evening adds time to any Nairobi journey, so build in margin on the day you travel.
- Ngong Road is busier than usual from 28 September to 4 October while the Nairobi International Trade Fair runs at Jamhuri Park.
- The long weekend of 17 to 20 October around Mashujaa Day puts more traffic on the roads out of the city on the Friday and Saturday.
Pay in the currency you are quoted in, and agree the transfer price in writing before you fly. Card and M-PESA are both accepted here.
Staying in Karen while you are here
Karen Plains Hotel sits in Karen Plains Arcade on Karen Plains Road, a few steps from The Waterfront Karen and its restaurants and supermarket. Check-in is from 12:00 and check-out is by 10:00, breakfast runs from 7:00 to 10:30, and the front desk is staffed 24 hours, so a late arrival is never a problem. Parking is free, Wi-Fi is free throughout, every room has a work desk, and a generator covers the guest rooms and the Wi-Fi when the power goes. Lunch and dinner are available together for an extra US$40 per day if you would rather not go out.
More on getting around: Wilson Airport transfers, Land Cruiser transfers and the airport transfer stay page.
Send us your flight number.
We will match the transfer and the room to it, and someone will be at the desk whatever time you land.
Check availability & book direct WhatsApp the front deskNot ready to book? Tap the chat bubble on any page and talk to Tulia, our concierge — she answers questions about rooms, transfers and what is on in Nairobi, day or night. Or see the full Book Direct page.
More from Twende!: What’s On in Nairobi · Nairobi This Weekend · Plan Your Stay · Guest FAQs
Karen Plains Hotel · Karen Plains Arcade, Karen Plains Road, Karen, Nairobi · info@karenplainshotel.com · +254 796 989 928
