News
The 27th Nairobi International Book Fair runs from 23 to 27 September 2026 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Westlands, organised by the Kenya Publishers' Association. For a publisher, a rights professional or an author, a trip like this is judged by what happens afterwards: the co-edition agreed, the distributor signed, the school order that follows. Good travel planning protects that time. This guide looks at the trip from each role's point of view, then covers the practical questions that apply to everyone.
Check availability & book direct · Nairobi Book Fair stays at Karen Plains Hotel
Plan by role, not just by dates
Five fair days suit some people and not others. Before booking, ask what each traveller is actually there to do.
Publishers and sales leads
You are likely to want the full fair, plus time either side. Arrive before the opening so you are rested on the first morning, and consider a night after closing for meetings with distributors or booksellers in the city. Bring a printed catalogue as well as a digital one: not every conversation happens near a screen.
Rights teams
Rights work is appointment-driven. Build your meeting grid before you fly, leave buffer time for the cross-city journey, and keep evenings clear for writing up terms while they are fresh. A work desk and reliable Wi-Fi matter more to you than almost anything else in a room. At Karen Plains Hotel every room has a desk, our Wi-Fi runs on Starlink, and a generator covers guest rooms and Wi-Fi during power cuts.
Authors
Authors often need only a few nights around a launch, reading or panel. Confirm your event day with your publisher before booking flights, then add an arrival night so you are not going straight from the airport to a microphone. If you are travelling with family, a Giraffe Centre visit or a Nairobi National Park half-day tour gives everyone something to remember.
Distribution and education teams
If your focus is school, library or institutional procurement, the fair is often the start of a conversation rather than the end of one. Leave room in your itinerary for follow-up meetings after the fair closes, and bring what buyers are likely to ask for, such as price lists and curriculum information.
Before you fly: a short checklist
- Confirm your fair registration or exhibitor details directly with the organiser. Hotels can't help with fair access.
- Book flights into JKIA, or Wilson Airport for some regional connections.
- Book your room directly in our booking engine, choosing your own arrival and departure dates.
- Arrange your airport transfer in advance. Ours are priced per vehicle, one way: JKIA sedan US$55 (up to 3), JKIA 4×4 Land Cruiser US$95 (up to 6), Wilson sedan US$45, Wilson 4×4 US$85.
- Sort shipping for books and display material with your freight provider and the fair. Hotels are not the place to send stock.
- Check your phone plan or arrange a local SIM so you can use maps and messaging on the move.
What a fair day looks like from Karen
Karen is in south-west Nairobi. The Sarit Expo Centre is in Westlands, north of the CBD, on the other side of the city. Staying in Karen means a calmer base and a drive to the fair each morning, so plan the day around the journey.
| Time of day | What to plan |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Breakfast from 7:00, or a packed breakfast on request if you are leaving before then. |
| Departure | Check a live traffic app. Journey times vary with Nairobi traffic, so allow generous time. |
| At the fair | Meetings, stand time and any launches in your programme. |
| Evening | Back to Karen. Dinner at the hotel, where Kenyan, Swahili and traditional African cooking is central to the menu, then an hour at your desk. |
We can arrange transport to the fair, quoted on request. If you'd like us to plan it with your room, ask your KPH concierge on WhatsApp. The message includes prompts for your dates that you can edit before sending.
Food, laundry and staying comfortable
Five days on a fair floor is physically demanding. A few small arrangements help.
- Meals: lunch and dinner at the hotel can be added for US$40 per day for both meals.
- Laundry: wash, dry and fold for US$20 per bag. Send a bag mid-week and you can pack lighter.
- Luggage: our 24/7 front desk can hold bags if you arrive before check-in at 12:00 or leave after check-out at 10:00.
- Payments: we accept card and M-PESA.
- Parking: free on-site parking if you have hired a car.
After the fair: meetings, then Kenya
It is worth adding a day or two once the fair ends. It's a chance to follow up while you are still in the country, and to see something other than exhibition halls.
- Use a morning for follow-up meetings in the city, then return to Karen for a slower afternoon.
- Visit the Giraffe Centre with our Giraffe Centre tour.
- Look into a longer safari with our partner Travel Corporation Limited at The Hub Karen, who quote and operate the itineraries. Park fees are extra and sightings are never guaranteed. See our safari stays page.
- Book time at Manama Spa & Barbershop, our partner spa on Lang'ata Road. Staying guests get free pickup and drop-off; treatments are booked and paid with Manama.
- Try Cave à Manger, the wine-paired restaurant in Karen Plains Arcade, opposite the Waterfront Karen mall.
Plan your stay with us
Come for the fair. Let us help with the rest. Book your room directly for the dates your role requires, then tell us about flights, fair-day transport and anything you'd like to do once the stand is packed away.
Check availability & book direct
Ask your KPH concierge on WhatsApp · Nairobi Book Fair accommodation at Karen Plains Hotel
Live rates and availability are shown in our booking engine. Extras such as transfers, meals, tours and spa visits are quoted and confirmed separately.
Event details checked on internationalpublishers.org in September 2026. Please confirm the programme with the organiser. Karen Plains Hotel is independent and not affiliated with the Kenya Publishers' Association.
