East Africa Visa Guide for Self-Drive Safari: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda

East Africa visa requirements for a multi-country self-drive safari circuit covering Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda changed significantly between 2020 and 2024 — Kenya abolished its previous e-Visa system and replaced it with the mandatory eTA in January 2024, Uganda’s online visa system was upgraded, Tanzania’s on-arrival visa remains available but the online advance option is now recommended, and Rwanda’s visa-on-arrival continues unchanged. A self-drive visitor planning a circuit across all four countries needs to understand the current requirements, costs, and application processes for each country separately — there is no single East Africa multi-country visa currently in effect. This guide covers every country’s current visa situation with the specific steps needed for self-drive visitors arriving by both air and land border, and the yellow fever certificate requirement that applies at each crossing.

Uganda Visa: eVisa Recommended, On-Arrival Available

Uganda issues tourist visas through two channels: the online eVisa system (at visas.immigration.go.ug) and the visa on arrival at Entebbe International Airport and major land borders (Malaba, Busia, Katuna). Both cost USD 50 per person, valid for 90 days from the date of issue, permitting a single entry with up to 90 days stay. The online eVisa is the recommended option for self-drive visitors for two reasons: it eliminates any uncertainty at the arrival point (the approved eVisa is presented as a QR code or PDF confirmation that is scanned immediately at the immigration desk, versus the 25 to 45 minute form-completion process for visa on arrival), and it provides documented evidence of the visa for airline check-in desks that occasionally request proof of onward visa before boarding. Apply at visas.immigration.go.ug at minimum 2 weeks before travel. The online form requires: full name as in passport, passport number and expiry date, nationality, email address, and a passport-quality photograph (digital JPEG, white background, full face). Payment by credit or debit card (USD 50). Approval email arrives within 24 to 72 hours in standard periods, up to 5 to 7 business days in peak periods. Print or download the eVisa confirmation before travel — the QR code is presentable on screen if the device battery is charged at immigration, but a printed backup is safer.

Yellow fever certificate for Uganda: required at Entebbe airport health desk and at all land border health desks. The original yellow WHO vaccination card (ICVP) must be presented. Uganda does not accept verbal confirmation of vaccination — the physical certificate is required.

Kenya eTA: Mandatory for All Nationalities Since January 2024

Kenya’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) replaced both the e-Visa and the visa-on-arrival systems in January 2024. Since this date, all foreign nationals — including nationalities that previously had visa-free access to Kenya — must apply for the eTA before arrival. There is no longer any visa-on-arrival or visa exemption option at Kenyan borders. Apply at etakenya.go.ke. Cost: USD 30 per person. Validity: 90 days from issue, single entry, up to 90 days permitted stay. Required documents for the application: passport biographical page scan (colour, minimum 300 DPI); digital passport photograph (white background, 400 x 400 pixels minimum, JPEG format); travel itinerary (accommodation bookings or vehicle hire company letter); return or onward travel proof; yellow fever certificate if arriving from a yellow fever endemic country (Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda are not uniformly classified as endemic for Kenya purposes, but Uganda is — confirm the current classification at the portal for the specific countries in your itinerary). Processing: 24 to 72 hours standard, up to 7 business days in peak periods. Apply minimum 2 weeks before travel. The approved eTA arrives as a downloadable PDF — print and carry a physical copy in addition to the digital version. Land border entry with the eTA (Namanga, Taveta, Malaba, Busia) is permitted: present the approved eTA PDF at the Kenya immigration desk alongside the passport.

Tanzania Visa: On Arrival or Advance Online

Tanzania tourist visa is available at two points: on arrival at Kilimanjaro, Julius Nyerere (Dar), and Zanzibar airports, and at major land border gates (Namanga, Taveta, Horohoro); or in advance through the Tanzania Online Visa system at eservices.immigration.go.tz. Cost: USD 50 per person for a single-entry 90-day visa. Multiple-entry: USD 100 for the same validity. For self-drive visitors on a circuit that enters and exits Tanzania only once (the standard Arusha-based northern circuit): the single-entry USD 50 visa is sufficient. For a circuit that enters Tanzania, crosses to Kenya, and re-enters Tanzania (for example, a Kenya-Tanzania-Kenya circuit via Namanga): the multiple-entry visa avoids paying a second USD 50 on the re-entry. The advance online Tanzania visa (Tanzania Online Visa, TOV) is recommended for land border crossings at Namanga — the on-arrival process at Namanga is slower due to the volume of both commercial and tourist traffic using this gateway, and having the advance visa reduces the border time by 30 to 45 minutes. Apply at eservices.immigration.go.tz at minimum 2 weeks before travel. Same document requirements as the Uganda eVisa: passport scan, photograph, and basic travel plan. Approval: 3 to 5 business days.

Yellow fever certificate for Tanzania: required when entering Tanzania from Uganda or Rwanda (both classified as yellow fever endemic countries for Tanzania entry purposes). Not required for visitors flying directly from Europe, North America, or other non-endemic departure points. Confirm the current requirement for your specific departure route at the Tanzania immigration authority website before travel.

Rwanda Visa: Simplest in East Africa — On Arrival for Most

Rwanda’s tourist visa is the simplest entry requirement in the East Africa circuit: available on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land border gates (Katuna from Uganda, Rusumo from Tanzania, Akanyaru/Kagitumba from other directions) for most nationalities at USD 30 per person for a 30-day stay. No advance application is required for the majority of visitors. The Rwanda eVisa (at irembo.gov.rw, also USD 30) is available for those who prefer advance approval — it accelerates the desk process at Kigali airport immigration and is particularly useful for arrivals at the Katuna land border (where the visa on arrival process at a land border crossing can be less predictable than at the airport). Some African Union member state nationals have bilateral visa-free arrangements with Rwanda — confirm your nationality’s current status at migration.gov.rw. Yellow fever certificate for Rwanda: required when entering from Uganda (Rwanda classifies Uganda as yellow fever endemic). Present the original ICVP yellow WHO card at the Rwanda health desk — a digital photograph of the certificate is not accepted.

Land Border Crossing Sequence for Multi-Country Self-Drive

For a Uganda-Rwanda-Tanzania-Kenya multi-country circuit, the standard visa and crossing sequence is: Entebbe arrival (Uganda eVisa or on arrival) → Uganda circuit → Katuna border crossing (Uganda exit, Rwanda entry with visa on arrival or eVisa + yellow fever cert) → Rwanda circuit → Kigali departure flight or Rusumo border crossing to Tanzania (Rwanda exit, Tanzania entry with visa on arrival or TOV + yellow fever cert if from Rwanda) → Tanzania circuit via Arusha → Namanga border crossing (Tanzania exit, Kenya entry with Kenya eTA) → Kenya circuit → Nairobi departure flight. This sequence uses every country’s visa once and crosses 3 land borders — the total visa cost for one person for this circuit: Uganda USD 50 + Kenya eTA USD 30 + Tanzania single entry USD 50 + Rwanda USD 30 = USD 160 per person. The yellow fever certificate is required at Uganda entry, at Rwanda entry (coming from Uganda), and at Tanzania entry (coming from Rwanda or Uganda). Carry the original certificate throughout the entire circuit.

See our East Africa multi-country circuit resources or book your cross-border authorised self-drive vehicle.