Chauffeur service in Kenya

BlaakLane.com provides chauffeur, black car and limousine service in 2 Kenya cities: Nairobi, Mombasa. Every city page lists the airports served, the pickup rules, the business districts and hotels we drive to most and the intercity runs booked from there. Trips are booked on one account at a fixed fare shown before you confirm, with flight tracking on every airport pickup.

Chauffeur service across Kenya: what to know

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is about 15 to 18 km south-east of Nairobi's central business district. Using the tolled Nairobi Expressway, a car can reach Westlands in 20 to 40 minutes. On the older Mombasa Road, the same trip takes 45 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. Vehicles going into the airport pass a security screening point on the approach road. Most light-aircraft flights to the Masai Mara and other safari airstrips leave from Wilson Airport, closer to the city, and on the coast, Moi International (MBA) serves Mombasa. Visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before departure; apply only through the government's eTA Kenya site. The Kenya Airports Authority publishes terminal notices.

Standard pickup is at the terminal's designated area for pre-booked cars. A name-board greeting in the arrivals hall is an add-on, offered only in selected locations. The chauffeur is timed to the real landing because the flight is tracked, and 60 minutes of waiting is included on international arrivals. JKIA and Mombasa trips are run by vetted Kenyan affiliates, and your confirmation gives both the company's name and the chauffeur's. The booker quotes a fixed fare before you confirm.

Road journeys from Nairobi and Mombasa

The Nairobi to Mombasa highway carries heavy freight traffic, and many travellers take the Madaraka Express train on the standard-gauge railway instead, which takes about 5 to 6 hours. Reaching Diani from Mombasa means taking the Likoni ferry or the longer Dongo Kundu bypass.

Roads, rains and the safari calendar

Kenya drives on the left. Nairobi traffic is among the heaviest in Africa, especially on Waiyaki Way, Ngong Road and the roads into Upper Hill between 7:00 and 9:30 and from 17:00. Speed bumps and police checks are common on the main highways. Inside national parks and reserves, game drives are run by the lodges and park operators. The long rains fall from about March to May and the short rains from about October to December, and both can slow travel on unpaved roads.

The Great Migration usually crosses into the Masai Mara between July and October, and lodges fill up. The Safari Rally, a round of the World Rally Championship, is based around Naivasha and is usually held in March. The Magical Kenya Open golf tournament takes place in the first quarter of the year, and the Lamu Cultural Festival usually runs in November. Magical Kenya lists current events.

Vehicle choice for Kenyan trips

An Executive Black SUV (Navigator/Escalade class, 6 passengers, 6 bags) is popular for diplomatic and NGO programmes between JKIA and Gigiri; multi-vehicle government and diplomatic movements are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing. A Standard Black SUV suits families driving to Naivasha. Conference delegates travelling as a group of up to 12 fit a Sprinter Van. For seafarers joining ships at Mombasa's Kilindini Harbour, see shipping crew change. All classes are on the fleet page. Gratuity and parking are not included in the fare and are charged at actual cost.

Business hubs and leisure bases

Business trips in Nairobi usually involve Upper Hill, Westlands, the United Nations Office complex at Gigiri and the embassy district, with Karen for residences and the Giraffe Centre. JKIA is the regional hub for East Africa. Mombasa combines East Africa's largest port with the beach resorts of Nyali, Diani and, further north, Watamu and Malindi. Travellers flying back from a safari into Wilson Airport often connect the same evening to an international departure at JKIA. That cross-town run usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, so book it ahead with enough buffer for Nairobi traffic. Hell's Gate National Park and Lake Nakuru are also popular road day trips from the capital. Rates explains long-distance fares.