Hotel & Logistics

Reservations

Hotel rooms at the Global Digital Health Forum venue - JW Marriott Nairobi may be reserved on their website.

Check-in: 2:00 pm   /   Check-out: 12:00 pm

Accessibility Features:

  • Accessible on-site parking

  • Property has elevators

  • Self Operating lifts

  • Pets are allowed

  • Van Accessible on-site parking

Getting to the GDHF Venue

Nairobi is serviced by the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The distance from the airport to the JW Marriott is 19 Km, located at Chiromo Lane, Westlands.

Taxis are available at the airport; please use an official airport taxi. The journey should take approximately 25 minutes depending on traffic. Agree on the price before parting. Uber is easily accessible within the airport and for moving around Nairobi.

 

Emergency Care Coverage and Service

GDHF 2024 is proud to supply an emergency on-site ambulance for all three days of the conference, brought to you by rescue.co.

Attendees can sign up directly to rescue.co's short-term cover called SafeTravels at https://rescue.co/safetravels. The cover is $25 USD for 30 days and provides you with ground ambulances, roadside assistance, and air evacuation. We recommend all attendees to sign up directly with rescue.co. Use discount code GDHF5 for 5% off. 

Key services offered by rescue.co

  • 24/7 helpline (note - there is no working 911/999 in Kenya)

  • 24/7 teleguidance

  • ground ambulance services

  • air evacuation ambulance services (great if you're travelling before or after the conference)

  • roadside assistance

Logistics Information

  • eTA and Visa application process: 

    The Government of Kenya has amended their visa regulation in January 2024 by introducing the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) where all foreign nationals traveling to Kenya are required to complete the eTA prior to travel to Kenya. 

    All Participants are required to apply for a visa through the eTA portal (https://www.etakenya.go.ke/en/evisa.html) and submit their online application prior to travel to Kenya. Applications currently cost $34 USD. Please note that all documents and photos must be uploaded in JPEG format. 

    Travelers can submit their applications up to 3 months prior to travel and must apply at the latest 7 days prior to travel to ensure adequate time for processing and issuance of the eTA. 

    Information on eTA requirements can be found on the web site of the Directorate of Immigration & Citizen Services of the Ministry of the Interior and National Administration of the Government of the Republic of Kenya at the following link: https://www.etakenya.go.ke/en/evisa.html


    Persons who are exempt from obtaining the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)

    1. Holders of valid United Nation Conventional Travel Document issued by the Government of Kenya. 

    2. Members of the Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations Accredited to Kenya. 

    3. Citizens of the East African Partner States; These countries include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. (Exempted for Six (6) months)

  • Yellow Fever Vaccination is a requirement for entry to Kenya. If you don’t have the vaccination certificate, please ensure to get vaccinated 10 days prior to your travel and they issue you with a valid certificate. 

    Risk of Malaria exists throughout the year in the whole country, including game parks, the city of Nairobi and in the highlands at altitudes above 2,500 m of Central, Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western provinces. 

    Please note that tap water is not safe to drink in Kenya, however, bottled water is readily available. 

  • In Nairobi, one must be vigilant, always remain alert and conscious of your surroundings when going about your activities. The level of crime in Kenya, particularly Nairobi and other big cities is high.  

    Caution should be exercised always. Crime ranges from petty theft, to kidnapping, mobile phone fraud and carjacking. 

    Some precautions are as follows: 

    - Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists/foreigners; 

    - Keep your passport, traveller’s cheques, excess money and any other valuables to be locked in the hotel’s safe. 

    - Always carry a copy of your passport and visa (if applicable). 

    - Do not walk on your own at night in the major cities; 

    - Do not carry a lot of cash with you or wear expensive jewellery; 

    - Do not physically resist any robbery attempt; 

    - Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans; 

    - Make contingency plans to leave the country in the event of an emergency. 

    Avoid travel in the areas within 100 kms of the following borders: Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan. 

    For more specific security advice both before and during the meeting, please check your national foreign Office travel advisory for Kenya.

  • All major forms of credit cards are accepted in Kenya. Banks and Bureau de Change are available at the airport and in most shopping malls. 

    Banks are open in general from Monday to Friday between 09:00 hrs and 16:00 hrs, and Saturdays between 09:00 hrs and 12:00 hrs. Kindly note that banks are closed on Sundays and public holidays. ATMs with multinational financial services are available in most of the shopping malls. 

    The voltage in Kenya is 220 – 240 volts. The sockets require a 3 square pin plug. 

    The official language of the forum is English and French. 


    Nairobi is generally a safe city. However, like in any other country, reasonable precautions should be taken. Avoid walking alone at night and lock your valuables in your hotel safe. We will provide a security brief for the forum. 

    Weather: The average temperature in Nairobi is 18ºC in December, with highs of 23ºC and lows of 12ºC. 
    Local time: The time zone in Nairobi is GMT+3