Flights, buses, border crossings, costs and timing for travelling between Nairobi, Kampala and Dar es Salaam during AFCON 2027.
Kenya Airways, Uganda Airlines, Jambojet. JKIA to Entebbe International. Multiple daily departures. Most convenient option — book early as prices spike during AFCON.
Modern Coast, Kampala Coach, Transline. Overnight buses available — depart Nairobi evening, arrive Kampala morning. Border crossing at Busia or Malaba adds 1–2 hours. Book your seat in advance.
The East Africa Tourist Visa ($100) covers Kenya and Uganda together — no need for separate visas if you hold this.
Kenya Airways, Precision Air, Fastjet. JKIA to Julius Nyerere International. Several daily flights. The only practical option if time is limited.
Scandinavia Express and Dar Express run the Nairobi–Dar route. Border crossing at Namanga or Holili. Long journey but doable on an overnight if you want the experience of crossing East Africa by road.
Tanzania requires a separate visa from the East Africa Tourist Visa. Apply online at eservices.immigration.go.tz before travel — $50 for most nationalities.
Kenya Airways (via Nairobi), Uganda Airlines (direct some days), Precision Air. Check schedules carefully — direct Kampala–Dar flights are less frequent. Going via Nairobi adds time but is often cheaper.
Very long journey through Tanzania. Not recommended unless you are intentionally doing an overland East Africa trip. Multiple border crossings required.
If you are doing all three host cities, the most efficient routing is Nairobi → Kampala → Nairobi → Dar — all Kenya Airways or partner flights.
Internal East Africa flights on AFCON match weekends will sell out and prices will spike. Book your inter-city flights as soon as match schedules are confirmed — ideally 3–4 months ahead.
The EAC Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda for $100 — but NOT Tanzania. If you want all three AFCON host countries you need both the EAC visa and a separate Tanzania visa. Apply online before you travel.
If going overland, have your passport, visa documentation, yellow fever certificate and travel insurance accessible — not buried in your luggage. Border crossings can take 1–3 hours during busy periods.
JKIA (Nairobi) has the best connections across East Africa. If your routing is complex, base yourself in Nairobi and fly out to Kampala and Dar for specific matches — often cheaper and less logistically painful than multi-city hotel juggling.
Cantravu packages include all inter-city flights and ground transfers — no spreadsheets required.