Shipping to Kenya Guide

Overview for US Residents

This guide is specifically designed for US residents who want to send packages to friends, family, or business associates in Kenya using Kentex Cargo.

Related USA Guides

• Amazon to Kenya Step-by-Step Guide - Complete Amazon shopping process
• Receivers Guide - How to add and manage receivers in Kenya
• Amazon Shopping Guide - Shopping tips and tricks

What You Need to Know

• Proper receiver information in Kenya
• Understanding of prohibited items
• Knowledge of Kenya address formats
• Awareness of customs requirements

Why Use Kentex Cargo?

• Fixed Departures: Air shipments leave every Wednesday (cut-off Monday); ocean shipments leave in the last week of every month
• Air and Ocean: Air (7-14 working days) and Ocean (75-90 days) freight options
• Clear Tracking: Follow your package from our US warehouse to Kenya
• Multiple Delivery Options: Pickup points and home delivery in Kenya
• Local Support: Teams in the US and in Kenya

Required Receiver Information

To ship to Kenya, you must provide complete and accurate receiver information:

1. Full Name

• First Name: Receiver's first name
• Last Name: Receiver's surname/family name
• Use their real name: it goes on the shipping address, and their warehouse code starts with their initials

2. Phone Number (Critical!)

Format: the form already shows +254. Type the 9 digits that follow, starting with 7 or 1. (Numbers starting with 1 can be added on the My Receivers page.)

3. Email Address (Optional but Recommended)

• If you add the receiver on My US Warehouses, we email them their warehouse code (and text it to their phone)
• Gives us another way to reach the receiver

4. Warehouse Code

• Each receiver gets their own warehouse code when you add them
• Format: FirstInitial + LastInitial + 4 digits (usually the last four digits of their phone number)
• Example: John Smith, phone ending in 0101 → JS0101
• Goes on the name line of the US warehouse address, so we can match each package to the receiver

Understanding Kenya Addresses

1. Pickup at Kentex Locations in Nairobi (No Delivery Fee)

We have 2 pickup locations, both in Nairobi. Packages are addressed to our US warehouse, so you never write a Kenya address on the box: you choose pickup or delivery when you add the receiver.

Receiver: John Kamau
Warehouse Code: JK3456
Phone: +254 722123456
Delivery: Pickup at our Nairobi warehouse
Air shipments collect at: Westlands Air Cargo Pickup
Ocean shipments collect at: Mombasa Road Ocean Pickup

2. Home Delivery via Fargo Courier (Fee Applies)

Packages can be delivered to an address in Kenya through our courier partner Fargo Courier. Choose "Door delivery to a Kenya address" when you add the receiver, or later from the receiver's card on My Receivers. The delivery fee is added to the invoice. See the home delivery guide for details.

Receiver: John Kamau
Warehouse Code: JK3456
Phone: +254 722123456
Delivery County: Nairobi
Street, building, landmarks: Apartment 4B, Sunset Apartments, Ngong Road
Town / City: Nairobi
Area / Estate: Kilimani

Kenya Address Components:

1. Building/House Number - e.g., "House No. 45" or "Apartment 4B"
2. Building/Complex Name - e.g., "Sunset Apartments", "Greenview Estate"
3. Street/Road Name - e.g., "Ngong Road", "Moi Avenue"
4. Area/Estate (optional field) - e.g., "Kilimani", "South B", "Westlands"
5. City/Town (optional field) - e.g., "Nairobi", "Mombasa", "Kisumu"
6. County (required) - pick it from the list on the form first
7. Delivery Instructions (optional) - e.g., gate code, who to call on arrival, best time to deliver

Strictly Prohibited Items

Devices with Built-In Batteries (Allowed When Declared)

Other Prohibited Items

For the complete list and what happens if a flagged item arrives at our warehouse, read the prohibited goods policy.

Step-by-Step Shipping Process

1. 1

   Create Your Kentex Account

   Sign up with a one-time code sent to your phone or email, or with Google or Facebook, then complete your profile and confirm your email

2. 2

   Get Your US Warehouse Address

   Add your receiver in Kenya, then copy the Texas or Delaware address, with their name and warehouse code, from My US Warehouses

3. 3

   Shop & Ship to Warehouse

   Shop from Amazon, Walmart, or any US retailer and ship to our warehouse

4. 4

   Create Pre-Alert

   Log in and create a pre-alert with the tracking number, choose Air (7-14 working days) or Ocean (75-90 days), and select the receiver

5. 5

   Pay Shipping to Kenya

   Once the package is weighed and measured at our warehouse, you get an invoice by email and SMS. Pay by M-Pesa or card

6. 6

   Receiver Gets Package

   Pickup at our Nairobi location or home delivery. No ID is needed: staff take a photo of the goods handed over

Understanding Costs & Payment

Cost Components

Money-Saving Tips

• Consolidate Packages: Ask for consolidation on your pre-alert. Packages added within the window (7 calendar days, or 5 business days if that comes first) are combined in Nairobi
• Use Our Tax-Free Delaware Warehouse: Delaware has no sales tax (Texas does). For air, compare each warehouse's minimum charge on My US Warehouses first
• Choose Ocean for Large Items: Usually much cheaper than air for big, non-urgent shipments
• Pickup Instead of Delivery: Collecting from our Nairobi pickup points avoids the home delivery fee