KESCA FAQ: the questions families ask before booking

The KESCA page answers the first eight questions everyone asks: who can join, what it costs, safety, vaccines, insurance, Swahili, what happens after booking and how the payment plan works. This page goes further, with the questions families send us once they are seriously considering it. Every answer comes from the 2027 program and our Booking Conditions; where something is not decided yet, we say so.

The quick version: KESCA is for ages 16 to 34 in three tracks, with a spring academy and 21 days in Kenya in summer 2027 counting the flights. At the time of writing the fee is $6,900, flights separate, paid in full or monthly with no deposit. Under-18s need a parent or guardian's written consent and are chaperoned at all times. Exact dates go to booked participants first.

Eligibility and ages

• What are the three tracks? High School for ages 16 and 17, College and University for 18 to 23, and Young Professionals for 24 to 34. All three share the 2027 itinerary; the emphasis changes with age. Each track has its own page.
• Do I have to be Kenyan or Kenyan-American? No. Most participants are Kenyan-American, but KESCA welcomes friends of Kenya too: classmates, partners, church friends and anyone with a real interest in the country.
• I am 15, or 35. Can I come? Not on the 2027 program, which runs from 16 to 34. If a birthday falls close to a cut-off, ask before booking; final age bands are confirmed before enrolment.
• Can friends apply together? Yes. Each books their own place, or a group leader starts a group link from the itinerary page so a church, school or family group stays together while each member has their own booking.
• Can siblings in different tracks come? Yes. A 17-year-old and a 20-year-old travel on the same itinerary in different age bands, and the younger one is chaperoned as every under-18 is.
• Do I need a parent's permission? At 16 and 17, yes: a parent or guardian gives written consent, provides emergency contacts and accepts the Booking Conditions for you, and the person who books must be 18 or over.

Money

• What exactly does the fee include? The academy, transport in Kenya, accommodation, meals, park fees and the conference, which the itinerary describes in full.
• What is not included? International flights, the Kenya eTA, Kenya's inbound health insurance, travel insurance, vaccinations, tips, drinks, personal spending and optional extras such as a Mara balloon flight.
• Are flights booked for us? You book them separately, with our help. A New York JFK group departure is one option the planning edition keeps open, and it is quoted for the actual travel year.
• Can the fee change after I book? Once a booking is confirmed we do not add surcharges, except for a new government fee or tax introduced after you booked. If that raised the price by more than 10 percent, you could cancel with a full refund.
• How many monthly payments can I choose? It depends on when you book: up to six if you book in November 2026, fewer each month after that, with the last one by May 1, 2027. The booking panel shows the choices on the day.
• What if a monthly payment fails? We email you and try again. If it is not made within 14 days of the due date, the booking can be treated as cancelled, so update your card if it is about to expire.

Paperwork and health

• Do I need a visa? Most non-exempt visitors, children included, need an approved eTA from the official etakenya.go.ke portal. A participant with a valid Kenyan passport checks their own exemption.
• What about the new Kenyan health insurance? Since October 6, 2026 every visitor must buy Kenya's inbound health insurance on eCitizen before the eTA is issued, about $44 plus fees at the time of writing. It does not replace travel insurance.
• How long must my passport be valid? At least six months after entry, with at least one blank page, under the official eTA guidance at the time of writing.
• Which vaccines? See a travel clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure about routine immunizations, malaria prevention and yellow fever. Our vaccines page has the detail.
• Can KESCA handle allergies, diabetes, asthma or other medical needs? Tell us when the program team collects participant details. Kitchens, hosts and activity plans are set up around the needs we know about, and medication travels in its original packaging in hand luggage.
• Is KESCA accessible to participants with a disability? Properties are chosen with access needs in mind, and every active day has an observer or lower-exertion option. Long road days and uneven ground are part of the route, so talk to us early about what would help.

Safety and supervision

• What should we check about travel advice? Before you book, check the current U.S. State Department advisory for Kenya and confirm your travel insurance covers your route. The parents page covers supervision, health and communication in detail.
• Who is with under-18s? Staff from the U.S. and Kenya, a named program lead and safeguarding contact, and chaperoning at all times, with supervised rooms, headcounts, buddy groups and curfews.
• What happens in a medical emergency? Staff take the participant to care, the family is called directly, and Kenya Experience trips carry flying-doctor evacuation cover and a 24-hour line, alongside your own travel insurance.
• What if the program cannot run? If an event outside our control means we cannot provide the program, the Booking Conditions give you a later trip or a refund of what you paid, minus any supplier costs we cannot recover, which we show you. If we cancel for any other reason, you choose a comparable alternative or a full refund.

Daily life

• Can I bring my phone? Yes. Most participants use an international plan or a local SIM, which needs a passport to register. Program rules on phone use, especially for under-18s, are shared at the pre-departure briefing.
• What is the food like? Meals are included, and lodges and hotels serve a mix of Kenyan and international food. Expect chapati, pilau, sukuma wiki and ugali along the way, and Swahili cooking on the coast.
• Do participants live with host families? Not on the 2027 itinerary. The group sleeps in hotels and lodges, including a Kisii hotel for the village days, and visits homes only by invitation.
• Will we have free time? Some, supervised for under-18s: an evening in camp, a lodge pool, supervised beach time in Mombasa. Days are full, and optional activities are not added to long travel days.
• How much Swahili will I learn? Three academy levels in spring, then 20 to 30 minutes of practical Swahili on most learning days in Kenya, used straight away with hosts and peers.

Academics and what comes after

• Do I get a certificate? Yes, the KESCA Certificate of Completion, awarded at the Vyeti Awards after the academy sessions, the civic engagement and service-learning requirements and the full Kenya immersion.
• Can I get college credit? KESCA is not a credit course and does not issue transcripts. Some students arrange credit through their own university; ask your department before booking.
• What is the alumni network? Graduates join a growing network of Kenyan-American leaders, mentors and future program staff, and alumni can sponsor or mentor later cohorts.

Changes, cancellations and contact

Can someone else take my place? Yes, before departure, if they meet the program's requirements, for $50 plus any supplier charges such as an airline name change. How do I reach the team? Use the question form on the KESCA page and choose whether you are asking as a participant, a parent, a group leader or a sponsor; we reply within two business days.