All visitors 18 years and older are required to present a valid government-issued photo identification to enter UN Headquarters. The photo identification must be original  (no photographs or photocopies accepted), in  Latin/Roman characters, and  may include a passport or national identity card. School and university students from Kenyan institutions can also enter with their student ID.

Yes, and because of the large number of people accessing the UN in Nairobi every day, you are encouraged to arrive at the UN at least 45 minutes before your tour. Timely arrival ensures you are able to go through security screening, to register for your tour at the UN Tours Desk, and to begin the tour at the appointed time.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late at the UN Entrance to check in for your tour, your reservation may not be honored. If your group is delayed, please call +254 (0)20 762 2034. In case you arrive more than 30 minutes late, you will be charged an extra fee of Ksh. 800 per Tour Guide reserved for your group. We do that because we incur additional costs due to the delay, and we are very conscious about the funds that have been given to the UN by its member states.

We offer tours in Chinese, English, French, German and Kiswahili. To inquire about availability for other languages or to request a specific language, please email un.tours@un.org.​  

In the event that the language tour requested is not available on the day, the tour will be conducted in English. 

Yes. The use of photography (with personal cameras or camera phones) is permitted, but video recording is not. However, depending on the meetings taking place, your Tour Guide might indicate that photography is not permitted in certain Conference Rooms. Important: Please note that photography is not permitted outside the UN (i.e. while on UN Avenue, do not take photos of the UN, or the US Embassy or anywhere you see a no photography sign).

No. All coats and backpacks must be carried while on tour.  Please note that large luggage is not permitted and that there are no luggage storage facilities available. 

The UN complex in Nairobi is generally wheelchair accessible and you will be able to participate in almost all sections of the guided tour in a wheelchair. A limited number of wheelchairs is available for use during the tour. Unfortunately, none of our tour guides is proficient in International Sign. However, in the past, we have deployed additional guides to explain or write down necessary information to persons with a visual or hearing impairment. If in doubt, please contact us before the tour. We will go out of our way to make a tour through the UN a memorable and positive experience for everyone.

We have a limited number of visitors parking spots. Please note that they are occupied on a first-come-first-serve basis. We recommend that you plan your visit with alternative means of transport or park your vehicles in the vicinity of the UN.

For security reasons, children under 5 years of age are not permitted on tour. However, children of all ages are welcome in the UN public areas, including in the Visitor Centre.

For regular guided tours, we require at least one adult to accompany each group (maximum of 20 students per group). For Children's Tours (specifically for 5–10  year-olds)  the child/children must be accompanied on tour by a parent or guardian.

As parking is limited, buses and taxis will drop off visitors at the UN entrance opposite the US Embassy gate or as directed by UN security. After the drop-off, buses can park in our Commissary area, further up UN Avenue. Our security colleagues will guide you.

The UN Visitors Services are an important avenue to allow a larger public access to the United Nations and inform people about the work of the UN. The Visitors Services have been created as self-sustaining offices; its budget for tour guides, exhibitions, information material etc. is retrieved from entrance fees. All additional income goes back to the general budget of the UN and helps fund the vital work of the United Nations.