Kenya Activities: Park Fees and Prices
A single day in the Maasai Mara can cost twice as much in October as in March, and that is before the lodge bill. Kenya’s headline activities are priced in tiers, so the useful way to plan is by what each one costs, then build a route around the ones that matter to you.
Before you fly: entry and paperwork
Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online at etakenya.go.ke before departure. The fee is about US$30, and a confirmed approval should be on your phone when you check in. Most African and Caribbean passports are exempt, so check the portal for your own nationality. Plastic carrier bags are banned across the country, so pack a cloth bag, and single-use plastics are also off limits inside parks and on beaches, so bring a refillable bottle. For safety, check your government’s current advice and keep out of the northern and Somali-border counties. The main tourist circuits sit well away from them.
The price ladder
Free or nearly free. Walk Uhuru Park in Nairobi, stroll the public sand at Diani or Watamu, or ride a matatu across town for KES 50 to 100. A plate of ugali and stew at a roadside kibanda runs KES 250 to 500.
Under KES 2,000. The Giraffe Centre in Karen charges KES 1,500 for non-resident adults and KES 750 for children aged 3 to 12. The Madaraka Express economy seat from Nairobi to Mombasa is KES 1,500.
US$17 to US$90. Karen Blixen Museum and Fort Jesus in Mombasa are US$17 each for non-resident adults. Kenya Wildlife Service parks charge non-resident adults per day: Hell’s Gate US$50, Nairobi National Park US$80, Amboseli and Lake Nakuru US$90. Prepay on the KWS eCitizen portal , because gate payment is discouraged. The David Sheldrick elephant orphanage asks US$20 per adult and US$5 per child in cash, on top of the Nairobi National Park fee.
The Mara. Narok County sets the fee, not KWS: US$100 per adult per day from January to June and US$200 from July to December. Ages 9 to 17 pay US$50 and younger children are free. The ticket covers roughly 6am to 6pm, and most gates take cash, so carry some.
Why the Mara needs nights, not a day
The reserve is 5 to 6 hours from Nairobi by road each way, and the last stretch past Narok is rough. A same-day return leaves almost no time with animals. Plan 2 to 3 nights, or fly from Wilson Airport, about 45 minutes, and let the lodge arrange the transfer. For the wildebeest, herds arrive from late July and river crossings are most likely from mid-August to September, though they depend on rain and are never guaranteed.
Quick picks by interest
- First safari, one day: Nairobi National Park, 20 minutes from downtown, with rhinos and lions against the skyline.
- Elephants and Kilimanjaro: Amboseli, best on a clear morning.
- Flamingos and rhinos: Lake Nakuru in the Rift Valley.
- Cycling: Hell’s Gate, where bikes are allowed among zebra and gazelle.
- Coast: Madaraka Express to Mombasa, then on to Diani.
For specific routes, see the day trips page or the 3 day itinerary . If you want a guide handling park paperwork, compare Nairobi safari tours on GetYourGuide before paying a park fee separately.
Where to stay and how to book
Lodges and tented camps in and around the Mara price per night on top of the park fee, and rooms in July to October fill early. Nairobi and coastal hotels are easier to find late. To compare options, check Mara area stays on Booking.com , and read the cancellation terms before paying a deposit.
Verdict: set aside the money for a Mara fee and 2 nights first, because every other Kenyan activity costs far less and fits around it.