Kenya is not only home to some of the most amazing National Parks in the world, but also to some of the most breathtaking mountainous and lake-rich landscapes. It is the wonderful mixture of beautiful scenery and vibrant wildlife that attracts over a hundred thousand tourists who flock to Kenya annually.

Many people choose to visit the more expensive parks as they believe they will not be able to spot much wildlife at the cheaper parks. This may be true in terms of spotting large predators in numbers, but the cheaper parks are also inhabited by some wildlife that may not be spotted in the more expensive parks. To compare, here is a list of National Parks with their entrance fees (high to low) and some of the wildlife that can be seen in them.

*FYI: The ‘Big Five’ consists of black rhino, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard and Masai lion.

Amboseli National Park

Adults: $60

Children (Age 3-17): $30

Students: $20

Wildlife: ‘Big Five’, crocodile, cheetah, Masai ostrich, plains zebra, Masai and reticulated giraffe.

Lake Nakuru National Park

Adults: $60

Children (Age 3-17): $30

Students: $20

Wildlife: black and white rhino, Cape buffalo, leopard, Masai lion, cheetah, black and white Colobus monkey, hippo, jackal.

Aberdare National Park

Adults: $50

Children (Age 3-17): $25

Students: $15

Wildlife: ‘Big Five’, black leopard, bongo, giant forest hog, olive baboon, warthog, serval cat.

Tsavo East National Park

Adults: $50

Children (Age 3-17): $25

Students: $15

Wildlife: ‘Big Five’, African hunting dog, cheetah, crocodile, Grevy’s zebra, hippo, Somali ostrich.

Tsavo West National Park

Adults: $50

Children (Age 3-17): $25

Students: $15

Wildlife: ‘Big Five’, gerenuk, hippo, cheetah, Masai giraffe, plains zebra, wildebeest.

Meru National Park

Adults: $50

Children (Age 3-17): $25

Students: $15

Wildlife: ‘Big Five’, beisa oryx, eland, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, lesser kudu, gerenuk.

Chyulu National Park

Adults: $50

Children (Age 3-17): $25

Students: $15

Wildlife: leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, cheetah, gerenuk, Masai giraffe.

Hell’s Gate National Park

Adults: $25

Children (Age 3-17): $10

Students: $10

Wildlife: Cape buffalo, impala, eland, reedbuck, steenbok, plains zebra.

Shimba Hills National Park

Adults: $20

Children (Age 3-17): $10

Students: $10

Wildlife: Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, Masai giraffe, sable, duiker, Syke’s monkey, hyena, bushbuck.

Adding Lake Naivasha to your itinerary can make a huge difference to its cost. Due to it not being a listed National Park, it is completely free to enter. As well as the beautiful scenery on display and the magnificent lake that offers boating tours, there is also a great range of wildlife that can be spotted, including; Cape buffalo, hippo, Masai and Rothschild’s giraffe, hyena, jackal and impala. Lake Naivasha is a bird watchers haven with various species of heron, pelican, flamingo and stork being present amongst the soaring birds of prey such as fish eagle, Verreauxs eagle and Rueppell’s vulture.

Although it may sound strange, not all safaris need to be focused on the immediate gratification of spotting wildlife. There are also cultural experiences to be had, beautiful landscapes to see and hiking trips with local guides to participate in. The beauty of going on a private safari is that you can choose what you want to do.

So now you should have a better prospective of which animal inhabitants demand the higher park entrance fees. This should give you some ideas to add your own customised safari itinerary. If you are interested in more information about safaris in Kenya then contact Ziara Safaris. Ziara are specialists in private and custom safaris around East Africa’s greatest National Parks and Game Reserves, and can work flexibly with you to put together a suitable safari itinerary depending on your preferences.

All Inclusive Formula

The often called “all in” formula means that everything is included in your package: from air flights (if any) to park entries, accommodation and meals. Additional costs usually involve drinks and any activities around the lodge: game drives, night drives, boat trips and guided walks! But then again, sometimes they might even be part of the deal!

Prices will vary from place to place, but to give you a general idea typical activities will range from $10-30 pp.

Camping

The best way to sleep in the African bush!

Often lodges will have two areas: one with bungalows/rooms and another with camp sites or tents. The second formula is by far the cheapest. Costs are habitually decent, only involving a small fee (as little as $3-5 a day) to put up your tent and for the usage of the ablutions.

The advantage of camping is that you are closer to nature than ever. Especially at night, when nocturnal animals roam by your tent, or “bizarre” sounds haunt your sleep. Most common visitors are “laughing” hyenas and common bush babies. It is not unusual either to hear lion calls coming from a distance!

I myself have had interesting experiences on various occasions. This one time, there was a huge bull elephant right outside my tent window. Very intense feeling…both exciting and TERRIFYING !! You could hear the animal smashing branches and crunching its food while eating…I was praying he wouldn’t play around with my tent! Luckily, as I speak I’m still alive and well .

I can imagine you jumping up and down on your seat as I write these sentences lol! Don’t you worry! Most facilities are fenced off, and if not are guarded by armed men (quite often Maasai people in East Africa).

The only downturn of camping is that it demands a little more organisation and effort. For instance, you have to take your own camping equipment with you (some of it may be provided at the camp itself), your own groceries (a few facilities have their own shops i.e. inside Kruger National Park; Skukuza), cook your own food (or eat at the restaurant), and drive your own car in the game area.

Talking about food. VERY IMPORTANT: be on the look out for baboons and Vervet monkeys that might come steal away some of your belongings. Make sure you do not leave anything lying around! It will be gone in an instant…

Bed and Breakfast Formula

One alternative to camping inside the park is to stay on the vicinity of the reserve. While it is not necessarily as “unique” (I’d rather stay inside the park if possible), it might be worth it especially if you have money concerns. There are usually quite a few options available, ranging from hotels to hostels and guest houses. Some hotels even have an impressive view overlooking the reserve itself, which is a great bonus (at least it gives you a nice flavour of the bush)!

My recommendation is that you take a B & B (Bed and Breakfast) formula. In other words, you get a room and a breakfast (and what a breakfast indeed…mhhhh), at a local residence and for a reasonable price (from $30 upwards per person).

Residents vs Foreigner Fees

As you can imagine, tourists are charged more than locals. In most instances the price difference is somewhat important! For instance, park entrances might be as low as $5 per person per night for a resident, and as high as $25 pppn for a foreigner.

My hint: If you’re on safari with friends that are residents, it is sometimes possible to pass the entry gate as locals and thus pay resident fees. Stay in the car and let your pals do the talk! Not always successful though!

High vs Low Season

As mentioned in the previous post, summer/dry season months are peak times for tourists and tourist attractions (except in Southern Africa where it is arguably better to visit reserves or parks in winter). Make sure you have your reservations sorted out well in advance, as places are often fully booked months beforehand. In South Africa for example, some areas of the Kruger are reserved from six months to up to a year early!

If you’re looking for more advantageous fares, be ready to plan your trip during the lower season (despite cooler weather and relatively poorer game viewing opportunities).

NB: When I say “poorer” game viewing opportunities notice that everything is relative. I’ve frequently experienced incredible sightings during the rainy season/winter months. The major concern during that time of the year has to do with higher rainfall and greater food availability for the animals.

Thus the animals tend to be more dispersed in the park. Additionally, dirt roads become impassable and some of the facilities are forced to close down!

Transport

Driving your own vehicle or renting a car for the occasion might be preferable in terms of costs. In most instances park roads are well indicated, and it is possible to buy very useful maps of the area at the entrance.

Note nonetheless that driving your private vehicle is not always possible! In places such as private game reserves and certain nature reserves, you are OBLIGED to use cars from the lodges/camp sites!