The Kenya Wildlife Service's (KWS) proposed increase in national park entry fees will take effect on October 1, 2025, following an 18-year period.

This is according to a statement by the authority, which alludes to Parliament's approval and assent.

"The Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations 2025 (Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025) will officially come into effect on Wednesday, 1 October 2025," the statement reads in part.

It also states that measures have been put in place to assist visitors who had already booked and paid for their trips through E-Citizen prior to this announcement.

"KWS will honour all E-Citizen payments made before this announcement, and the revised fees will therefore apply only to new bookings made on or after 1 October," states the Director General, Prof. Erastus Kanga.

In Nakuru County, the proposed entry fee for local adults at Lake Nakuru National Park is set to increase by 74 per cent, from Sh860 to Sh1,500, whereas for foreign adult visitors, the fee will rise from USD 60 to USD 90, a 50 percent increase.

Meanwhile, the fee for local students and children aged 5 years and above but under 18 will increase from Sh215 to Sh750, an astonishing 249 percent increase.

For foreign children, the fee will increase from $35 to $45 a rise of 28.6 percent.

At Hell's Gate, Mount Longonot National Parks and Lake Elementaita Wildlife Sanctuary, adult East African citizens will pay Sh500, Kenyan residents Sh675 non-residents 50 US dollars (USD), and other African citizens 20 USD.

Children will pay Sh250 if they are East African citizens, Sh350 if they are Kenyan residents, $25 if they are non-residents, and $10 if they are other African citizens.

According to the legal notice, the following shall be exempt from paying conservation fees: Kenyan citizens aged seventy years and older; persons with disabilities; children aged five years and younger; tour drivers; guides; boat crew; and porters who are registered with the Tourism Regulatory Authority and are members of a registered association.

Fishing boats belonging to the Beach Management Units shall also be exempt from paying boat anchoring fees.

According to KWS, the revised regulations aim to strengthen the financial sustainability of wildlife conservation, improve visitor experiences and ensure that Kenya’s parks and reserves remain competitive on the global stage while safeguarding the country’s unique wildlife heritage.

Here's what netizens had to say about KWS increased park entry fees

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Leleti Jassor