Kenya Activities by Season and Month

The same Mara gate ticket costs US$100 in May and US$200 in October, and the herds only add to the drama in the second half of the year. In Kenya the calendar sets the budget, so it helps to pick the month before you pick the activities.

January to June: the lower fee months

Non-resident adults pay US$100 a day at the Maasai Mara from January to June, and ages 9 to 17 pay US$50. The Mara is run by Narok County rather than the Kenya Wildlife Service, and its gates mostly take cash, so bring some. The ticket covers roughly 12 hours, about 6am to 6pm, and conservancies charge separately.

These months suit anyone who wants big-cat sightings and an easier fee bill. Resident wildlife is there all year, though the migration herds are in Tanzania’s Serengeti during this stretch. For a balloon flight over the Mara , expect prices from about US$450 per person and book months ahead.

July to December: higher fees, herds in the Mara

From July the adult fee doubles to US$200 a day. Herds start arriving about the third week of July, and river crossings peak from roughly mid-August to late September. Crossings depend on rain and are never guaranteed, so treat them as a bonus. Three Mara days in August cost US$600 per adult in gate fees alone, before lodging or a guide.

The Mara is 5 to 6 hours by road from Nairobi each way, with rough going near the end. Plan 2 to 3 nights, or take the roughly 45-minute flight from Wilson Airport. The multi-day trips page lays out the routes.

Any month: the Nairobi core

Some options never change with the season:

  • Nairobi National Park: US$80 adult, US$40 child, 20 minutes from downtown.
  • David Sheldrick elephant orphanage: 11:00 to 12:00 daily, a US$20 adult donation in cash (US$5 child) plus the park fee, booked ahead.
  • Giraffe Centre in Karen: KES 1,500 for non-resident adults, open 9:00 to 17:00. Details are at giraffecentre.org .
  • Amboseli and Lake Nakuru: US$90 per adult per day. Hell’s Gate: US$50.
  • Madaraka Express train to Mombasa: 08:00, 15:00 and 22:00, about 5.5 to 6 hours, from KES 1,500 in economy.

Pay Kenya Wildlife Service fees in advance on the eCitizen KWS portal . For half-day options near the capital, see day trips from Nairobi .

Paperwork for every month

Most visitors need an eTA, about US$30, applied for at etakenya.go.ke before you fly. Most African and Caribbean passports are exempt. Plastic carrier bags are banned, and single-use plastics are also off limits in national parks and on beaches, so pack a reusable bottle and a cloth bag. Check your government’s current advice, and avoid the northern and Somali-border counties.

Choosing your month

For the lowest fees, go between January and June. For the herds, aim for late August or September and accept the US$200 gate. If you can only manage a few days, Nairobi and its park work in any month.