Masai Mara National Reserve Entry Fees

Masai Mara National Reserve Entry Fees are the charges that are levied on travelers looking to access the park for different game activities. Entry fees are the payments in which tourists who are visiting the Masai Mara National Reserve are required to pay in order to enter the reserve.

Masai Mara National Reserve is located in the south western part of Kenya and on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. The entrance fees for tourists visiting the reserve differs for residents and nonresidents. Children are also charged the entry fees differently from adults.

Other fees include vehicle entry fees, camping fees, aircraft landing fees. Tourists who fail to follow the rules and regulations put in place by the authorities in charge of the reserve also pay certain fines.

Tourists are required to present their forms of identification at the entrance of the Masai Mara National Reserve such as identification cards, passports in order to prove their nationalities or residential statuses.

Forms of payment accepted

Tourists who visit the Masai Mara National Reserve make payments for entrance fees by using a credit card. The receipt for the payment of the entry fees is then provided at the gate of the reserve for validation and to show proof of payment.

Payments made by tourists visiting Masai Mara National Reserve include;

Nonresidents are defined as tourists who are foreigners to Kenya. Entry fees paid by nonresident adults staying inside the Masai Mara National Reserve pay USD 70 and children to pay USD 40.
Nonresidents staying outside the Masai Mara National Reserve pay entry fees of USD 80 and non-resident children pay USD 45.
Students who are non-residents pay entry fees of USD 40 for adult students and USD 20 for young students in order to be allowed to access to the Masai Mara reserve.
Residents who visit Masai Mara National Reserve are considered as tourists from East African countries which include Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Payments for resident tourists is made in Kenya shillings (ksh). Resident adults pay entry fees of Ksh 1,200 and resident children and students pay Ksh 300 respectively.

Entry rates into Masai Mara National Reserve for children are applicable to people who are aged between 3 to 18 years of age. Children below the age of 3 are allowed to enter the reserve for free.

Student rates apply to people who are sponsored by a recognized learning institution with a valid student identification card aged up to 23 years. School organized trips to the Masai Mara National Reserve are authorized by the Mara conservancy and this authorization must be made atleast two weeks in advance to the trip. Concession fees for students visiting the reserve for personal holidays do not apply.

Other fees made during entry into Masai Mara National Reserve include vehicle entry fees, truck charges, camping fees, ranger fees and aircraft landing fees. Some of the activities within the reserve are also charged such as hot air balloon safaris and horse riding safaris.

Where payment for entry fees for Masai Mara National Reserve can be made

Payments for entry fees for Masai Mara National Reserve can be made from Nairobi, at Purungat bridge, Oloololo gate and alternatively from Serena airstrip.

Benefits got from payments of entry fees for Masai Mara National Reserve is used for promoting conservation in the reserve as well as benefiting the local community.

Validity of entry fees

Entry fees for Masai Mara National Reserve is valid for 24 hours from the time the tourists enter the reserve.

Some of the lodges have special discounts for their clients during payment for entry fees in Masai Mara reserve. The lodges include Mara Serena Lodge and Little Governor’s camp.

Inclusions of the entry fee

The entry fee to Masai Mara National Reserve includes some activities within the Masai Mara National Reserve such as day game drives and nature walks.

Exclusions of the entry fee

Entry fees for Masai Mara National Reserve excludes privately organized activities such as hot air balloon safaris, horse riding. Community visits to the Masai villages are also charged independent of the entry fees.

Activities in Masai Mara National Reserve include game drives, nature walks, bird watching, community visits, hot air ballooning, horse riding among others.

Some of the Attractions in Masai Mara National Reserve include wildlife and species, the Masai people, Oloololo escarpment, the Mara river, wildebeest migration and the private conservancies such as Ol Kinyei conservancy, Mara Naboisho conservancy, Olare Motorogi conservancy, Mara north conservancy, Ol Choro Oiroua conservancy, Mara triangle conservancy, Olderikesi conservancy and Siana conservancy.

How to get to Masai Mara reserve

Tourists visiting Masai Mara National Reserve can choose to either drive or to fly to the reserve as seen below;

By road, tourists can drive using the route from Nairobi via Narok and then proceed to any of the entry gates into the reserve such as Sekenani gate, Musiara gate, Talek gate, Oloololo gate and Oloolaimutia gate.

Another option for tourists visiting the Masai Mara National Reserve is by air or flight where charter and domestic flights are organized to the airstrips in the reserve.