New Park and Reserve Entry Fees to Take Effect on October 1

Kenya’s new conservation fees for entry into national parks, reserves, and sanctuaries will take effect on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

The Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations 2025, published as Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025, were approved by Parliament on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the Ministry is committed to ensuring a smooth transition as the new fees come into force.

“The Ministry is dedicated to guaranteeing a smooth and seamless implementation of the newly approved conservation fees,” Miano said.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Erustus Kanga assured visitors who had already booked and paid for their trips through the government’s eCitizen platform before the announcement that their payments would be honoured.

“KWS will honour all eCitizen payments made before this announcement, and the revised fees will therefore apply only to new bookings made for October 1 onwards,” Kanga said.

The regulations are the result of a year-long open, consultative, and participatory process that brought together stakeholders from the conservation sector, the tourism industry, and the general public.

Officials said the last comprehensive review of conservation fees was carried out 18 years ago, despite the rising costs of managing parks and reserves and the growth of Kenya’s tourism and wildlife conservation efforts.

According to the Ministry, the new regulations are designed to strengthen the financial sustainability of wildlife conservation, improve visitor experiences, and keep Kenya’s parks and reserves competitive on the global stage while protecting the country’s unique wildlife heritage.