Nairobi park fees in 2026

How much is the Nairobi National Park entry fee in 2026?

US$80 per non-resident adult and US$40 per child, under the 2025 KWS rates (Legal Notice 160 of 2025). Check KWS or eCitizen before you go.

One ticket covers a single entry valid for up to 24 hours. Children aged 5 and under go free, as do persons with disabilities; the child rate covers older children up to 17. Non-residents show a valid passport at the gate, per the same Legal Notice, so keep it in your daypack on tour day.

Driving yourself? The car pays too: KSh 600 a day for a vehicle with fewer than 6 seats, per the KWS schedule.

Is the KWS fee increase still being challenged in court?

Yes, it was challenged in October 2025, and we could not confirm a final ruling. Treat US$80 as the current KWS rate and check KWS or eCitizen before you go.

The new rates took effect on 1 October 2025; the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust also refers to a KWS notice of 29 September 2025 on the increase. On 2 October 2025 the High Court in Milimani temporarily halted the fees on an application by the Kenya Tourism Federation, Capital FM reported. In November 2025 senators accused KWS of ignoring the order, and the KWS Director General said the regulations were lawful, according to The Standard.

Tour operators reported in 2026 that the 2025 rates were still being charged through eCitizen and that the case was still open in mid-2026. The listings on this site that name an amount quote the same US$80.

How do you pay Nairobi National Park fees on eCitizen?

Online, by card, through KWS on the eCitizen platform. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust strongly encourages paying before your visit.

Several listings spell it out. The elephants and giraffes tour and the Sheldrick and Giraffe Centre tour say the park fee is paid online through eCitizen, with no cash accepted, and ask you to bring a credit card. The budget tour lists US$80 plus a US$2 processing fee by card. The park, orphanage and giraffes day asks guests to have the money ready on the day; it is paid as the operator arranges, and KWS fees go through eCitizen.

Your operator can tell you exactly when to pay. Set up an eCitizen account the evening before, keep the card handy, and the gate goes faster.

What do the Nairobi Package and the sanctuary tickets cost?

The Nairobi Package (park, Nairobi Animal Orphanage and Nairobi Safari Walk) is US$105 per non-resident adult. The Orphanage or the Safari Walk alone is US$25, or US$40 for both.

These are KWS sites at Nairobi National Park, with their own sanctuary rates. Do not mix up the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, run by KWS, with the Sheldrick elephant nursery: the nursery is a separate visit, booked with the Trust, once a day from 11am to noon.

If you want the Safari Walk as well, ask your operator before the day which ticket to buy.

What do the Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick and the museums charge in 2026?

The Giraffe Centre charges KSh 1,500 per non-resident adult, the Sheldrick nursery asks a US$20 cash donation, and the Karen Blixen Museum costs US$17 under the NMK schedule from 7 May 2026.

KSh 1,500 is about US$11 to 12 at the Central Bank of Kenya rate of October 2026; the listings still say “$15”. The centre takes Visa, Mastercard and M-Pesa, per its FAQ, and its FAQ shows the same fee in 2026.

The elephants work differently. The Trust takes bookings by email only, with no walk-ins or same-day visits, and the US$20 donation is paid in cash on arrival. On a tour, ask your operator for the Trust's own confirmation email before the day. National Museums of Kenya sites, the Karen Blixen Museum included, take payment through eCitizen and not in cash. The giraffes, Karen Blixen and beads tour lists the museum at US$12; the NMK 2026 schedule shows US$17.

Which Nairobi tours include the entrance fees?

One tour includes every fee: the Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen tour. Two more include the Giraffe Centre and the Sheldrick visit, per the listings, with the park fee paid online.

On the tours that leave everything to the day, a non-resident adult adds US$80 for the park, US$20 for the elephants and KSh 1,500 for the giraffes. Bring a card for the park and the giraffes, and US dollars in cash for the elephants. In return you get the low tour price, the hotel pickup and a driver-guide who knows every gate.

Kirsty (Oct 2026) on the classic morning: “we were so lucky to see a few lions and so many rhinos. The elephant conservancy was very educational, and feeding the giraffes was an absolute highlight.”

The giraffes and the Out of Africa farmhouse with every entrance fee in one price: no cash to count on the day.

★ 4.6 · 4 hours · from $99

Explore the Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen tour → Tour details

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