• The low season covers a 4 month period between March and June while the peak season covers a 6months period between July to February.
• The changes will be effective from 1st July.
Image: GARETH JONES
Park entry fees for adults visiting premium parks will be reduced by 18 per cent during low season as the Kenya Wildlife Service introduces seasonal park entry fees.
Urban safaris entry fees will also be reduced by three per cent for adults and 14 per cent for children.
Children’s park entry fees in premium parks will remain constant.
The seasonal fees have low and high seasons, unlike the current uniform charges.
According to KWS, the changes will be effective from July 1, 2022.
The normal park entry fees in Lake Nakuru and Amboseli National Parks are Sh860 for adults.
During the low season, adults will pay Sh600, a difference of Sh260.
Children enjoying urban safaris will pay Sh215 during the low season instead of the normal uniform charges of Sh300.
The low season covers a four-month period between March and June while the peak season covers a six-month period from July to February.
KWS said the changes are an effort to bridge seasonality and encourage visitation to the parks all-year round.
The wildlife service hoped that tour operators and other visitors will take advantage of attractive discounts to visit the parks.
The new rates gazetted by the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala can be accessed on the KWS website.
The wildlife service noted that visitation by both residents and non-residents to KWS parks was highly seasonal, creating fluctuations in all tourism businesses.
KWS said the fluctuations had caused operational and financial constraints to them and communities around the park depending on the tourism business.
According to KWS, park fees are used for the conservation and protection of wildlife.
The fees are used for Human-wildlife conflict mitigation, erection of fences, ecosystem restorations and infrastructure maintenance.
They also support communities around the parks through water provision, construction of health facilities, building classrooms and undertaking education and outreach programmes.