Maasai Mara National Reserve entry fees are set by the Narok County Government and published in its Finance Act. The schedule in force since 1 January 2024, and still current for 2026, charges non-resident adults USD 200 per person per day in the high season (1 July to 31 December) and USD 100 per day in the low season (1 January to 30 June). Children aged 9 to 17 pay USD 50, and children of 8 and under enter free. A ticket is valid from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the day of entry, whatever time you arrive. Every figure below comes from the Narok County Finance Act 2023 and the Mara Conservancy’s published schedule for the Mara Triangle, checked on 5 October 2026.
Maasai Mara entry fees 2026
| Visitor | High season, 1 Jul – 31 Dec | Low season, 1 Jan – 30 Jun |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident adult (18 and over) | USD 200 | USD 100 |
| Non-resident child, 9 – 17 | USD 50 | USD 50 |
| Non-resident student (organized group) | USD 50 | USD 50 |
| Child, 8 and under (any nationality) | Free | Free |
| Kenyan citizen adult | KES 3,000 | KES 1,500 |
| East African resident adult | KES 5,000 | KES 2,500 |
Per person, per day: one ticket covers 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Source: Narok County Finance Act 2023, First Schedule (approved 2023/2024 rates), matching the Mara Conservancy’s 2024 conservation-fee table for the Mara Triangle. Citizen and resident rates require a Kenyan ID, or a passport showing a work permit or resident visa; without identification, non-resident rates apply.
Are these the 2026 fees? As of 5 October 2026 Narok County has published no revised schedule, so these remain the rates for 2026 travel. We re-check the county’s Finance Act every January and July and update this page with the date of the last check. For comparison, the Serengeti charges USD 70 plus VAT per adult per day in peak season; our Tanzania park fees guide sets out that schedule.
How the 12‑hour ticket works
- One ticket, one day. The Finance Act defines the entry fee as the charge for entry between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., “time of entry notwithstanding”. Arrive at 2 p.m. and your ticket still expires at 6 p.m.
- It does not carry overnight. The Mara Conservancy states this plainly for the Triangle, and the Narok side applies the same rule. Guests staying inside the reserve are charged for each day they are in it.
- Count days, not nights. A three-night stay inside the reserve usually means four daily tickets if you game-drive on the morning you leave. Our proposals count the days, so the number you see is the number you pay.
- Penalties are real. The Act sets fines for invalid tickets, off-road driving and entering or leaving through non-designated points. On a planned safari your guide holds the tickets and this is never your concern.
The Mara Triangle and the Narok side
The reserve has two administrations on one fee schedule. The western third, the Mara Triangle, is run by the Mara Conservancy on behalf of Narok County and is entirely cashless: tickets are bought online through KAPS or by card and M-Pesa at Purungat Bridge, Oloololo Gate or the Serena airstrip. The rest of the reserve, entered through Sekenani, Talek, Oloolaimutia, Musiara and the other eastern gates, is run directly by the county.
Fees are paid according to where you stay. If your camp is in the Triangle and you drive in through Sekenani Gate, you do not pay there; you pay when you cross into the Triangle at Purungat Bridge. Passports must be shown at the gate to confirm the fee category, and a driver’s license is not accepted as identification.
Why the private conservancies charge differently
The conservancies that border the reserve, among them Mara North, Olare Motorogi, Naboisho and Ol Kinyei, are leased from Maasai landowners and set their own conservancy fees, which are normally built into the nightly rate of the camps inside them. You pay the reserve entry fee only on the days you drive into the national reserve itself. In return the conservancies allow what the reserve does not: off-road driving, night drives, walking with a guide and a strict limit on vehicles per sighting. That is why most of the Kenya safaris we plan are based in a conservancy, with reserve days added for the river crossings in season. Our Kenya guide explains the geography.
Other official charges you may see
| Charge | Official rate | Who usually pays it |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle entry, fewer than 6 seats | KES 1,000 per vehicle per day | Camp or guide; in your proposal |
| Vehicle entry, 6 – 12 seats | KES 1,500 per vehicle per day | Camp or guide; in your proposal |
| Balloon single landing fee | USD 80 per person, USD 35 per child | Balloon operator; within the balloon price |
| Aircraft single landing, 7 – 14 seats | KES 3,000 per aircraft | Airline; within the air fare |
| Public campsite, non-resident | USD 40 per adult, USD 20 per child per night | Mobile-camp operators only |
All from the same First Schedule of the Narok County Finance Act 2023. Filming, research and commercial permits are listed in the Act but do not apply to a private safari.
How Mara fees appear in a NndeeAfrika proposal
Reserve fees are their own line in the itemized quotation, counted per day at the season rate for your dates, with children priced by their age on the day of travel. The July to December rate coincides with the migration months and the highest camp rates, so the Mara is at its most expensive from July to October. From January to March the fee halves, the grass is short, the resident wildlife is superb and the camps are quieter; our safari-by-month guide and when-to-go page show how the year falls. If you are weighing Kenya against a Southern African alternative, our Kenya versus South Africa comparison puts the fees in context. Our private, tailor-made journeys begin at approximately $12,000 per person, excluding international flights.
Maasai Mara park fee questions
How much is the Maasai Mara entrance fee in 2026?
Non-resident adults pay USD 200 per person per day from 1 July to 31 December and USD 100 per day from 1 January to 30 June. Children aged 9 to 17 pay USD 50 per day all year, and children of 8 and under enter free. The schedule is set by the Narok County Finance Act 2023 and has applied since 1 January 2024.
Is the Maasai Mara fee per day or per 24 hours?
Per day. A ticket is valid from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the day of entry, whatever time you arrive, and it does not carry over to the next morning. If you stay inside the reserve, each day you game-drive there needs that day’s ticket.
Do children pay Maasai Mara park fees?
Children of 8 and under enter free. Children aged 9 to 17 pay USD 50 per day in both seasons, and students in organized groups also pay USD 50. Ages are checked against passports at the gate.
Are Mara Triangle fees different from the rest of the reserve?
No. The Mara Triangle is administered by the Mara Conservancy on the same fee schedule. Payment there is cashless, by card or M-Pesa, and you pay according to where you stay: guests staying in the Triangle who enter through Sekenani Gate pay at Purungat Bridge, not at Sekenani.
Are Maasai Mara park fees included in a NndeeAfrika safari?
Yes. Reserve fees appear as their own line in your itemized proposal, counted per day at the rate for your travel dates, so you can see exactly what the Mara costs within the whole journey.
Written and reviewed by Evance & Jennifer · Published 5 October 2026 · Fees checked 5 October 2026
