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A dirt track across the plains of the Masai Mara, Kenya.

MpangoSeven days, six nights, three parks

Kenya safari itinerary: seven days, three parks

A seven-day Kenya safari itinerary is six nights, and three parks fit into it: one night at Lake Nakuru, three in Masai Mara, Kenya, and two in Amboseli. Every leg runs by road except the Mara to Amboseli, 1 hour by scheduled flight with Mombasa Air Safari (2026 timetable). Park fees for one non-resident adult are USD 90 at Lake Nakuru and the same at Amboseli, per person per 24-hour single entry, and in the Mara USD 100 from January to June or USD 200 from July to December per ticket day, valid 6:00 to 18:00.

Photo: Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Edited by Rainer Lang Updated

For the whole route those fees come to USD 870 to 1,250 in July and USD 570 to 850 in January, before lodging, vehicle and flight. The order runs west first: Lake Nakuru lies on the road out of Nairobi, the Mara is the long stay, and the daily flight takes you on to Amboseli, from where the last drive or a morning flight puts you back in Nairobi on Day 7.

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RamaniThe route strip

The seven-day route, stop by stop

Each stop shows its nights, its park fee as the body that sets it words it, and the weather of the month you pick. Each leg shows how you travel it and only the time or distance a park, county or airline states. Change the month to see the Mara fee and the herds move while the Kenya Wildlife Service fees stay put.

The plan 7 days, 6 nights Park fees, one non-resident adult, July USD 870 to 1,250

  1. Day 1

    Nairobi

    Arrive at JKIA or Wilson Airport

    Nairobi

  2. By road

    156 km (97 mi) by road on the A104 (Kenya Wildlife Service, distance only)

  3. days 1 to 2

    Lake Nakuru National Park

    1 night, no full day

    Park fee, Kenya Wildlife Service

    USD 90 per person per 24 hours, single entry

    1 or 2 fees for this stay: USD 90 to 180

    Rain, Nakuru
    100 mm in a mean July
    Day / night
    20 °C (68 °F) / 9 °C (48 °F)
    Lake Nakuru guide

  4. By road

    No park, county or airline states a time or distance for this leg; your operator quotes it.

  5. days 2 to 5

    Masai Mara

    3 nights, 2 full days

    Park fee, Narok side and Mara Triangle

    USD 200 per person, non-resident adult, 1 July to 31 December (Narok County 2025/26 schedule); valid 6:00 to 18:00 on the day

    3 or 4 ticket days for this stay: USD 600 to 800

    Rain, Keekorok
    35 mm in a mean July
    Day / night
    27 °C (81 °F) / 13 °C (55 °F)
    Wildebeest
    Large herds recorded in the Mara during the month in 19 of 24 seasons
    Three nights in the Mara, hour by hour

  6. By scheduled flight

    Mombasa Air Safari, departs 11:30, arrives 12:30, daily: 1 hour by scheduled flight; times approximate; reconfirm 24 hours before (2026 timetable). Fare USD 435 plus a fuel surcharge of USD 20, one way.

  7. days 5 to 7

    Amboseli National Park

    2 nights, 1 full day

    Park fee, Kenya Wildlife Service

    USD 90 per person per 24 hours, single entry

    2 or 3 fees for this stay: USD 180 to 270

    Rain, Amboseli
    0 mm in a mean July
    Day / night
    29 °C (84 °F) / 15 °C (59 °F)
    Amboseli guide

  8. By road

    204 km (127 mi) by road via Emali to Iremito Gate, or 220 km (137 mi) by road via Namanga to Meshanani Gate, tarmac to Namanga, then murram (Kenya Wildlife Service, distance only)

    Or by scheduled flight

    AirKenya to Wilson, departs 8:15, arrives 8:50: 35 minutes by scheduled flight (2026 schedule)

  9. Day 7

    Nairobi

    Fly home from JKIA

The seven-day route on a map of southern Kenya Nairobi, Lake Nakuru to the north-west, the Masai Mara to the west on the Tanzanian border, Amboseli to the south-east below the border. Solid lines join stops reached by road, the curved dotted line is the flight from the Mara to Amboseli. The lines join the stops; they are not the roads. NairobiLake NakuruMasai MaraAmboseli TANZANIA KENYA Lake Victoria
by road by road, no stated time by scheduled flight Stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata. Outline: Natural Earth.

How the strip counts

Kenya Wildlife Service charges USD 90 per person per 24 hours, single entry at Lake Nakuru and the same at Amboseli, one rate all year (2025 schedule). Each fee is a single entry valid up to 24 hours. For a stay of several nights the strip gives two counts: one fee per night at the low end, one per calendar day in the park at the high end. Ask KWS at the gate which applies to your entry and exit times.

The Mara sells day tickets valid 6:00 to 18:00 on the day, whatever time you enter, and a game drive on the day you leave needs a fresh ticket. Four days touched, arrival to flight, means 3 or 4 tickets. The fee doubles on 1 July: USD 100 from January to June, USD 200 from July to December.

Without Lake Nakuru, Nairobi to the Mara is about 5 to 6 hours by road (Mara North Conservancy) or about 45 minutes by scheduled flight from Wilson, the time AirKenya and Governors' Aviation state. The extra night goes to the Mara.

SikuDay by day

Day by day: seven days, six nights

Seven days here means Day 1, the morning you leave Nairobi, to Day 7, the afternoon you are back. The Mara gets two full days, Days 3 and 4, plus the afternoon you arrive and the morning you leave. If your international flight lands in the evening, sleep in Nairobi first: the trip is then seven nights, and the first one is in the city.

Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru National Park is 156 km (97 mi) by road north-west of Nairobi on the A104, by Kenya Wildlife Service. You enter at the Main Gate by Nakuru City, at Lanet Gate or at Nderit Gate. An afternoon drive is the reason to come: Kenya Wildlife Service states the park supports one of Kenya's largest populations of black rhinos, and white rhinos, and in 1987 it became Kenya's first government-managed rhino sanctuary.

Day 2: Lake Nakuru to the Masai Mara

An early drive by the lake, then the long road west. Kenya Wildlife Service sells one fee as a single entry valid up to 24 hours, so a morning drive counts as a second fee if you left the park overnight or more than a day has passed since you entered. No park, county or airline states a drive time from Nakuru to the Mara; your operator quotes it. You reach a reserve gate, such as Sekenani, in the afternoon. A Mara ticket is valid 6:00 to 18:00 on the day, whatever time you enter, so an afternoon arrival pays a full day.

Days 3 and 4: two full days in the Mara

Two days from first light to the end of the ticket window. How to spend them, what a full day and a half day of drives look like and where the herds were in each month of past seasons is the work of the Masai Mara itinerary, which takes the hours apart. The early option is a balloon flight at sunrise. Where you sleep decides which side of the river you drive: where to stay in the Masai Mara sorts the camps by area.

Day 5: the Mara to Amboseli by air

A morning drive needs a fresh ticket: the ticket portal states that a game drive on the checkout day needs a new full-day ticket. Mombasa Air Safari's flight to Amboseli departs 11:30 and arrives 12:30, daily, and its timetable says times approximate; reconfirm 24 hours before. Amboseli has one tarmac airstrip for light aircraft, Kimana, and other airstrips at Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge and Namanga town. The afternoon is your first drive.

Day 6: a full day in Amboseli

Kenya Wildlife Service calls Amboseli the "Home of the African Elephant", known for large elephant herds beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. The park was gazetted on 1 November 1974. The Amboseli guide has the park's gates and lodges.

Day 7: Amboseli to Nairobi

By road it is 204 km (127 mi) by road via Emali to Iremito Gate, or 220 km (137 mi) by road via Namanga to Meshanani Gate, tarmac to Namanga and murram from there. By air, AirKenya's P2 884 leaves Amboseli at 8:15 and lands at Wilson at 8:50. Wilson to JKIA is about 25 minutes by road, and at least 1 hour by road in the morning and evening rush hours, as Safarilink states.

Safari vehicle on a track
A safari vehicle parked under an acacia on the plains of the Masai Mara, Kenya.Photo: Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Reserve gate
The Sekenani Gate of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.Photo: Ninara / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Elephants
Elephants walking across the plains of the Mara Triangle, Kenya, July 2013.Photo: Laika ac / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

3 nightsnights in the Mara, Days 2 to 5

3 or 4Mara ticket days for the stay

Bush plane on a Mara airstrip

Photo: Ninara / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

One flight carries the route: the Mara to Amboseli, 11:30 to 12:30.

BarabaraRoads and flights

Roads and flights between the parks

Every leg with its mode and the body that gives the figure. Where no body gives one, the cell says so.

The legs of the route and the two common alternativesRoad distances and times as the body named states them, without stops; flight times as printed in the airline's 2026 timetable.
LegModeTime or distanceStated by
Nairobi to Lake NakuruBy road, A104156 km (97 mi) by roadKenya Wildlife Service, distance only
Lake Nakuru to the Masai MaraBy roadNo figure publishedYour operator quotes it
The Mara to AmboseliScheduled flight11:30 to 12:30, 1 hour by scheduled flightMombasa Air Safari, daily
Amboseli to the MaraScheduled flight9:15 to 10:30Mombasa Air Safari, minimum 2 passengers from Amboseli; Safarilink flight 35, 8:20 to 9:40
Amboseli to NairobiBy road204 km (127 mi) by road or 220 km (137 mi) by roadKenya Wildlife Service, distance only
Amboseli to WilsonScheduled flight8:15 to 8:50AirKenya
Nairobi to the MaraBy roadabout 5 to 6 hours by roadMara North Conservancy
Wilson to the MaraScheduled flightabout 45 minutesAirKenya, Governors' Aviation

The flight leg

Mombasa Air Safari's 2026 published fare from the Mara to Amboseli is USD 435 one way plus a fuel surcharge of USD 20; the other direction is USD 310 plus USD 20. Its timetable gives the reverse flight a 9:15 departure and a 10:30 arrival because it calls at Tsavo West too. AirKenya's morning flight from Amboseli connects at Wilson to its Mara flight at 10:30, a second way between the two parks, through Nairobi. Safarilink also flies Amboseli to the Mara: flight 35, 8:20 to 9:40, USD 390 single, minimum 4 passengers, routed via Wilson in the low seasons (2026 timetable). The Mara flights page has every Wilson departure and fare; Nairobi to Masai Mara sets the road against the air door to door.

The road legs

Road figures here are distances. A time comes only from a body that states one: Mara North Conservancy gives about 5 to 6 hours by road from Nairobi to the Mara, and for Nakuru to the Mara or Amboseli to Nairobi, ask your operator how long the drive takes. Kenya Wildlife Service names April to June the low season, with long rains, when most park roads may need 4-wheel drive. On small aircraft, the US CDC advises avoiding local, unscheduled aircraft and, where possible, flying on larger planes with more than 30 seats, in daylight and good weather (CDC Kenya page, 10 November 2026). The Mara to Amboseli link is a scheduled service on a light aircraft.

TiketiTwo kinds of ticket

Park fees at each stop

Two bodies, two units. Kenya Wildlife Service runs Lake Nakuru and Amboseli and charges per entry; the Mara is a national reserve run by Narok County on the Narok side and the Mara Conservancy in the Mara Triangle, and charges per ticket day.

Kenya Wildlife Service, 2025 schedule

Lake Nakuru and Amboseli

USD 90 non-resident adult, USD 45 child or student

USD 90 per person per 24 hours, single entry, one rate all year. A child is a person from five years but below 18; children aged five and younger are exempt. The Tsavo West-Amboseli package at USD 150 is a different ticket for both parks, not the Amboseli fee.

Narok County and the Mara Conservancy

Masai Mara

USD 100 January to June, USD 200 July to December

USD 200 per person, non-resident adult, 1 July to 31 December (Narok County 2025/26 schedule); valid 6:00 to 18:00 on the day. Children: USD 50 per person, non-resident child aged 9 to 17, all year (Narok County 2025/26 schedule); valid 6:00 to 18:00 on the day. The Masai Mara entrance fee page has every payer and the ticket calculator.

Mara, per ticket day: USD 100 to June, USD 200 from July. Lake Nakuru or Amboseli, per 24-hour entry: USD 90 in every month. One non-resident adult.

Paying

Kenya Wildlife Service says visitors on package tours have park fees included by their operator, and self-organized visitors pay through the KWSPay portal (kwspay.ecitizen.go.ke). KWS lists M-Pesa, Visa and bank transfer, not cash. A self-drive car adds KES 600 (about USD 4.50) per vehicle per day in KWS parks for one with fewer than six seats. The KWS fees come from Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025, published in the Kenya Gazette on 22 September 2025; the KWS fee page has the full schedule.

What the fee total includes

The strip's total adds the three parks for one non-resident adult: 1 or 2 fees at Lake Nakuru, 3 or 4 Mara ticket days and 2 or 3 fees at Amboseli. In July that is USD 90 to 180, USD 600 to 800 and USD 180 to 270. Lodging, the vehicle, the flight and the conservancy fees of camps outside the reserve come on top; what a Masai Mara safari costs stacks them.

BeiListed 12 November 2026

Seven-day trips as listed

Group trips that cover the same three parks, most with Lake Naivasha added. Prices are the sellers' own from-prices per person, listed 12 November 2026, with what each listing says about park fees.

Two more seven-day trips list the same parks: From Nairobi: 7 Days Masai Mara, Nakuru, and Amboseli Safari on GetYourGuide and 7-Day Kenya Safari: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha & Amboseli on TourRadar. Check each listing for how it moves between the parks: the flight in this page's plan replaces a road leg that has no published drive time. For a Mara-only trip, TourRadar's 20 most reviewed Masai Mara tours of 3 to 7 days list from USD 176 to USD 3,326 per person. The three ways to do a Masai Mara safari compares group, private and fly-in.

A half day in Nairobi fills a first or last afternoon. Nairobi National Park Half-Day Tour lists from USD 38 and Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre from USD 48, both per person with park fees excluded (listed 12 November 2026). The park fee is USD 80 per person per 24 hours, single entry for a non-resident adult.

NdegeOrder and length

Which order works, and other lengths

Acacia at sunrise or sunset
An acacia silhouetted against the sunset in the Masai Mara, Kenya.Photo: Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Why Nakuru first and Amboseli last

Lake Nakuru is north-west of Nairobi and the Mara west, so the first two days run one way. The Mara to Amboseli flight leaves late enough for a last morning drive. Amboseli last means Day 7 ends in Nairobi, by road or on the 8:15 flight to Wilson.

The other way round

Start in Amboseli, fly to the Mara on the 9:15 departure, which needs a minimum of 2 passengers from Amboseli, and end at Lake Nakuru, 156 km by road from Nairobi. The one-way fare in that direction is lower, USD 310 against USD 435. The catch is the leg from the Mara to Nakuru, with no published drive time, on the day before your flight home.

Without Lake Nakuru

Give the Mara a fourth night and fly both ways. From Wilson to the Mara, Safarilink departs at 7:15, 10:00 and 14:15 (2026 timetable). Three nights in the Mara by air give about 3 full days and 1 half day of drives; by road from Nairobi, about 2 full days and 2 half days of drives. The Masai Mara itinerary shows those hours drive by drive.

Ten days

Ten days is nine nights, and the extra three go where the seven-day plan is short. A first night in Nairobi with an afternoon in Nairobi National Park: KWS states it has four of the Big Five (no elephants), over 100 animal species and more than 400 bird species. Nearby, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery opens daily except 25 December from 11:00 to 12:00, by advance booking only, minimum donation USD 20; it accepts only its own booking confirmations. The AFEW Giraffe Centre opens 9:00 to 17:00 every day, KES 1,500 (about USD 12) per non-resident adult. Then a fourth night in the Mara and a third in Amboseli. Hell's Gate, a national park in the Great Rift Valley gazetted in 1984, fits on the way to Nakuru at USD 50 per non-resident adult. Adding Tanzania is a different trip: Masai Mara vs Serengeti sets the two side by side.

Hali ya hewaThe month

The month you travel

Only one of the three parks changes its fee with the month, and only one has the wildebeest. Rain is the thing all three share.

  • USD 200

    The Mara fee switch

    per ticket day from 1 July for a non-resident adult, up from USD 100 in June. Kenya Wildlife Service has one rate all year, so a June trip saves only on the Mara nights.

  • 160 mm

    April against August

    of rain at Keekorok in a mean April, 145 mm at Nakuru and 115 mm at Amboseli. In August: 60 mm, 120 mm and 0 mm.

  • 26 of 26 seasons

    Herds in the Mara

    had large herds recorded in the Mara during August, and 19 of 24 seasons during July. The migration page has every month and the earliest and latest arrivals.

The strip above shows any month at all three stops. The best time to visit the Masai Mara weighs fees, rain and herds month by month, and Masai Mara weather has the temperatures.

SafariBefore Day 1

Before day one

  • The eTA

    The Directorate of Immigration Services states that all visitors, infants and children included, must hold an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation before the journey starts, unless exempt. The Standard eTA costs USD 30 per traveler on the official site. Kenya eTA has the rest.

  • Where the parks are

    The Masai Mara borders the Serengeti in Tanzania; the map in the route strip shows all three parks against the Tanzanian border. Where the Masai Mara is draws it from Nairobi and the coast.

  • Health and safety

    Malaria, vaccines and the current travel advisories, each with the body and its date, are on is the Masai Mara safe.

MaswaliQuestions

Kenya safari itinerary questions

Primary sources: KWS fees, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Nairobi National Park, Hell's Gate, Mombasa Air Safari, Safarilink, AirKenya, Mara North Conservancy, US CDC Kenya, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Giraffe Centre.

How many days do you need for a Kenya safari?

Seven days, six nights, fits three parks: one night at Lake Nakuru, three in the Masai Mara and two in Amboseli, with the Mara getting two full days. Listed six-day trips such as 6 Days Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli-Ultimate Kenyan Safari cover the same three parks in five nights. Ten days add Nairobi, a fourth Mara night and a third in Amboseli. The Masai Mara itinerary covers the days inside the Mara.

How much does a seven-day trip to Kenya cost?

Park fees alone for one non-resident adult on this route come to USD 870 to 1,250 in July and USD 570 to 850 in January. Listed group trips covering the same parks start from USD 580 for six days with park fees excluded (6 Days Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli-Ultimate Kenyan Safari) and USD 800 for seven days with them included (7 Day Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli Safari), listed 12 November 2026. The cost page adds lodging and flights.

What is the twelve-hour rule for the Masai Mara?

A Masai Mara ticket is valid from 6:00 to 18:00 on the day and expires at 18:00, whatever time you bought it. It is a day ticket, not one that runs from your entry time. A game drive on the morning you leave needs a fresh ticket. Four days in the Mara therefore need 3 or 4 tickets. The entrance fee page has the calculator.

Can you fly from the Masai Mara to Amboseli?

Yes. Mombasa Air Safari's 2026 timetable has a daily flight from the Mara to Amboseli, departing 11:30 and arriving 12:30, times approximate and to be reconfirmed 24 hours before. The published one-way fare is USD 435 plus a USD 20 fuel surcharge. The flight back departs Amboseli at 9:15 with a minimum of 2 passengers; Safarilink's flight 35 also flies Amboseli to the Mara, 8:20 to 9:40, for USD 390.

Is Lake Nakuru worth a night on a Kenya safari?

For rhinos, it is the stop on this route that offers them. Kenya Wildlife Service states Lake Nakuru supports one of Kenya's largest populations of black rhinos, and white rhinos. It is 156 km (97 mi) by road from Nairobi. The fee is USD 90 per person per 24 hours, single entry.

Sources

  1. Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fee (2025 schedule) for Tsavo West-Amboseli National Park Package: non-resident adult, per person per daily fee (single access, valid up to 24 hours), all year: USD 150. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  2. Kenya Wildlife Service calls Amboseli National Park the 'Home of the African Elephant', known for close encounters with large elephant herds beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  3. Amboseli National Park was gazetted on 1 November 1974, per the Kenya Wildlife Service. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  4. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park is entered through Iremito, Kimana and Meshanani gates. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  5. Kenya Wildlife Service: by road from Nairobi to Amboseli via Emali to Iremito Gate on the Nairobi-Mombasa road is 204 km (turn at Emali onto the Emali-Loitokitok road). Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  6. Kenya Wildlife Service: by road Nairobi-Namanga to Amboseli's Meshanani Gate is 220 km, tarmac to Namanga and murram from Namanga to the gate. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  7. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli has a single tarmac airstrip, Kimana airstrip, 1.2 km long, for light aircraft; other airstrips exist at Kilimanjaro Buffalo Lodge and Namanga town. Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  8. Kenya Wildlife Service Amboseli National Park page rate card: non-resident adult USD 90, non-resident child USD 45 (matches the 2025 fee sheet). Kenya Wildlife Service: Amboseli National Park park page.
  9. Mara North Conservancy states the drive from Nairobi takes about 5-6 hours (about 280 km to the Mara); Nairobi to Narok about 2-2.5 hours and about 3 more hours to the conservancy. Mara North Conservancy: How to Get There.
  10. The Kenyan Directorate of Immigration Services states that all visitors, including infants and children, who intend to travel to Kenya must hold an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before the start of their journey (unless they fall in an exempt category). Directorate of Immigration Services (Kenya): Electronic Travel Authorisation website, How to Apply / General Information.
  11. On the official eTA website (Directorate of Immigration Services), the Standard eTA, which allows entry into Kenya once, costs per traveler (normal processing). Directorate of Immigration Services (Kenya): eTA website, Kenya ETA Eligibility.
  12. Mombasa Air Safari 2026 published fare, Amboseli/Tsavo to Mara one way: USD 310 per person plus a fuel surcharge of USD 20. Mombasa Air Safari: Flight Schedule (Scheduled Fares for 2026 and Flight Timetable).
  13. Mombasa Air Safari 2026 published fare, Mara to Amboseli/Tsavo one way: USD 435 per person plus a fuel surcharge of USD 20. Mombasa Air Safari: Flight Schedule (Scheduled Fares for 2026 and Flight Timetable).
  14. Safarilink flight 35 Amboseli to Masai Mara: departs 8:20, arrives 9:40, daily; single fare USD 390, no return fare listed; subject to a minimum of 4 passengers per service (note a); operates throughout the year, but in the low seasons (or if required for operational reasons) passengers are routed via Wilson (note f) (2026 timetable, fares exclusive of taxes). Safarilink: Timetable and Fares 2026, 1st Edition (valid up to 31 December 2026).
  15. AirKenya: its Amboseli-Wilson flight (P2 884, 8:15-8:50) connects at Wilson to the Masai Mara flight at 10:30 (2026 schedule). AirKenya: Flight Schedule 2026 (valid from 21 December 2025 to 31 December 2026).
  16. Mombasa Air Safari scheduled flight Amboseli / Tsavo West (Finch) to Mara: departs 9:15, arrives 10:30, daily, minimum 2 passengers from Amboseli and 4 from Tsavo West (2026 timetable, times approximate; reconfirm 24 hours before). Mombasa Air Safari: Flight Schedule (Scheduled Fares for 2026 and Flight Timetable).
  17. Mombasa Air Safari scheduled flight Mara to Amboseli: departs 11:30, arrives 12:30, daily (general 2026 timetable, times approximate; reconfirm 24 hours before). Mombasa Air Safari: Flight Schedule (Scheduled Fares for 2026 and Flight Timetable).
  18. US CDC advises avoiding local, unscheduled aircraft, flying on larger planes (more than 30 seats) if possible, and scheduling flights in daylight and good weather. US CDC: Kenya - Traveler view (Travelers' Health destination page), 2026-11-10.
  19. Kenya Wildlife Service fee sheet defines a child as a person from five (5) years but below 18 years. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  20. Kenya Wildlife Service fee sheet defines the daily fee as the fee for a single access to a national park, national reserve or sanctuary, valid for not more than 24 hours. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  21. Kenya Wildlife Service fee sheet exempts from conservation fees: Kenyan citizens aged 70 and older, persons with disability, children aged five and younger, and tour drivers, guides, boat crew and porters registered by the Tourism Regulatory Authority and members of a registered association. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  22. The Kenya Wildlife Service 2025 conservation fee sheet has one rate per category all year; it lists no high or low season rates. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  23. Kenya Wildlife Service: visitors on package tours have park entry fees included by their tour operator; self-organized visitors pay through the KWSPay portal (kwspay.ecitizen.go.ke). Kenya Wildlife Service: FAQs, 2026-02-22.
  24. Kenya Wildlife Service accepted payment methods for park entry fees: M-Pesa, Visa card and direct bank transfer (Kenya Commercial Bank, ABSA, Equity Bank); cash is not listed. Kenya Wildlife Service: FAQs, 2026-02-22.
  25. Kenya Wildlife Service FAQ names two tourist seasons: high season July-December and December-March; low season April-June with long rains, when most park roads may need 4-wheel drive. Kenya Wildlife Service: FAQs, 2026-02-22.
  26. Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fee (2025 schedule) for Amboseli and Lake Nakuru National Parks: non-resident adult, per person per daily fee (single access, valid up to 24 hours), all year: USD 90. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  27. Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fee (2025 schedule) for Amboseli and Lake Nakuru National Parks: non-resident child/student, per person per daily fee (single access, valid up to 24 hours), all year: USD 45. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  28. The Kenya park fees in force are set by the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations, 2025, Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025, made by the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife (Rebecca Miano) on 19 September 2025. Republic of Kenya (Parliament of Kenya library copy): Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025, Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations, 2025, Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 161, 2025-09-22.
  29. Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025 (Kenya park fee regulations) was published in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 161 of 22 September 2025. Republic of Kenya (Parliament of Kenya library copy): Legal Notice No. 160 of 2025, Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access, Entry and Conservation) (Fees) Regulations, 2025, Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 161, 2025-09-22.
  30. Kenya Wildlife Service motor vehicle charge per day in its parks for a vehicle with less than 6 seats (2025 schedule): KES 600. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  31. TourRadar listing '7 Days Masai Mara, L. Nakuru, L. Naivasha & Amboseli Budget Safari' (operator Bencia Africa Adventure and Safaris), read 12 November 2026: public from price USD 1,315 per person (USD 1,302 shown to a signed-in Level 1 member), 7 days and 6 nights, group tour, 1-50 travelers, park fees included (listing inclusion 'All park entry fees'), about USD 188 per day. TourRadar: 7 Days Masai Mara, L. Nakuru, L. Naivasha & Amboseli Budget Safari, 2026-11-12.
  32. TourRadar Masai Mara tours captured on 12 November 2026 (20 most reviewed, 3 to 7 days, all Kenya only): price from USD 176 to USD 3326 per person, USD 59 to USD 674 per day; none of the 20 includes Tanzania. TourRadar: Mara tours captured, 2026-11-12.
  33. Viator listing '6 Days Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli-Ultimate Kenyan Safari' (operator not shown on the page), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 580 per person, 6 days and 5 nights, shared van, max 8 travelers, park fees excluded. Viator: 6 Days Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru & Amboseli-Ultimate Kenyan Safari, 2026-11-12.
  34. Viator listing '7 Day Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli Safari' (operator not shown on the page), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 800 per person, 7 days and 6 nights, group, max 20 travelers, park fees included. Viator: 7 Day Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli Safari, 2026-11-12.
  35. Viator listing 'Nairobi National Park Half-Day Tour; Free Wi-Fi connection' (operator not shown on the page), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 38 per person, half-day (4 to 8 hours) from Nairobi, max 15 travelers, park fees excluded. Viator: Nairobi National Park Half-Day Tour; Free Wi-Fi connection, 2026-11-12.
  36. Viator listing 'Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre' (operator not shown on the page), read 12 November 2026: listed price from USD 48 per person, half-day (4 to 8 hours) from Nairobi, max 36 travelers, park fees excluded. Viator: Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre, 2026-11-12.
  37. The Central Bank of Kenya's daily indicative exchange rate posted on 12 November 2026 is KES 129.96 per US dollar. Central Bank of Kenya: home page, Daily KES Exchange Rates (indicative), 2026-11-12.
  38. Hell's Gate National Park was gazetted in 1984 and covers about 68 square kilometers in the Great Rift Valley, per the Kenya Wildlife Service. Kenya Wildlife Service: Hell's Gate National Park park page.
  39. Kenya Wildlife Service Hell's Gate National Park page rate card: non-resident adult USD 50, non-resident child USD 25 (matches the 2025 fee sheet). Kenya Wildlife Service: Hell's Gate National Park park page.
  40. Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park got an electric perimeter fence in 1986 and in 1987 became Kenya's first government-managed rhino sanctuary, for black and white rhinos. Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park park page.
  41. Kenya Wildlife Service states Lake Nakuru supports one of Kenya's largest populations of black rhinos, and white rhinos. Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park park page.
  42. Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park is 156 km north-west of Nairobi by road on the A104, entered at Lanet Gate, Nderit Gate and the Main Gate 4 km from Nakuru City. Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park park page.
  43. Kenya Wildlife Service Lake Nakuru National Park page rate card: non-resident adult USD 90, non-resident child USD 45 (matches the 2025 fee sheet). Kenya Wildlife Service: Lake Nakuru National Park park page.
  44. Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fee (2025 schedule) for Nairobi National Park: non-resident adult, per person per daily fee (single access, valid up to 24 hours), all year: USD 80. Kenya Wildlife Service: Conservation Fees 2025 (fee sheet PDF, file name 'KWS-Conservation-Fee-October-2025').
  45. AFEW Giraffe Centre (Lang'ata, Nairobi) entry fee, non-resident adult: KES 1,500. African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) Giraffe Centre: home page, Our Rates.
  46. AFEW Giraffe Centre is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day, including weekends and all public holidays. AFEW Giraffe Centre: FAQs.
  47. Kenya Wildlife Service states Nairobi National Park has four of the Big Five (no elephants), over 100 animal species and more than 400 bird species. Kenya Wildlife Service: Nairobi National Park park page.
  48. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's public visit at its Nairobi Nursery (inside Nairobi National Park) runs every day except 25 December from 11am to 12 noon, timed around the orphans' midday milk feed and mud bath. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  49. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: access to the Nairobi Nursery visit is strictly by advance booking; no same-day bookings; bookings accepted only for visits within the next three months. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  50. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust accepts only its own booking confirmations for the Nursery visit, not bookings via third-party platforms such as Viator, GetYourGuide or Tripadvisor. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  51. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust minimum entry donation for the 11am Nursery visit, adult aged 12 and above (non-resident): US$20 per person or the Kenya shilling equivalent at the day's rate. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: Nairobi Nursery Visiting.
  52. The Mara Conservancy / KAPS ticket rate card, co-branded with Narok County Government, charges a non-resident adult the same park fee whether accommodated inside or outside the park: USD 200 per person per day from July to December. Mara Conservancy / KAPS: Park Fees Itemization rate card (Nature Paas ticket portal).
  53. The same co-branded rate card charges a non-resident adult USD 100 per person per day from January to June, whether accommodated inside or outside the park; non-resident children aged 9 to 17 and students in organized groups pay USD 50 per person per day in both blocks. Mara Conservancy / KAPS: Park Fees Itemization rate card (Nature Paas ticket portal).
  54. The Mara Conservancy ticket portal states that day tickets are valid 12 hours (6:00 to 18:00) and expire automatically at 6:00 pm, whatever time they are bought. Mara Conservancy / KAPS: Nature Paas ticket portal, 'Know Before You Go'.
  55. The Mara Conservancy ticket portal states that overnight guests must check out by 10:00 am, and that a morning game drive on the checkout day needs a fresh full-day ticket. Mara Conservancy / KAPS: Nature Paas ticket portal, 'Know Before You Go'.
  56. Park, camping, vehicle and balloon fees. Narok County 2025/26 Park Fees & Charges and Narok County Finance Act 2023 (reserve, Narok side); Mara Conservancy conservation fees (Mara Triangle); Kenya Wildlife Service Conservation Fees 2025 (Nairobi, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru); Enonkishu Conservancy fee page
  57. Travel times and distances. Drive times as stated by Mara North Conservancy, Mara Siana Conservancy, the Mara Conservancy, Safarilink and AirKenya; road distances from KeNHA, Narok County, Kenya Wildlife Service and Mara Siana Conservancy; flight times from the 2026 timetables of Safarilink, AirKenya, Governors' Aviation and Mombasa Air Safari
  58. Park fees and nights for the seven-day route. Sum of the Mara rate card (Mara Conservancy and Narok County, per ticket day valid 6:00 to 18:00) and the Kenya Wildlife Service 2025 schedule (per person per 24 hours, single entry) over the page's plan
  59. Masai Mara park fees. Mara Conservancy and Narok County Government rate card, non-resident adult per day; ticket valid 6:00 to 18:00
  60. Hours on the ground by plan, and the Nairobi half-day planner. Computed from the Mara Conservancy ticket portal (ticket 6:00 to 18:00, checkout 10:00), the reserve management plan (no entry after 18:30, in camp by 19:00), the drive time Mara North Conservancy states, the Safarilink and AirKenya 2026 timetables, the check-in times Safarilink, AirKenya and Governors' Aviation state at Wilson and the transfer times Safarilink and AirKenya state; the departure time from Nairobi is a scenario
  61. Climate 1991 to 2020. Rain: CHIRPS v2.0 daily rainfall, UCSB Climate Hazards Center, 1991 to 2020 (satellite and gauge grid); temperature: NASA POWER daily point data (MERRA-2 reanalysis), 1991 to 2020; monthly means and the 8-of-10-years range computed from the daily series
  62. Migration records. Mara Conservancy monthly reports (Mara Triangle), seasons 2001 to 2026, audited 12 November 2026: one definition per event (first small groups, first large herds, first Mara River crossing, departure of the large herds), counted by season