Rhinos, flamingos and lions in one morning, just three hours from Nairobi: so what does the gate charge you now?
The Lake Nakuru entrance fee is KES 1,500 per adult East African citizen, KES 2,025 for Kenya residents, USD 50 for other African citizens and USD 90 for non residents. Children pay half and kids 5 and under enter free. Cars pay from KES 600 a day. You pay online through KWSPay on eCitizen.
Title sponsorAlumni Golf Challenge
We are the title sponsor this year.
Golf is part of who we are, so we put our name behind the Alumni Golf Challenge. Want more golf after the day? Tell us when you are free. We book your tee time at Karen, Muthaiga or Vipingo Ridge and sort the transfers and the stay.
- Adult citizenKES 1,500child KES 750
- Adult residentKES 2,025child KES 1,050
- Adult non residentUSD 90about KES 11,600
- Park groupPremiumsame as Amboseli
- PaymentKWSPay on eCitizenno cash at the gate
Rated 4.9 on Google from 47 reviews. Price confirmed in writing before you pay.
This guide gives the Lake Nakuru entrance fee for every visitor group from the KWS conservation fee schedule that took effect on 1 October 2025. KWSPay still charges these rates in late 2026. Lake Nakuru is now a Premium park, with Amboseli, so it is the most expensive KWS park to enter.
Before the change, a citizen adult paid KES 860. Today it is KES 1,500. Non residents went from USD 60 to USD 90. We run the Lake Nakuru day trip from Nairobi every week, so these are the figures we pay at the gate. Prices are checked against KWS at booking.
Highlights
- Citizens pay KES 1,500 per adult and KES 750 per child
- Residents pay KES 2,025 and non residents USD 90
- Children 5 and under enter free
- Kenyan citizens aged 70 and over enter free
- Ticket covers one entry for up to 24 hours
- Home to both black and white rhino
- Park opens 6am to 6pm
Lake Nakuru National Park fees per person per entry (KWS schedule from 1 October 2025)
| Fee | East African citizen | Kenya resident | Non resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult entry | KES 1,500 | KES 2,025 | USD 90 |
| Child entry (under 18) | KES 750 | KES 1,050 | USD 45 |
| Public campsite, adult | KES 250 | KES 350 | USD 30 |
| Special campsite, adult | KES 500 | KES 700 | USD 50 |
| Car with under 6 seats | KES 600 | KES 600 | KES 600 |
| Van with 6 to 12 seats | KES 1,500 | KES 1,500 | KES 1,500 |
- Other African citizens pay USD 50 per adult and USD 25 per child.
- Children aged 5 and under, Kenyan citizens aged 70 and over and persons with disabilities are exempt.
- USD figures convert at about KES 129 per USD. KWSPay applies its own rate. Prices are checked against KWS at booking.
Get my exact price on WhatsApp
What is the Lake Nakuru entrance fee in 2026?
An adult East African citizen pays KES 1,500 and a child pays KES 750. Kenya residents pay KES 2,025 per adult and KES 1,050 per child. Non residents pay USD 90 per adult and USD 45 per child. Citizens of other African countries pay USD 50 and USD 25.
KWS placed Lake Nakuru and Amboseli in a new Premium group in October 2025. Both cost the same. Your ticket covers one entry for up to 24 hours. If you sleep in a lodge inside the park, you pay a new ticket for each day.
Who pays which rate?
Your rate depends on your documents. Show the same ID you used to pay.
- East African citizen: national ID or passport from an EAC country
- Kenya resident: a foreigner with a valid Kenyan resident permit or alien card
- African citizen: passport from an African country outside the EAC
- Non resident: every other visitor, including UK, US and Indian tourists
- Students up to 23 on an organised school trip pay the child rate
How to pay the Lake Nakuru entrance fee
You pay through KWSPay on eCitizen with Mpesa or a card. KWS gates are cashless. Pay before you leave Nakuru town, because network at some gates is weak.
On our tours, the park fees are already part of the price and we buy the tickets for you.
- Open kwspay.ecitizen.go.ke and pick single park entry for Lake Nakuru
- Choose the date and your visitor group
- Enter adults, children and your vehicle by seat count
- Pay with Mpesa or card. A small convenience fee is added
- Screenshot the QR code ticket for the gate
What does it cost to drive or camp in Lake Nakuru?
Every vehicle pays a daily fee by seat count. A car with under 6 seats pays KES 600. A van with 6 to 12 seats pays KES 1,500. A minibus with 13 to 24 seats pays KES 3,000.
Camping in a Premium park costs more than in other parks. A public campsite is KES 250 per adult citizen, KES 350 per resident and USD 30 per non resident. A special campsite is KES 500, KES 700 and USD 50. Special campsites carry a non refundable booking fee.
What will you see for the money?
Lake Nakuru is one of the best places in Kenya to see rhino. It protects both black and white rhino inside a fenced sanctuary. You also see Rothschild giraffes, buffalo, zebras, baboons and lions. Leopards are seen now and then in the acacia woods.
Flamingos are the famous draw, but numbers rise and fall with the lake level. Since the lake grew after 2013, many flamingos have moved to Lake Bogoria and Lake Elementaita. Pelicans and other water birds stay all year.
Do not miss the view from Baboon Cliff. Makalia Falls in the south is worth a stop when it has water.
Gates, opening hours and timing
The park opens at 6am and closes at 6pm. The Main Gate is on the edge of Nakuru town. Lanet Gate is on the Nairobi side and Nderit Gate is in the south.
From Nairobi, the drive to Nakuru takes about three hours. Leave by 6am to arrive for the morning game drive. The afternoon light at Baboon Cliff is great for photos.
Is the Lake Nakuru entrance fee worth it?
Yes, if rhino are on your list. Few parks give you such good odds of seeing both rhino species in a day. The park is small enough to cover in four to five hours.
On a budget? A family of two adult citizens and two kids aged 7 and 12 pays KES 4,500 in park fees plus KES 600 for the car. Nairobi National Park also has rhino at KES 1,000 per adult citizen. Compare all parks in our Kenya park entry fees guide.
How to build a trip around Lake Nakuru
Most people combine Nakuru with Naivasha. Our 2 day Naivasha and Nakuru safari adds a boat ride with hippos. Kenyan families like our Lake Nakuru packages for residents with lodge stays and meals.
Add the castle at Ngata on the way back. Our Lord Egerton Castle fees guide has the charges. Going further? The 4 day Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru safari adds the big cats.
Questions people ask
How much are Lake Nakuru park fees for 2026?
Adult East African citizens pay KES 1,500 and children KES 750. Residents pay KES 2,025 and KES 1,050. Non residents pay USD 90 and USD 45. Citizens of other African countries pay USD 50 and USD 25. Your car pays from KES 600 a day on top of the people inside.
Why did Lake Nakuru fees go up?
KWS reviewed all its conservation fees from 1 October 2025 and moved Lake Nakuru into a Premium group with Amboseli. The citizen fee rose from KES 860 to KES 1,500. The High Court briefly suspended the new fees in October 2025, but KWSPay has charged them since and they apply in 2026.
Are there still flamingos at Lake Nakuru?
Some, but not in the huge pink crowds of old photos. The lake level rose sharply after 2013 and the water became less salty. Many flamingos moved to Lake Bogoria and Lake Elementaita. You still see pelicans, storks and many other water birds. Ask your guide where flamingos were seen that week.
Can I pay Lake Nakuru fees at the gate?
KWS gates are cashless. You pay on KWSPay through eCitizen with Mpesa or a card. You can do it on your phone at the gate, but weak network causes delays. Pay the night before and save the QR code as a screenshot. Tour operators pay for you as part of the tour price.
Do children pay at Lake Nakuru?
Children aged 5 and under enter free. Older children up to 17 pay the child rate. That is KES 750 for East African citizens, KES 1,050 for residents and USD 45 for non residents. Students up to 23 on an organised trip with their institution also pay the child rate.
Can I see Lake Nakuru in a day trip from Nairobi?
Yes. Leave Nairobi at 6am, game drive from about 9am to 3pm and return by evening. It is a long day of about six hours on the road in total. For a slower trip, add a night in Nakuru or Naivasha and include a boat ride or the castle.
Sources we checked: Kenya Wildlife Service conservation fees, October 2025 (official PDF); KWSPay on eCitizen (official payment portal); Nation: KWS raises Lake Nakuru fees from Sh860 to Sh1,500; Bizna Kenya: park fees in force, October 2026. Rules and fees change, so we confirm them again when you book.
Ready when you are. Send your dates and group size. We reply with a clear price and a plan you can change.
Chat on WhatsAppYou may also like
Lake Nakuru Day Trip from NairobiSee the detailsRead moreLake Nakuru Packages for Residents: Weekend Stays in KESSee the detailsRead more2 Day Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru SafariSee the detailsRead moreLord Egerton Castle Fees, Hours and Visitor GuideSee the detailsRead moreKenya National Park Entry Fees 2026 (KWS, Mara, Samburu, Ol Pejeta)See the detailsRead more
3 Day Masai MaraFrom USD 850
Mara group joiningFrom USD 395
3 Day AmboseliFrom USD 850
5 Day Kenya SafariFrom USD 1,180
Uganda gorilla trekFrom USD 1,260