A reader alerted us about a blog post (access here) with an image of updated Masai Mara park fees for 2025 (the post itself is incorrect—it is probably AI-generated and promotes some random game park). 
It seems that Kenya has decided to increase the daily fees significantly for the season this year, up to $200 per person per night ($400 per night for a couple). I paid $80 per night in December 2023 when I stayed five nights at the then-brand-new JW Masai Mara.
Here are the 2025 Park Fees:
Note that depending on your arrival or departure time, you may have to pay the park fee twice for the entry/exit day.
You pay this fee at the park entrance, and they do accept credit cards. I know this, as I did this in December 2023.
The notice at the Game Park Entrance in December 2023:
Some Photos from the Safari:
Image of the Tented Camp
Conclusion
These fees would be acceptable if they were not a money grab by a Kenyan or local government.
I cannot see them being used to “preserve” the national park, which, in 2023, was already basically an open-air zoo, and I felt sad. From the plane, you can see endless roads crisscrossing the park.
These hotels drive tourists around the park from one animal to another, and the drivers communicate with each other about recent signings. I actually enjoyed observing human behavior more than looking at the actual animals that are stressed, per our tour guide, due to the number of visitors to the park.
I am glad that I visited the JW Masai Mara back in 2023. I paid 100K Bonvoy points for five nights, which is now more than 200K points PER NIGHT, and the park fees for two were $800 instead of $2,000.
The hotel itself is stunning, and you can enjoy your time there, especially when everyone else is on these game drives. You essentially have the resort entirely yourself.
