The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has reintroduced the Safari Card payment system in 6 Kenyan National Parks from June 1st. Visitors to these parks will need the Safari Card for payment of park entry fees.
The 6 parks are:
- Nairobi National Park
- Lake Nakuru National Park
- Amboseli National Park
- Tsavo East National Park
- Tsavo West National Park
- Aberdares National Park
- Malindi Marine National Park
The Safari Card will be available at the parks and can be loaded through M-PESA, Direct Bank Deposit, EFT and Visa Cards. Cash payments will not be accepted. Tour operators can make bulk or advance payments through bank deposits. Prepaid park tickets are valid until December 31 2018.
There are two types of Safari Cards:
- Personalized: They cost Ksh. 1,000 and can be reused. If the card gets spoilt or lost, replacement will cost Ksh. 1,000. Additionally, residents need to pay a Ksh. 1,000 fee annually.
- Temporary cards: These are one-off and expire after 24 hours. They are also surrendered at the gate when exiting the park.
The Safari Card payment system was previously in operation until December 2017.