Wasini Island and Kisite Marine Park: 2026 park fees, dhow trips and planning tips

Why Wasini and Kisite still convert well

For Diani and south coast clients, Wasini Island and Kisite Marine Park remain one of the strongest full-day add-ons because they combine a boat experience, snorkeling or diving potential, and a cleaner out-on-the-water day than many hotel-based marine activities.

What needed fixing in this post was the pricing. Many blogs still recycle old marine park numbers or quote operator package prices as if they are official park fees. That creates confusion for clients comparing direct operators, hotel desks, and private planners.

Current KWS marine park fees

Kenya Wildlife Service’s current conservation fee schedule lists Kisite Mpunguti and other marine protected areas under the marine parks category. The published conservation fees are:

• East African citizen: KES 500 adult, KES 250 child or student
• Kenya resident: KES 675 adult, KES 350 child or student
• Non-resident: USD 25 adult, USD 15 child or student
• African citizen: USD 15 adult, USD 10 child or student

The same KWS schedule also lists a dhow excursion within marine protected areas at KES 1,000 or USD 10. In practice, most Wasini day-trip operators bundle transport, boat, crew, and meals into a single quote, so clients should understand that the operator package and the official park fees are not the same thing.

What clients should expect from the day

This is usually sold as a full-day marine outing from the south coast. The core value is time on the water, reef scenery, snorkeling or diving conditions depending on sea state, and a slower island lunch atmosphere compared with a resort-only beach day.

• Boat transfer from the Shimoni area toward Kisite
• Marine park entry and snorkeling or diving windows depending on conditions
• Operator-dependent inclusions such as lunch, equipment, and transfers
• A better fit for active beach clients than for travellers who want a purely relaxed resort day