travelisfree

If I stay in park for 5 nights, doing a self drive (with a rented car), will they somehow check how many days I've stayed upon exiting?

I mean, if I just pay for 1 night at my car is parked at the lodge, what can possibly go wrong? Unless it's gated upon exit and the check plates. Has anyone else seen anything like that?

I know people do it, but just curious what the hard parts are. I hear the new ticketing company are really strict.

Not looking for opinions on whether or not I should self-drive or anything else, but whether or not I can avoid the $75 per person per day fee for 5 nights. Because that would be insane. For the two of us, that would be $750... and we simply can not afford that. We're splitting car with friends and this is by far the largest expense on the entire trip. More than doubles the trip budget (including flights).

Thanks.

Sabasi

If you cannot afford the fees, don't go.

industry_killer

So you want to scam a park that charges the fees to survive and protect its environment and infrastructure? Hopefully you take the advice if you can't afford don't go.

Of course if you do go and try, I hope you get caught, get fined and punished accordingly.

2RETIREDTRAVELERS

pretty harsh replies here

Doc Savage

Careful....

If they find you out, the lions eat well that night.

travelisfree

Right. Those were unhelpful opinions, which I know there are tons of... but...

But for the record Kenya has the most expensive parks in the world and the majority of the money goes to bureaucratic overhead. In fact, half of the $150 would go to the company who collects the fees... which is insane. Gov't contract I guess.

Regardless of who gets the money and how over priced it is, has anyone had any experience? I read many people online saying they only pay upon entrance. This guy says it's normal:
forum.virtualtourist.com/Masai_Mara_Game_Reserve-2051702-11-10266093/entrance-fees.html?showPost=10708671

So that would still be paying $150 for us. Which is way more than other parks... But I was just trying to ask FTers if they had the same experience as this guy. But given the snark to helpful/experienced comment ratio is generally low, I only come here when I'm desperate due to insuficient info anywhere else on the web.

Sabasi

I doubt very much that you would like a Kenyan jail or the guards.

Kenya's park fees are not out of line with other countries.

travelisfree

Kenyan jail *facepalm*
I'm not talking about sneaking in... and if they did ask how many nights, or ask upon leaving, I would just have to pay. The question is how likely is it that they will charge me for one night upon entry, and then not actually keep track of how many nights I spent.

This question is for: people who know what they're talking about. lol

Sabasi

Sine you're planning on having the money anyway, just pay what is due and not worry about it.

Good luck with believing in your logic that all they'll do is insist you pay up on leaving.

industry_killer

The title of the thread begins with "avoid", that word would suggest that you are looking for ways to not pay either some or all of what you should be rightfully paying.

Secondly using the excuse overhead and bureaucratic fees is a red herring. If the fees are cheaper at other parks than you are free to use those parks instead of looking for a way to "avoid" fees you feel unjust.

travelisfree

Agreed. It's not my reasoning.
So I take it no one commenting here has any experience with the park.

manneca

Or no one commenting here has experience with cheating at the park.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Exactly. Along with the belief that it's absurd for the ticketing agency to collect 50% comes the uncertainty of how much you might be expected to pay in penalties if you are caught... payment that might not find its way through a court system or whose amount is based on anything other than what the person who catches you comes up with.

In most places, you know the penalties for transgressions and can weigh the pros and cons accordingly. I don't think that's the case for this scenario. You will see signs everywhere that say "Report Corruption." Looking forward to your first-hand report.

roadwarriorafrica

The lodges reconcile with the park authorities when it comes to bed nights, so it would be very hard to avoid paying the fees.

Ghentleman

contrary to your handle, travel is not free.