A mum has slammed the £2,000 cost of her son's Kenyan school trip to 'see a couple of giraffes' as 'crazy' - claiming she could take her family-of-seven abroad for less. Carla Hoskins was stunned when she spotted the nine-night trip to Kenya, East Africa, being offered by her 14-year-old son Blake Spencer's school would cost an eye-watering £2,186.

The price for the October 2026 jaunt includes return flights, a work placement at a Kenyan primary school, and some excursions including a safari trip. But despite the hefty cost, parents would need to cough up more for drinks, snacks, mosquito nets, travel vaccinations and 'additional excursions'.

The 38-year-old hairdresser said the state school's email advertised it as an 'unforgettable experience to enrich students' lives', but claims it's a 'crazy' amount of money for parents to spend. Flabbergasted by the trip price, the mum-of-six shared her outrage and says most users agreed with her. One claimed they 'paid less for their car', while others said it seemed 'reasonable'.

She's now speaking out about the school trip as Carla claims a family could go abroad for the same price, saying she and four of her children went to Gran Canaria last year for £1,800. Carla, from Radlett, Hertfordshire, said: "I got an email as if I should be privileged that he's been invited.

"It was just crazy. I have never received a letter about a school trip that costs thousands. That amount of money is ridiculous. I thought 'this must be a magical trip', so I went through and read what was included. The trip is for nine days so this is quite a long time but I think a lot of that is travelling. What's included is that they're going to be helping in schools and see Kenyan culture and a couple of giraffes.

"I have six children so if I honoured this for one, I'd have to do it for all of my children. It's a lot of money and I know what I could get for this amount of money. I did Gran Canaria for five of us last June and it was £1,800. This price is easily the same amount of money to take a family abroad on holiday.

"He goes to a school where to be honest a lot of parents wouldn't be able to afford this, it's just crazy. I don't understand how people can afford this in this current climate with the cost of living."

Carla said parents are expected to pay for the trip in three instalments, around £700 per payment, which she says is more than a month's food shop for her family. While the school has encouraged children to 'fundraise' the cost of the trip, she says not many 14-year-olds would be able to raise this kind of money on their own.

Carla said: "They have said that the kids can help raise money but, in this day, and age kids are not going to be able to raise much of this money. What 14-year-old is going to raise this money and it's a lot of pressure on the child. They said you can pay the money in three instalments, which is £700 or £800 per instalment.

"That's a month's food shop. I don't know where they think people are going to pull this money from. It's just not viable at all."

Blake told Carla he doesn't want to go, but she fears he's simply saying that due to the cost. Carla claims she would only be able to afford it if she won the lottery, as she has five other children to consider for future school opportunities.

Carla said: "I was lucky that my son said he didn't want to go but I don't know whether he is saying this because it is a lot of money but some of his friends are going. That's a crazy amount of money. I might win the lottery in a few months' time and then he can go."

After sharing her shock about the trip online, the video received more than 3,000 likes and 500 comments.

While most users couldn't believe the cost, some said it was a 'reasonable' price for a holiday to Kenya and others encouraged the fundraising element to raise the money.

One wrote: "I paid less for a family of four all-inclusive [holiday] to Corfu at the beginning of September this year." Another added: "Not a chance. I didn't pay that for my car." A third commented: "To Kenya that appears to be very reasonable indeed. I do hope you change your mind over this fiscal matter."

A fourth wrote: "How do they expect people to afford that in this economy? Schools are honestly so sheltered and unrealistic it annoys me so much."

Another user said: "So wrong, but get him to do a fundraiser, lovely. My 21-year-old raised just over that to go to Uganda for a month. She said it was life changing."

WHAT THE £2,186 SCHOOL TRIP TO KENYA INCLUDES:

Mum's anger as school trip costs more than holiday in Gran Canaria