Things to Do in Nairobi National Park

Activity at a glance

Gazetted in 1946, this was Kenya's and East Africa's first national park. Around 70 animal species and more than 400 bird species live inside its 117 square km. Lions, giraffes, rhinos and zebras move against the Nairobi skyline, which no other park can offer.

Entry is charged per person by KWS. The current conservation fee schedule lists Nairobi National Park entry at non-resident adult USD 80, child USD 40, African citizen adult USD 40, child USD 20, and Kenya resident adult KES 1,350, child KES 675. A Nairobi Package adding the Animal Orphanage and the Safari Walk costs non-resident adult USD 105, child USD 55.

The cheapest way to see it all is a shared tour. Guided half-day drives with hotel pickup run from $33 per person, and day tours that also cover the elephant orphanage and Giraffe Centre start at $35 per person.

Best time of day

Animals are more active in the early hours, so an early morning game drive gives you a far higher chance of seeing predators. The gates open at 6:00 AM, and serious photographers are inside within the first hour. Afternoon drives work well too, and an evening game drive and sundowner lets you watch the sun go down over the savannah.

For the season, plan for the dry period from July to October when animals gather at water sources.

Fee table

Fees differ sharply by residency, so check the column that applies to you. If you plan to visit only the Animal Orphanage and Safari Walk without the main park, a Nairobi Sanctuary Package costs non-resident adult USD 40 and child USD 20 per the same KWS schedule. Drones need a KCAA license and cost non-residents USD 300 per drone per day per park.

Choosing a drive

A shared half-day drive is the budget pick. The Nairobi National Park Half-Day Game Drive and the 5-hour guided drive with pickup both cost $33 per person and last 5 hours. The 4x4 safari with pickup costs the same $33 and gives you a pop-roof vehicle for photography.

Want the vehicle to yourself? The private half-day jeep tour and the private 4x4 Land Cruiser tour at $130 per person rate highest with guests, at 4.9 from 73 reviews. All entry fees are covered on the half-day private tour with all fees and the private Land Cruiser day tour with park fee included.

Night drives exist too. KWS lists a night game drive fee of KES 3,000, about USD 50, per person per trip in selected parks and reserves, though the fee sheet does not name Nairobi National Park specifically, so confirm with your operator before booking the night safari with an armed KWS ranger.

Big game and birdlife

Lions are the headline act and early mornings are when you are most likely to find them. Black rhinos are a signature sighting, protected inside the dedicated sanctuary. Giraffes, zebras, buffalos and hippos are commonly seen on any half-day drive.

Bird watchers get one of Nairobi's richest sites here. More than 400 bird species live in the park, from wetland birds at the Hippo Pools to raptors over the open plains. The southern boundary is unfenced, which lets herds move along a dry-season migration corridor, so wildlife numbers rise in the dry months from July to October.

Why it matters

The sanctuary was established in 1983 as rhino numbers across Africa collapsed. Inside it, rangers monitor the animals and guard against poaching. A game drive through the sanctuary area is included in most park tours, and guides usually know where the rhinos have been grazing.

Seeing a black rhino against the backdrop of city towers is the single most Nairobi image you can take home.

A short powerful stop

In 1989, Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi set fire to 11 tons of seized ivory here to show that Kenya would not trade in elephant tusks. The fire helped push a global ivory trade ban that same year. Today a simple monument marks the site and guides tell the story in a few minutes.

Combine it with a visit to the nearby hippo pools for a short walk that mixes history and wildlife.

The Hippo Pools trail

The track follows the Nairobi River through riverine vegetation. You watch hippos wallowing and crocodiles on the banks, usually with a KWS ranger for safety. Allow about an hour.

Wear closed shoes and keep your camera ready, since the shady riverine bush attracts birds and smaller mammals that you miss from a vehicle. Most half-day tours can add the stop if you ask your guide when you enter through the East Gate on Nairobi Park East Gate Road in the South C area of Langata.

Visiting the orphanage

You see rescued lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and monkeys at close range, which is especially rewarding for families with young children who want guaranteed sightings. The Nairobi Sanctuary Package, covering the orphanage and the Safari Walk without the main park, costs non-resident adult USD 40 per the KWS fee schedule, while the full Nairobi Package adding the park costs non-resident adult USD 105. KWS puts the orphanage about 8 km from the Nairobi CBD via Langata Road.

Right next door, the Nairobi Safari Walk runs along a raised wooden boardwalk through wetland, savannah and forest habitats above the River Mokoyet. It is the easiest way to stretch your legs and read about Kenyan ecosystems in an hour.

Sheldrick elephant orphanage

Rescued baby elephants take their midday milk feed and mud bath once a day, and the public visiting window runs from 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon. Entry to the nursery session costs $20 per the Helen in Wonderlust guide, in addition to any park fee. Book early because spots open 3 months ahead and sell out. If you foster an elephant for $50 a year, you can return in the evening to watch them being put to bed.

The timing works beautifully with the park. Gates open at 6:00 AM, so you can game drive from dawn and still reach the nursery through the Mbagathi Gate in time for the 11 AM slot.

Morning by the hour

Arrive for the 6:00 AM gate opening and head straight for the open grasslands, where predators are still active. By 8:00 AM most drives reach the rhino sanctuary area. Around 9:30 AM, stop at the Ivory Burning Site Monument and walk the Hippo Pools track while the light is still good. Leave the park by 10:30 AM and drive the short distance to the Sheldrick nursery for the 11 AM to noon session.

If you skip the nursery, add the Giraffe Centre instead, then you are back in the city centre by early afternoon. Travellers on a layover can compress this into the 6-hour airport layover tour. The shared park, orphanage and Giraffe Centre day at $35 per person follows this same route with 1,585 reviews averaging 4.7.

Getting to the gates

KWS's directions say the park is about 8 km from the Nairobi CBD, reached via Nyayo National Stadium and Langata Road, just past Langata Army Barracks. The East Gate sits on Nairobi Park East Gate Road in the South C area of Langata. A taxi or ride-hailing car takes 20 to 30 minutes from most city hotels outside rush hour.

The simplest option is a tour with hotel pickup. Every drive listed on nairobi national park tours includes collection from your hotel, so you walk out of breakfast and into a 4x4. KWS visitor tips recommend carrying clean drinking water, a camera, binoculars, sunscreen, insect repellent and sunglasses. For questions, KWS runs a hotline on 0758854363 and WhatsApp on +254 726 610509.