Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park ranks among Africa’s most accessible wildlife experiences, offering the chance to spot some of the continent’s most iconic species in as little as a half-day trip from downtown Nairobi. Explore on a safari tour, enjoy picnic sites and campsites, and hike an assortment of walking trails in this nature escape. Half-day and full-day tours allow visitors to drive through the park’s grass plains with the capital’s skyscrapers as a backdrop, spotting endangered animal species in their natural habitat. It’s also possible to visit on a more comprehensive Nairobi tour to also see nearby highlights such as the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Center, the Karen Blixen Museum, and the Nairobi National Museum.

• Nairobi National Park is a must-see for animal lovers and first-time visitors to Kenya’s capital.

• A guided day tour of Nairobi National Park can last anywhere from five to nine hours.

• Bring plenty of drinking water and a picnic lunch to enjoy within the park.

• Don’t forget to bring binoculars, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Nairobi National Park lies roughly six miles (10 kilometers) south of Nairobi’s city center. Visitors must enter the park in a vehicle, and a guided safari tour is the easiest (and most rewarding) way to visit. Most tours to the park include hotel pickup and drop-off in the capital city. The closest major airport is Jomo Kenyatta International.

The dry season (July to September) is the best time to spot animals within the park. Avoid April through June, when heavy rains can make spotting wildlife difficult and a 4-wheel-drive vehicle is necessary for visiting certain areas of the park.

Nairobi National Park is home to four of the Big Five safari animals: lions, buffalo, leopards, and rhinos. In fact, the park contains the highest density of black rhinos anywhere in Kenya. What you won’t find here are elephants. While the park once had an African elephant population, the animals were relocated to reduce unnecessary contact between humans and wildlife.

The best way to visit Nairobi National Park is on a tour. While you can drive yourself around the park in your own 4WD vehicle, you’re better off hiring someone who knows their way around so that you can focus on viewing and photographing the animals.

Yes, it’s definitely worth going to Nairobi National Park. A visit to the park gives you a great way to see African wildlife without having to stray far from the city center. Plus, it’s hard to deny the thrill of seeing wild animals against a backdrop of urban buildings.

Yes, you need a car for Nairobi National Park, but it doesn’t have to be your own. Tours into the park generally include pickup from Nairobi hotels and private residences, so that you won’t need to arrange your own transportation to the park gates, making a day visit super easy.

Yes, there are lions in Nairobi National Park, but you may not see any during your visit. The best time to spot them is during the dry seasons, which are January and February and June through October. During these times, there’s less tall grass for the lions to hide in.

Yes, there are hippos in Nairobi National Park and they're usually easy to spot if you know where to look. You can find them hanging out in and around the park's aptly named hippo pool. (Hippopotamuses need to spend a lot of time in water to keep their skin hydrated.)

Yes, there are crocodiles in Nairobi National Park. The Nile crocodile (crocodylus niloticus) lives in the park's waters. These massive creatures measure around 16 feet (4.9 meters) and weigh around 500 pounds (227 kilograms). They’re also dangerous, so it’s crucial to always stay in your vehicle while inside the park.