Celebrated for being the World’s only National Park in the heart of a City, Nairobi National Park is one of Kenya’s most popular safari destinations. The Park is renowned for its sweeping rolling plains, dense woodlands, rivers, lush valleys, and dry transitional savanna vegetation cover with a blend of acacia and thorny vegetation. It is also one of the few safari destinations in all of Africa that allows a blend of modernity and wilderness experiences.

Size and Location of Nairobi National Park

Sprawling for only 11700 hectares, Nairobi National Park is relatively smaller than other popular safari destinations in the country and so far the only Game Park that is strategically set close to the Capital, hence making it perfect for visitors interested in combining business and pleasure/adventure.

It will interest you to know that this Protected Area is located in the south of Central Kenya, extending to and within the Nairobi City area (only 4.3 miles south of the City), and lies at an elevation range of 1500 to 1800 meters above sea level.

Visiting Nairobi National Park isn’t just about animals and birds. Imagine the joy of sighting towering Masai giraffes against the backdrop of towering skyscrapers. The four corners of this protected Area are covered by an electric fence to restrain wildlife.

History of Nairobi National Park

Gazetted in 1946, Nairobi National Park is the oldest wildlife Park in the country.

The area where the Protected Area sits today was once explored by the British colonists in the 19th century, as the Athi plains in the Eastern and Southern ends of the present-day Nairobi National Park had several wildlife species.

It was around this period that Maasai pastoralists occupied and herded their cattle in the area, while the Kikuyu practiced farming in the forest-dominated highlands of the area.

Following rapid developments in Nairobi around 1910, there was also an increase in human-wildlife conflicts, thus the creation of the Game Reserve by the colonial government. It was later converted into a National Park in 1946, hence leading to the displacement of Maasai pastoralists/nomads from the area.

Eighteen years later (in 1963), the Nairobi Animal Orphanage was established inside Nairobi National Park to nurture orphaned, abandoned, aged, and injured wildlife. Some of the wildlife species you are likely to see here include jackals, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, lions, and serval, as well as bird species, especially Ostriches, Grey-crowned cranes, parrots, and guinea fowls, among others.

Top things to see in Nairobi National Park

Wildlife

Nairobi National Park is a haven for over 100 mammal species, 40 amphibian species, and several reptiles. Here, you will come across four of the Big Five, including Cape buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, and lions.

Also expect sights and sounds of cheetahs, Defassa waterbucks, towering Masai giraffes, zebras, hyenas, impalas, hartebeests, Giant elands, Thomson’s gazelles, Crocodiles, olive baboons, hippos, black-backed jackals, warthogs, and impalas.

Birdlife

Nairobi National Park is also a birdwatcher’s Paradise with over 500 species to look out for. Of these, 20 are European migrant species, and several are resident species. Some species recorded here include African black duck, African jacanas, African green pigeon, African fin foot, African swamphen, common quail, black-faced sand grouse, black-winged lapwing, blue-billed teal, martial eagle, gray crowned crane, emerald-spotted wood dove, black crake, Hartlaub’s bustard, cape teal, white-backed duck, common ringed plover, red-chested cuckoos, chestnut banded plover, Coqui francolin, Caspian plovers, and many others.

There are also collared pratincole, Fischer’s lovebird, pacific golden-plover, the striped crake, the secretary birds, lesser kestrel, curlew sandpiper, lesser and greater flamingos, bronze winged courser, scaly francolin, green-winged teal, little grebe, greater painted snipe, gray-hooded gull, harlequin quail, dusky turtle-dove, common cuckoo, helmeted guineafowl, gull-billed tern, Hildebrandt’s francolin, blacksmith lapwing, great spotted cuckoos, knob-billed duck, Kori bustard, little ringed plovers, laughing dove, spotted thick-knee, thick-billed cuckoos, pallid harrier, pied cuckoos, White-headed vultures, spur-winged goose, fulvous whistling duck, yellow-necked francolin, yellow-throated sand grouse, white-bellied bustard, lesser moorhen, and many others.

The Nairobi Animal Orphanage

Established in 1964 to rehabilitate abandoned, injured, and orphaned wildlife species before being returned back to the wild, this center is also a wonderful tourist spot in Nairobi National Park. Here, you will find cheetahs, common warthogs, buffaloes, servals, lions, leopards, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, and several bird species, especially Ostriches, parrots, and helmeted guinea fowls.

The Impala Observation Point

Popular for being a picnic spot, the Impala Observation point provides endless sights of impalas. Other places to explore during your Nairobi National Park safari include the David Sheldrick Elephant orphanage, and the Ivory burning site monument among others.

Top things to do in Nairobi National Park

Game drives

The main drawing card for visiting Nairobi National Park is the abundance of animal. This 11700-hectare safari destination is filled to the brim with four of the Big Five Game: Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, and buffaloes, alongside other wildlife species such as zebras, Masai giraffes among others. Head out on an early morning or afternoon game drive (when animals are most active).

Birding tours.

With over 500 bird species recorded, Nairobi National Park is one of the main birding hotspots in Kenya. While you can tick off a lot of species in the morning and afternoon game drives, taking a guided walk around the bird-filled trails can be equally rewarding. The black-winged lapwing, blue-billed teal, martial eagle, gray crowned crane, emerald-spotted wood dove, black crake, Hartlaub’s bustard, cape teal, white-backed duck, common ringed plover, red-chested cuckoos, and many others are common during these birding tours.

Walking safaris

Another safari adventure that you might consider in Nairobi National Park is a guided walking safari. Imagine the adrenaline of coming across a wild Rhino or lion with only your armed Ranger guide’s wits between you. Guided walking safaris are quite pricey as only a few people are taken at a time but are very rewarding.

The best time to go to Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is open all year-round. However, the most popular season to go there is during the country’s dry season- June, July, August, and September, and it is with a good reason. When the vegetation in the Park is drier and sparser, it means that wildlife are more likely to gather around the fewer waterholes in the Park, hence making it easier to sight them.

In contrast, during the wet season (March to May, October to November), there is enough water and vegetation overgrowth, and animals are less likely to risk the dangers of being sighted by predators at a watering point. For this reason, it becomes difficult to sight them. Many water points come to life with birds from all over, but the most stunning sighting is without doubt the hundreds of migratory species that spread across the landscape.

Accommodation (where to stay in and around Nairobi National Park)

Before you hop on a plane headed to Kenya, allow us to get your accommodation sorted. There are many accommodation options in/around Nairobi National Park that cater to guests exploring this spectacular safari destination, but to save you the time and effort of researching all of them, here’s a list of the best ones.

These include African Heritage House, Osoita Lodge, Anga Afrika Luxury Boutique Camp, Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages, Bush House & Camp, Royal Tulip Canaan Nairobi, Nairobi Tented Camp, Wildebeest Eco Camp, Ole Sereni Hotel, Stardom Hotel, the Emakoko, Ololo Safari Lodge & Farm, Lotos Inns and Suites, Fairview Hotel, Saab Royale Hotel, and many others.

Getting to Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is located in the heart of the City, about 7 kilometers south of Nairobi and 10 kilometers from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. You can drive straight through Nairobi to any of the gates- Langata Gate, Mbagathi gate, Banda gate, Maasai gate, and KWS head offices.