Nairobi National Park

Pros & Cons

• Good wildlife viewing with many safari animals present
• Easy day or half-day trip from Nairobi
• Interesting photo possibilities with animals against city backdrop
• Safari boardwalk with unusual animals, including bongo antelope
• Animal orphanage
• High density of black rhino
• One of the best places in Kenya to see white rhino
• The proximity to the city lacks wilderness appeal
• No elephants
• Only one lodge inside the park

Wildlife

Nairobi NP has a decent variety of wildlife. Aside from elephants, all of the Big Five are present. There is a good population of both black rhino and white rhino, and the latter are often seen grazing on the open plains. Leopards are shy, and cheetah and hyena are rarely spotted, but lion is regularly seen. It’s a good place to see many different antelope species in one park.

• More about Nairobi National Park's wildlife

Scenery

Nairobi NP is a sampler for Kenya’s safari landscapes, but with city buildings on the horizon (which can make for some unusual wildlife pictures). You enter the park along a track that descends through dry woodland before the panorama of savannah grasslands opens up before you. Elsewhere in the park, there are waterholes, riverine woodlands and rolling grasslands. In the park’s south, the Athi River Track shadows the river.

Activities

The main activity in Nairobi NP is the guided game drive, where you’ll be driven around the park for wildlife and bird watching. Self-guided game drives are also possible if you have your own vehicle. Except for a small handful of picnic sites (and the animal orphanage or Safari Walk at the park entrance), you’re not allowed to step down from your vehicle anywhere inside the park.

Weather & Climate

In general, the Dry season (June to October) is marked by an absence of rain and loads of sunshine. Nairobi has two periods of rain (November to December and March to May), with an intervening period of drier weather. As with elsewhere in Kenya, the rains have become less reliable around Nairobi in recent years. The park’s high altitude means cool air is the norm at night.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time To Visit

The Dry season months from June to October are generally the best time for seeing wildlife. During the wettest periods of the year (March to May, and to a lesser extent November and December), visitors will be treated to dust-free skies and an abundance of baby animals and migratory birds. However, the wildlife will be harder to track down and driving conditions can be testing, to say the least.

• More about the best time to visit

Want To Visit Nairobi NP?

57 Nairobi NP Safaris

• Nairobi NP Safaris & Tours
• Tour Operators for Nairobi NP