Nairobi National Park
User Reviews (96)
Kenya ParksGood preserved wildlife
We took a car and a very professional guide. We have spent all the afternoon in the park and were able to see a lot. We enjoyed the wildlife with our group, if you planned a trip of safari you must be there.
Amazing tour in Nairobi National Park with BigFoot
Amazing tour in Nairobi National Park. The tour its self was incredible, from the national park, seeing lions straight after a hunt, to watching the orphaned elephants play and feed, to feeding giraffes and holding a baby crocodile.
Email marco | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
everything that rhymes with "safari" 15 minutes from the airport
I'm sure there are wilder, larger, more authentic safari destinations in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. Nairobi National Park, though, offered a world of zebras, buffaloes, gazelles, rhinos, ostriches and lions (yes, lions!) all 15 minutes after landing in Nairobi. and seeing the wildlife against the backdrop of Nairobi makes for a beautiful sight.
The Nairobi Tented Camp was the definition of glamping.
Sunday was a bit heavy on visitors, but it did very little to spoil the experience.
Great park for a quick safari
If you are in Nairobi and like safaris/wildlife, don't miss the opportunity and visit the Nairobi National Park, even if it is just for few hours.
The wildlife is rich considering how small and how close it is to the Kenyan capital.
During a 1-day visit, we spotted several rhinos, antelopes, a large group of buffalos (probably 100+ buffalos), lions, ostriches, giraffes, impalas, hippos, monkeys, zebras, wildebeests, boars, baboons and kudus. The landscape/vegetation is nice.
The guide told me that the wildlife was a bit more abundant during that particular time of the year because of the start of the Great Migration, which crosses the park. I am not sure how the wildlife is during other times of the year.
Considering the proximity to the city, the park is quite crowded with tourists.
I visited the park with a private guide/compact car.
In general, it was fine because the vegetation in large areas is grass, so you can see spot the animals from distance even in a compact car. A 4x4 or a taller vehicle would allow you to take some dirt roads and see farther, still the experience was great.
You can stay in Nairobi, as the park is really close to the city - from my hotel it was just 40min by car.
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Email Mark.W.E | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great national park close to the city. Well worth the time and cost to enjoy nature near the city
Nairobi National Park is a wonderful place to take a day trip Safari. There is a great deal of wildlife and during our time there we were able to spot everything we were looking for. This is a unique opportunity to explore nature, but not have to go a long distance of your way. The costs are very reasonable and the park staff were excellent. I highly recommend a trip to this national park when you are in Nairobi. It is a great escape from the urban environment.
Nice, easy game drive right in the city
Nairobi National Park provides a great game drive experience, at an affordable price, without leaving Nairobi city. The park is much smaller than other, more famous East African parks, like the Maasai Mara or the Serengeti or even Nakuru National Park. It's big advantage lies in it accessibility.
There are plenty of safari companies that do tours of the park in the standard pop-top vans or Land Rovers. You can also drive into the park yourself, which plenty of people do. The roads are all dirt and can be rough and dusty in some places, but a small SUV can handle most of it without too much trouble. This is how I experienced the park on my one visit, and we didn't feel like we missed anything. If fact, we even beat the professional safari vehicles to a couple of lion sightings.
The density of animal life in the park is fantastic. On one two hour tour we saw lions, giraffe, ostriches, warthogs, baboons and other monkeys, more birds than I could identify, and more. The scenery is beautiful, but you can see the city at the periphery from most places in the park. For some, that will ruin the ambiance, but it's not so hard to block that out and enjoy this park for what it is: a beautiful, wild, and somehow also very accessible and affordable mini-safari destination right at the edge of one of Africa's greatest cities.
Safari in the city
We started our first Kenyan safari adventure with a half day in Nairobi National Park. Amazing that it was only a 15 minute drive ffrom our hotel! A lioness greeted us followed by a pair of giraffes. We saw 4 of the big five (only missed the leopard) and many others including black and white rhinos, ostriches, wildebeests, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and too many types of antelopes to remember. Really worth an extra day in Nairobi to see the park, get settled in the Kenyan vibe and start spotting wildlife.
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Email embtvl | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A lot of safari in not a lot of time.
I have to admit to being surprised at finding such a diverse safari experience in the middle of the city. The animal sightings started off slowly but increased in variety and density as the journey continued. The highlight was spotting an adult Lion sleeping under a tree. Visiting the ivory burn site was particularly moving when you realize how many lives have been lost. I also visited Amboseli and the Masai Mara while in Kenya and the National Park was almost as rich in wildlife but alas, no elephants. It was a day well spent.
The most convenient safari in Kenya
If you are in Nairobi and have a free morning, there's no excuse not to visit this great park.
Just a few minutes from downtown Nairobi, this park offers sightings of lions, black rhino, zebras, giraffes, cape buffalo, wildebeest, hippos, ostrich, and more. The park is small when compared to other destinations in Kenya, so you won't see elephants roaming around (co-located with the park is an elephant orphanage that is highly recommended). Purchase your ticket at the front gate off of Langata Road. When I visited, the non-resident rate was USD 60 per person. There is a minor charge for your vehicle if you self-drive.
Many companies offer guided tours around the park, and this might be your best bet to maximize your chances of seeing lots of animals. I opted to skip the guide and driver and drove myself around the park. It is easy to get around and there are plenty of signs. With Nairobi's skyline to the north of the park visible from much of the area, it's easy to keep your bearings. The park is fenced on the north side to keep the animals from roaming into downtown. The roads can be very rough far into the park -- I would highly recommend a high clearance vehicle if you opt to drive yourself, and do so slowly. Make sure you have a good condition spare tire, jack, and tire iron just in case those rough roads result in a flat tire. I was glad I had mine handy.
Wildlife density in this park may not be what it is in some other Kenyan parks, but I was satisfied with my morning game drive. I saw two lions right away after entering on the western side of the park. On the day I visited, the eastern part of the park seemed to have more zebra and giraffes than the western part. Wildebeest, cape buffalo, various kinds of deer, impala, eland, and ostrich were plentiful throughout the park. I had a brief sighting of a black rhino before it moved out of sight. Even without a guide, I was happy with my experience and animal sightings.
Bring snacks, plenty of water, and most importantly your camera - you'll need it.
Kenya has a ton of safari opportunities that will beat Nairobi National Park when it comes to wildlife, scenic beauty, and bush vibe. However, the close proximity of this park to Nairobi and the ease of access make it a great option for anyone spending a day or two (or even a few hours) in the city. As a new resident of Nairobi, I see myself returning to this park monthly.
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Email russwaterson1 | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Convenient location from Nairobi.
We were able to see most animals pretty easy. the park is very close to the city and is easy to get to, however from a scenery aspect you can see the city from most places. When selecting a guide make sure they have a land cruiser or similar, we had a small van and we got stuck in the mud for almost three hours. We had limited time so the National park worked well. If you go I recommend the Elephant Orphanage it was a nice stop.
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