Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Centre Tour
4.7 (1,539 reviews) from travellers who booked this experience
Overview
This full-day tour combines the three things people most want to do in Nairobi in one well-paced day. We pick you up before dawn and drive straight to Nairobi National Park for a game drive of about four and a half hours, when lions, rhinos and buffalo are most active against the city skyline. Late morning you join the public feeding hour at the elephant orphanage, then stop for lunch, visit an optional beadwork workshop and finish at the Giraffe Centre, where you feed giraffes from a raised platform. The default option is a shared safari van with a pop-up roof and an English-speaking driver-guide; shared 4x4 jeep departures and fully private versions are available on this page. It suits first-time visitors and families with one free day in Nairobi.
Highlights
- Early-morning game drive of about 4.5 hours in Nairobi National Park, the only wildlife park bordering a capital city
- Look for lions, black rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, zebras and cheetahs with the Nairobi skyline behind them
- Public feeding hour at the elephant orphanage, watching rescued calves take their bottles and mud baths
- Feed giraffes by hand from the raised platform at the Giraffe Centre in Langata
- Optional stop at a beadwork workshop to see handmade ceramic beads and local crafts
- Hotel pickup and drop-off across central Nairobi with an English-speaking driver-guide
- Shared safari van with pop-up roof; shared 4x4 jeep and private vehicle options on this page
Full Description
Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park opened in 1946 as Kenya's first national park and begins only about seven kilometres from the city centre. It covers roughly 117 square kilometres of grassland, acacia scrub, riverine forest and seasonal dams, fenced on the city side and open to the south so animals can move to and from the Athi-Kapiti plains. It is one of the country's most reliable places to see black rhino, and lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, giraffes, zebras and ostriches live here year-round. There are no elephants inside the park, which is why the orphanage next door is part of this day.
A Nairobi National Park game drive is best at first light, so we enter as the gates open and spend about four and a half hours on the tracks, including the Hippo Pools area and the viewpoint over the plains. The pop-up roof lets everyone stand for photographs. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the early start gives you the best chance before the heat sends the cats into the shade.
The Elephant Orphanage
The elephant orphanage sits on the edge of Nairobi National Park off Magadi Road and is the best-known elephant rescue project in Kenya. Orphaned calves, victims of drought, poaching or falling into wells, are brought here from across the country and hand-raised by keepers who stay with them day and night until they can be moved to release sites in Tsavo. The public visiting hour runs from 11:00 to 12:00 daily, which is why the morning game drive is timed to end just before it.
During the hour the calves come down to the viewing rope in small groups for their milk bottles, then wallow in a mud bath while a keeper explains each elephant's story and the rescue work. It is a short, moving visit of about one hour, popular with children, and the only time of day the orphanage is open to visitors, so we never skip it. The entry fee is paid at the gate and is not included in the default option.
The Giraffe Centre, Langata
The Giraffe Centre was founded in 1979 in the Langata suburb to protect the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, a subspecies that had almost disappeared from western Kenya. The breeding programme here has been so successful that giraffes born at the centre have been moved to re-stock several national parks. Visitors climb a raised wooden platform that puts them at head height with the animals, which wander over from the forest to take food pellets from your hand. Warthogs usually root around below, and there is a small education centre and a short nature trail across the road.
The centre is open daily from about 09:00 to 17:00 and the visit takes around an hour, which makes it the perfect relaxed finish to the day after the park and the orphanage. If you are wondering whether the Giraffe Centre is worth visiting, the answer for anyone travelling with children is a clear yes. Entry is paid at the gate.
Beadwork Workshop and the Karen Area
Between the orphanage and the Giraffe Centre the tour passes through Karen and Langata, the leafy south-western suburbs of Nairobi where most of the city's conservation sites are clustered. After the lunch stop we offer an optional visit to a beadwork workshop, where hand-rolled clay beads are shaped, fired and painted by local women and turned into jewellery, pottery and small gifts. You can watch the different stages of the craft and browse the shop; buying anything is entirely up to you.
This stop usually takes forty-five minutes to an hour and can be shortened or left out if you prefer more time at the Giraffe Centre. Lunch is at a restaurant along the way and is paid directly, so you choose what you like. Together these two stops break up the wildlife visits with a bit of Nairobi's local creative life before we drive you back to your hotel.
Itinerary
- Hotel pickup (about 05:20–06:00)Our driver-guide collects you from your hotel or apartment in central Nairobi; the exact time depends on your area. Drive of about 30 minutes to the park gate.
- Nairobi National Park game drive (about 4.5 hours)Enter as the gates open and explore grassland, acacia woodland and river areas looking for rhinos, lions, buffalo, giraffes and zebras, with the roof open for photographs.
- Elephant orphanage (11:00–12:00)Join the daily public hour to watch the orphaned calves being bottle-fed and taking their mud bath while a keeper tells their stories.
- Lunch stop (about 1 hour)Break at a local restaurant, where you buy lunch of your choice.
- Beadwork workshop, optional (about 45 minutes)See clay beads being shaped, fired and painted and browse the handmade crafts; you can skip this stop if you prefer.
- Giraffe Centre (about 1 hour)Climb the platform to feed the Rothschild's giraffes by hand and learn about the breeding programme.
- Return to your hotel (about 14:00–15:00)Drive back through Langata and Karen to your accommodation in Nairobi.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nairobi
- Shared safari van with pop-up roof
- English-speaking driver-guide
- Early-morning game drive in Nairobi National Park
- Bottled water
Not included
- Nairobi National Park entry ticket
- Meals, drinks and personal expenses
- Tips
Meeting point
We pick you up from hotels and apartments in Nairobi city centre, Westlands, Kilimani, Upper Hill, Parklands, Gigiri and nearby neighbourhoods, usually between 05:20 and 06:00 depending on your location; please wait in the lobby a few minutes early. Hotels in the airport area, Mlolongo, Syokimau, Ongata Rongai and Machakos county are outside the pickup zone, so please contact us before booking if you are staying there.
Important information
- Bring your passport (or Kenyan ID for residents); it is checked at the park gate.
- Park, orphanage and Giraffe Centre entry fees are paid on the day, mostly by card; bring a bank card and some cash for lunch and crafts.
- Wear comfortable clothes in neutral colours, closed shoes, a hat and sunglasses; mornings can be cool, so carry a light layer.
- Bring a camera with a zoom lens and binoculars if you have them; the pop-up roof is for standing photographs while the vehicle is stopped.
- Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed; the early start gives the best chance of seeing lions and rhinos.
- The orphanage public hour is fixed at 11:00–12:00, so the game drive cannot be extended on the default option.
- Children are welcome but must stay inside the vehicle in the park and keep a calm distance from the elephants.
- Nairobi sits at high altitude and malaria risk in the city is low, but do follow your doctor's advice for the rest of your Kenya trip.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private tour?
The default option is a shared departure in a safari van with other guests. If you prefer your own vehicle and driver-guide, choose one of the private options on this page (safari van or 4x4 jeep) and the whole day runs for your party only.
Can we change the itinerary or the pace?
On the shared tour the order and timings are fixed around the orphanage's public hour. On a private option you can shorten the game drive, skip the beadwork stop or spend longer at the Giraffe Centre as you wish.
What is the difference between the safari van and the 4x4 jeep?
Both have a pop-up roof for photographs. The 4x4 jeep sits higher, handles the park's rough tracks more comfortably and gives better viewing, which is why it is offered as an upgrade on both the shared and private versions.
Is the price per person or per group?
All options on this tour are priced per person, including the private ones. The booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option for your dates and group size.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included from hotels and apartments in central Nairobi, Westlands, Kilimani, Upper Hill, Parklands and Gigiri. Airport-area hotels and places south of the city are not covered, so please check with us first.
What is included and what do we pay on the day?
Included: pickup and drop-off, the safari vehicle, an English-speaking driver-guide, the game drive, the orphanage and Giraffe Centre visits and bottled water. Paid on the day: Nairobi National Park entry, the orphanage and Giraffe Centre entry fees, lunch and tips.
How long is the tour?
About eight hours door to door, starting before dawn and ending in the early afternoon. The game drive alone is about four and a half hours.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, and the orphanage and Giraffe Centre are highlights for most children. Very early starts and long periods seated in the vehicle can be tiring for toddlers, so bring snacks. Note that the default shared option has no separate child rate.
Is it suitable for reduced mobility?
Most of the day is spent in the vehicle, but the safari van has a high step and the orphanage and Giraffe Centre involve short walks on uneven ground and a flight of wooden steps to the giraffe platform. Tell us your needs and we will advise on the best option.
What should I bring?
Passport or ID, a bank card for the entry fees, cash for lunch, a hat, sunscreen, a light jacket for the morning, a camera and binoculars.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
The tour runs year-round. The dry months of January to March and July to October give the clearest skies and the easiest wildlife viewing; after the rains in April–May and November the park is green and photogenic but tracks can be muddy.
How do I book and confirm?
Pick your option and date in the booking panel and send your request. Our team confirms your pickup time and details on WhatsApp within minutes.
You might also like
Tours
View all
Airport Transfers
View allExplore more in Nairobi
More tours in Nairobi
See all tours in Nairobi 
Other things to do in Nairobi
More tours across Kenya
-
-
-
-
-
-
