Best Safari Parks and Game Reserves Near Nairobi

By Stuart Butler

Nairobi lives and breathes wildlife, from the carved wooden hippos in every handicraft shop to the real-life versions haunting the nearby wildlife reserves. Nairobi makes a superb base for day or overnight excursions to a diverse array of safari parks.

Overlooking the city are the ‘Green Hills of Africa’, famously written about by Ernest Hemingway, where four of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino, but no elephant) can be found. Just a few hours farther away are forest-cloaked volcanoes, flamingo-filled lakes and shady gorges bustling with baboons. It’s little wonder Nairobi is the safari capital of East Africa.

836 Short Safaris From Nairobi

1. Nairobi National Park

Rhino at Nairobi National Park

No other capital city on Earth can boast a fully fledged national park – complete with lions, cheetahs and rhinos – set against a backdrop of city-center tower blocks. The unique Nairobi National Park covers a gorgeous 117km²/45mi² stretch of hilly grasslands and mixed woodland with a surprising abundance of life. In fact, this is one of the best safari parks in East Africa to see rhinos. It also has healthy populations of lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and solid populations of buffalo, impalas and wildebeest. One thing the park doesn’t have (and never has) is elephants.

Nairobi National Park is the obvious choice for anyone with only half a day to visit a safari park near the city. It’s also a rewarding park to visit as part of a longer Kenyan safari.

Location: 9km/6mi south of central Nairobi (around 20 to 45 minutes by car), but instant access if you stay near the park gates
Where to stay: There are numerous city-center or airport hotels from which access is easy. For a more genuine bush experience, try the Nairobi Tented Camp, which is the only camp actually within the park.
Activities: Game drives, safari boardwalk and an animal orphanage

59 Nairobi NP Safaris

2. Lake Nakuru National Park

Pelican at lake Nakuru National Park

Lake Nakuru National Park is like the twin sister of Nairobi National Park. Sitting on the doorstep of the fast-growing city of Nakuru, this popular and rewarding park packs a lot into a relatively small 188km²/73mi². Visitors are almost guaranteed to see both black and white rhinos, as well as hippos and plenty of baboons. If you’re lucky, you might also spot lions, which are famed for their tree-climbing skills.

However, the real stars of the park are the flamingos. When conditions are right, tens of thousands of these enchanting birds cover the surface of the lake. Even when they’re not present, there are always massive numbers of pelicans and plenty of other birdlife.

Location: 155km/96mi northwest of Nairobi (at least 3 hours by car)
Where to stay: The park has several upmarket lodges and tented camps, along with simple campsites and a self-catering cottage. Nakuru city has a good range of budget and midrange hotels that can be used as a base for day visits.
Activities: All safaris within the park are conducted by vehicle. Around Nakuru, you can explore the Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and the Menengai Crater, an impressive volcanic formation that can be climbed.

32 Lake Nakuru Safaris

3. Hell’s Gate National Park

Pinnacle of honey-toned rock at Hells Gate National Park

Pinnacles of honey-toned rock reach toward the sky, deep gorges carve through the landscape, and sun-bleached savannah grasslands bustle with dark-striped zebra, large troops of baboon and curious giraffe. Hell’s Gate National Park is an excellent overnight excursion from Nairobi. The park has plenty of plains wildlife but very few predators or other dangerous animals. It is also unusual among Kenyan national parks in that you can walk or cycle freely throughout the park.

If pedaling frantically past a group of moody buffalo isn’t exciting enough, Hell’s Gate has some superb rock-climbing opportunities. All up, this is an ideal place for an on-foot African safari near Nairobi. However, weekends can be busy with city dwellers seeking an escape.

Location: 100km/62mi northwest of Nairobi (around 2 hours’ drive if the traffic is good)
Where to stay: Nearby Lake Naivasha has plenty of good-quality shoreside accommodations, including Elsamere Lodge, which is the former home of Joy Adamson (conservationist, artist and author)
Activities: Cycling, walking and rock climbing; nearby Lake Naivasha offers boat safaris and exceptional bird watching

72 Hell's Gate Safaris

4. Mt Longonot National Park

3. Mountt Longonot National Park

As you drive west out of Nairobi, the sprawling edges of the city slowly give way to cool, muddy, green agricultural land and patches of forest. And then, quite suddenly, the terrain tumbles steeply downwards to the hot, dry floor of the Great Rift Valley, dotted with dimple-like volcanic craters and sparkling lakes. It’s the kind of view that makes people fall in love with Africa.

The most visible of these volcanoes is giant Mt Longonot (2,776m/9,108ft). Today this dormant volcano is a little-visited national park that makes for a perfect ‘away from it all’ escape from Nairobi. This isn’t a park offering a classic safari experience. Instead, Longonot is all about hiking. The steep volcanic slopes are covered in scrubby woodland, where birds and monkeys are common. A sharply ascending trail leads to the crater summit, rewarding hikers with astonishing views down into the huge ‘Lost World’ crater itself and the bleached grass plains a thousand meters below.

Location: 80km/50mi northwest of Nairobi (around 2 hours if the traffic is good)
Where to stay: There’s a basic campsite at the park entrance, or lots of options at nearby Lake Naivasha
Activities: Hiking

Mt Longonot Safaris

5. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Buffalos at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

The world-renowned Lewa Wildlife Conservancy lies farther afield and requires at least two days for a worthwhile visit. However, it is everything you hoped East Africa would be. Lewa is a stunningly scenic park with a backdrop of Mt Kenya set against classic savannah grasslands and clumps of fever trees. And it is home to so much wildlife it’s like a vision of Eden. All the Big Five are present, including lots of rhinos and elephants, along with easily spotted lions and buffalo and some leopards. It’s is also a great place to see cheetahs.

Lewa also has some of the best wildlife guides in Africa, dreamy safari lodges and an air of absolute exclusivity. Best of all, Lewa is at the forefront of community conservation projects in Africa, supporting progressive conservation policies and community development. Of all the wildlife reserves near Nairobi, Lewa offers the standout African safari experience.

Location: 260km/160mi northeast of Nairobi (around 5 hours’ drive); daily flights from Nairobi to Lewa are also available
Where to stay: There are nine camps and lodges within Lewa. All are gorgeous – and expensive.
Activities: Game drives are the main activity, but there’s also thrilling walking safaris.

Lewa Safaris