Nairobi National Park

User Reviews (92)

45 Nairobi NP Safaris

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 91-92 of 92 Reviews

devin –

Visited: July 2016 Reviewed: Jul 12, 2016

Email devin

The most convenient safari in Kenya

Overall rating

4/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

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.

1 person found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Doug Greenberg –

Visited: September 2019 Reviewed: Oct 29, 2019

Email Doug Greenberg | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari

Amazing wildlife experience right on the edge of the big city

Overall rating

5/5

Wildlife:

Bush Vibe:

Scenery:

Birding:

My wife and I went on a ten-day safari to Kenya and northern Tanzania in September 2019. We visited the Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tanagire and Amboseli National Parks. The adventure involved a lot of sitting in safari vehicles, but the trip was amazing overall. Upon returning, I realized that perhaps the smartest thing we did in planning the journey was to start by visiting Nairobi National Park, just outside Nairobi itself. This is a small but amazing preserve in which we saw an impressive variety of wildlife and birds in just a few hours. It was the only place we saw a rhinoceros during the entire trip, and we also saw lions, zebras, impalas, hartebeest, vervet monkeys, baboons, giraffes, buffalo, warthogs, Ostriches, Little bee-eaters, White- bellied bustards, and a huge variety of other birds. There are no elephants in this park, but that is hardly a major issue in light of how many animals do live within the reserve. There was a "hippo pond" that comprised perhaps the highlight of the park. There we saw birds galore, including Malechite kingfisher, Sacred ibis, Blacksmith lapwing, Black-winged stilt, and African fish eagle, as well as a large monitor lizard and of course, hippos. The park is relatively small, and our driver gave us what seemed like a complete tour within a couple of hours.

The entrance to the park is a little intimidating, as there are armed guards and, as is typical of Nairobi generally, a high degree of security. Since we were with a professional guide, however, we were able to just hang back and let him take care of the payment, paperwork, and direction. Overall, the Nairobi National Park proved an amazing place to spend an afternoon, and I recommend it to anyone visiting Nairobi or beginning a safari in that city.