​Overview – Nairobi NP

Anthony Ham
Expert
By Anthony Ham

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

There’s nowhere quite like Nairobi National Park, with incredible animals roaming free and wild against a not-so-distant backdrop of city skyscrapers. It’s among the best places in Kenya to see rhinos, and there’s a good chance that you’ll spot lions and an extensive portfolio of other safari species. Whether you visit the park as a precursor to a longer safari, a final goodbye to Kenya, or the main event, Nairobi NP deserves as much time as you can give it.

Best Time To Go June to October (Little to no rainfall)
High Season December to January and July to October (Busy)
Size 117km² / 45mi²
Altitude 1,511-1,754m / 4,957-5,755ft

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

Nairobi NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

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.

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.

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.

Want To Visit Nairobi NP?

58 Nairobi NP Safaris

Nairobi NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Mark Eveleigh  –  
United Kingdom UK

Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.

Unspoiled savannah in the shadow of the concrete jungle
5/5

Within 20 minutes of collecting my bag at Nairobi international airport I’m already driving through seemingly endless savannah on the trail of hunting lions. Nairobi National Park is often overlooked – and occasionally actively scorned...

Full Review

Latest User Review
Shima Mudakha  –  
South Korea KR
Reviewed: Feb 9, 2024
5/5

when in Nairobi its a must visit park.

Full Review