Day Trips From Nairobi - Compare 140 Tours

4.6/5 – 1,631 Kenya Reviews

Nairobi has been Africa’s most important safari gateway for more than a century, and it’s a fascinating city in its own right. Apart from being an East African cultural powerhouse with fantastic museums, markets and restaurants, not to mention its very own national park, Nairobi is also surrounded by fantastic places to explore on a day trip from the capital. Some of these can be reached by road as part of an organized trip, while others connect to parks and reserves around Kenya by plane from Wilson Airport.

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5 Questions About Day Trips From Nairobi

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Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has written numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Kenya’ and ‘East Africa’. He writes about Kenya and the wider region for magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is also the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’, part of which is set in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya.
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What parks can you visit on a day trip from Nairobi?

“Nairobi National Park is far and away the best national park to visit if you only have 1 day. This park is compact, has excellent trails that can be driven in a 2WD vehicle more accustomed to city roads, and, best of all, it has some incredible wildlife within its boundaries. Lions are frequently seen here, and there’s a really good chance that you might see zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and black and white rhino; the only big-ticket species that isn’t present here is elephant. There are, of course, other possible day tours and day trips from Nairobi that take in a national park. These might include the Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, or Amboseli National Park. Remember, however, that it would take three to four hours one-way to reach these parks by road from Nairobi, and the same to return. This means that you would spend more time driving to and from the parks and reserves than you would spend actually looking for animals. A quicker alternative might be flying to/from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, with one-way flight times rarely being more than an hour.”

How do I find a reliable operator for a day trip from Nairobi?

“When searching for a reliable operator that offers day trips from Nairobi, SafariBookings.com should be where you begin. There you can find out everything there is to know about Nairobi National Park, and check which tours (and which tour operators) are possible from the city. Best of all, you’ll find online reviews by other travelers outlining their experiences, and rating the tour operators according to their performance. It’s a great, all-purpose resource for planning your day. There are so many different tours and packages from operators willing and ready to take you out on a day trip at a moment’s notice. The choices can be bewildering, and not all offer the kind of service, professionalism and value for money that you deserve. That’s why SafariBookings.com is such an important resource.”

Is there enough to see on a Nairobi city tour?

“There is so much to see on a Nairobi city tour that you may even need an extra day. Obviously one possibility is to visit Nairobi National Park, but the park deserves the best part of a day on its own. Other attractions that are definitely worth visiting include the National Museum, with its fascinating storytelling about the city’s human and natural history. There’s a snake park right next door. The city’s markets are an opportunity to immerse yourself in local life. Beyond the city center, leading attractions include the Karen Blixen House and Museum, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Centre; all of these are in the western neighborhood of Karen. A tour of Kibera, Africa’s second-largest shanty town, led by a local resident is another wonderful option.”

Can I visit multiple attractions in 1 day on a day trip from Nairobi?

“Yes, it is certainly possible to visit more than one attraction on your day trip from Nairobi. For example, the best time to visit Nairobi National Park is early to mid morning, and again in the late afternoon. That’s because few animals will be active during the hottest part of the day, which makes them more difficult to see. In between national park visits, you could visit, for example, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to meet the orphaned elephants when they are introduced to visitors at 11am each morning; reservations for these sessions must be made online well in advance of your visit. Another possibility among many might be to take a tour to Kiambethu Tea Farm in the morning, and visit Nairobi National Park in the afternoon.”

What are the chances of seeing the Big Five on a day trip from Nairobi?

“It is theoretically possible but extremely difficult to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) on a day trip from Nairobi. The only place where it’s possible to see all five in a single place is Masai Mara National Reserve, but you’d probably have to fly from Nairobi and then fly back again, and even then you would have to be extremely lucky to see them all in 1 day. Black rhino, for example, is only present in the Mara Triangle area of the park, and rarely seen outside of the early morning or late afternoon hours. Nairobi National Park has four of the Big Five, but only three – lion, rhino and buffalo – are regularly seen. Even these cannot be guaranteed. The same applies to Lake Nakuru National Park, where there is a reasonable chance of seeing lion, leopard and rhino, but there are no elephants. Leopard and elephant are most commonly seen in the Masai Mara National Reserve, while Amboseli has lots of elephant, but no rhino.”

Kenya Reviews

4.6/5 1,631 Reviews

Expert

Nana Luckham –

Nana is a travel writer and author of multiple guidebooks, including the Lonely Planet guides to Africa, Zambia & Malawi and South Africa.

From Game-Packed Hot Spots to Little-Known Wilderness

5/5

Kenya’s stunning landscapes include rainforest, beaches, deserts and mountains, but it’s the first-class wildlife watching that keeps so many visitors flocking back. Not only is it one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five,...

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Expert

Mark Eveleigh –

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.

Containing ‘The Greatest Wildlife Real Estate on Earth’

5/5

The Masai Mara has been called ‘the greatest wildlife real estate on Earth’ and for the sheer density of its wildlife it probably has no competition anywhere in the world. For a first-time safari these days you probably still can’t...

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David Steel –

Reviewed: Oct 21, 2025

Animal and birdwathers paradise

5/5

We did the Masai Mara and Lake Nakura safaris and were extremely happy with both. Mara mostly for the animals and Nakuru for birds. Our guide, Jeff, was great and looked after us and through him we saw every animal we could think of...

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Carina Nielsen –

Reviewed: Oct 10, 2025

6 out of 5 stars - amazing trip!

5/5

We were picked up at our hotel by Ernest right on time and started the drive to Amboseli. We had a short stop at a souvenir shop where it was also possible to go to the washroom. We arrived at Sopa Lodge for lunch and after lunch we went...

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David D –

Reviewed: Oct 9, 2025

We only saw a small portion but really liked what we did see

5/5

We visited 2 areas after crossing in from Tanzania at the Namanga border - Amboseli and Nairobi. Amboseli was spectacular. So very dry but this added to the vibe and feeling, particularly at sunset where we watched elephant herds walking...

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Chuck Ankney –

Reviewed: Oct 2, 2025

The Maasai Mara was as Advertised!

5/5

We visited the Maasai for three nights. We stayed at the Mara Engai Lodge. It is a tented lodge with about 24 tents. The lodge itself and everybody that work there was great! The temp was very spacious and had everything we needed. We...

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Day Trips From Nairobi - Compare 140 Tours

½-Day Nairobi National Park Private Safari

½-Day Tour to Nairobi NP & Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

½-Day Sunrise Drive-Open Jeep & Breakfast - Nairobi Park

1-Day Amboseli NP & Mt Kilimanjaro - from Nairobi

½-Day Nairobi National Park Tour in Kenya

½-Day Giraffe Center, Karen Blixen, Bomas of Kenya

1-Day City Safari in Nairobi NP and Giraffe Centre

1-Day Amboseli, Mt Kilimanjaro & Maasai Village Safari

1-Day Northern White Rhinos Olpejeta Safari

1-Day Trip to Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru Safari

1-Day Lake Naivasha Trip

1-Day Nairobi NP, Sheldrick's Trust & Giraffe Centre

1-Day Explore Nairobi National Park

1-Day Lake Naivasha, Hells Gate &Sanctuary Tour

1-Day Explore Best of Nairobi - Full-Day City Tour

½-Day Nairobi National Park Classic Game Drives by Van

1-Day Nairobi National Park and Excursions

1-Day Hells Gate & Lake Naivasha Boat Ride Private Tour

1-Day White Water Rafting & Water Sports Excursion

½-Day Beautiful Park Within a City Nairobi National Park

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5 Questions About Day Trips From Nairobi

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About Day Trips From Nairobi

What parks can you visit on a day trip from Nairobi?

How do I find a reliable operator for a day trip from Nairobi?

Is there enough to see on a Nairobi city tour?

Can I visit multiple attractions in 1 day on a day trip from Nairobi?

What are the chances of seeing the Big Five on a day trip from Nairobi?

Kenya Reviews

From Game-Packed Hot Spots to Little-Known Wilderness

Containing ‘The Greatest Wildlife Real Estate on Earth’

Animal and birdwathers paradise

6 out of 5 stars - amazing trip!

We only saw a small portion but really liked what we did see

The Maasai Mara was as Advertised!