Nairobi National Park

Nickname: “The World’s Wildlife Capital”

 

Welcome to Kenya’s most accessible yet incongruous safari experience. Set on the city’s southern outskirts, Nairobi National Park (at 117 sq km, it’s one of Africa’s smallest) has abundant wildlife which can, in places, be viewed against a backdrop of city skyscrapers and airliners coming in to land – it's the only national park on earth that borders a capital city. Remarkably, the animals seem utterly unperturbed by it all. Nairobi National Park was established in 1946; Kenya's first. It is located approximately 7 kilometers (4 mi) south of the centre of Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. The park has an electric fence separating it's wildlife from the metropolis and Nairobi's skyscrapers can be seen from the park. The park is easily accessible on tarmac roads and has six gates. The main gate at KWS headquarters, East Gate, Cheetah Gate, Lang'ata Gate, Maasai Gate and Banda Gate.

 

Nairobi National Park is unique by being the only protected area in the world with a variety of animals and birds close to a capital city. The park is a principal attraction for visitors to Nairobi. Nairobi National Park is one of the most successful of Kenya’s rhino sanctuaries that is already generating a stock for reintroduction in the species former range and other upcoming sanctuaries. Due to this success, it is one of the few parks where a visitor can be certain of seeing a black rhino in its natural habitat. The park has a diversity of environments with characteristic fauna and flora. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush predominant. The western side has a highland dry forest and a permanent river with a riverine forest. In addition, there are stretches of broken bush country and deep, rocky valleys and gorges with scrub and long grass. Man-made dams have also added a further habitat, favorable to certain species of birds and other aquatic biota. The dams also attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season.

 

To the south of the park is the Athi-Kapiti Plains and Kitengela Migration Corridor. These are vital areas for herbivores disperse over them during the rains and concentrate in the park in the dry season. Not far inside the park's main Langata Road Gate, the Ivory Burning Monument marks the spot where, in 1989, Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi burnt 12 tons of ivory at a site near the main gate. This dramatic event improved Kenya’s conservation image at a time when East African wildlife was being decimated by relentless poaching.

 

No matter your budget, contact us and we will help you decide on the destination of your choice and design an affordable and memorable safari experience that fulfills your safari desires, dreams and expectations. Contact us today and Unleash Your Spirit of Adventure with The Big Five Adventure Safaris!

 

KEY FEATURES

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Location: Nairobi, Nairobi Province, Kenya.

 

Size:​

 

The park covers an area of 117.21 square kilometers (28,963 acres) and is small in comparison to most of Africa's national parks. The park's altitude ranges between 1,533 meters (5,030 ft) and 1,760 meters (5,774 ft). It has a dry climate.

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Distance:​

 

The park is only 7 km from Nairobi CBD, accessible through the main gate at KWS headquarters, East Gate, Cheetah Gate, Lang'ata Gate, Maasai Gate and Banda Gate. Unless you already have your own vehicle, the cheapest way to see the park is on the park shuttle

 

Birds:​

 

The park has diverse birdlife with 400 species recorded. However all species are not always present and much depends on season. Northern migrants pass through the park primarily during late March through April.

 

Wildlife:​

 

Large mammals are the park's main attraction. Herbivores include, black rhino, buffalo, eland, Maasai giraffe, plain's zebra, wildebeest, coke's hartebeest, grant's and Thompson's gazelles, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck, and warthog. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena, jackal civet and genet represent the carnivores. Nairobi National Park has acquired the nickname ‘Kifaru Ark’, a testament to its success as a rhinoceros (kifaru in Kiswahili) sanctuary. The park is home to the world's densest concentration of black rhinoceros (over 50). You’ll need a bit of patience and a lot of luck to spot the park’s resident cheetahs and leopards. Other regularly spotted species include warthog, ostrich and buffalo.

 

Activities:

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Bird watching. Camping. Corporate and special events. Game viewing. Photography. Picnic. Scenic.

 

When to go:

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January and February are the warmest months while July and August are the coolest months. High season is July through March when over 100,000 visitors enjoy seeing the Kenya wildlife in its natural habitat. Avoid the rainy months of March through May. The best times for viewing are early and late in the day, as animals tend to sleep in the hot midday sun.