A Guide to Exploring the Nairobi National Park

Why Visit

You’re shaping your Kenya safari tour, and Nairobi National Park slides into view. A national park nudging a capital city? Exactly. It spans 117 square kilometers, 7 kilometers from Nairobi’s Central Business District. Founded in 1946 as Kenya’s first park, it holds its own against urban creep. Here’s why it demands a spot on your Kenya safari tour list.

Wildlife Packs a Punch

Over 100 mammal species squeeze into 45 square miles. Black rhinos, numbering over 50, roam grasslands studded with acacia and sausage trees. White rhinos, even scarcer, graze nearby. Lions, around 30, stalk riverine thickets. Leopards, nocturnal and sly, hover nearby. Catch them at dusk by the Athi River. Cheetahs blaze across plains at 60 miles per hour. Giraffes stretch 18 feet tall, munching leaves with Nairobi’s skyline in sight. Buffalo herds, often 200 deep, stomp the dirt. Elephants skip this one. They are too big to fit in the Nairobi National Park. Still, the Big Four plus cheetahs make your Kenya safari tour to this National Park rare haul.

Birds Steal the Show

Grab binoculars. The park tallies 520 bird species, outpacing some countries. Kori bustards, tipping 40 pounds, strut like feathered lords. Secretary birds, spanning 4 feet wingtip to wingtip, smash snakes flat in seconds. Ostriches clock 40 miles per hour on open ground. From November to April, 100 migratory species swoop in. They include hammerkops, yellow throated longclaws, grey crowned cranes. August to October, locals breed steal the show. Jackson’s widowbirds flash in courtship struts. Your Kenya safari tour to the Nairobi National Park turns into a birdwatcher’s jackpot.

City Meets Savanna

The park’s rim brushes Nairobi’s southern sprawl. Kibera slum to the west and Lang’ata estates to the north. Zebras graze with 30 story towers looming. Mount Kenya glints 140 kilometers northeast on clear days. The clash peaks near the Ivory Burning Site, where 105 tons of tusks blazed in 1989, a conservation roar. No Kenya safari tour meshes urban and wild this boldly than the Nairobi National Park.

Access Trumps All

From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, it’s 10 miles, a 20 minute drive via Mombasa Road gate. The park’s main gate runs 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 365 days. Entry costs about $50 for non-residents, payable in cash or M Pesa at the gate. In contrast Masai Mara starts from $100 in the low season and can double in the high season. Half day trips slot between breakfast and lunch. The full day safari covers 80 kilometers of gravel tracks. Your Kenya safari tour to the Nairobi National Park squeezes max wild into min time.

Conservation Runs Deep

Born in 1946 in colonial Nairobi, this park guards a fading link to the Athi Kapiti plains, once a 2000 square kilometer wildebeest path, now boxed by urban sprawl. Since the 1960s, over 70 black rhinos bred here bolster Kenya’s count. Five kilometers north, David Sheldrick Elephant Nursery rehabs orphans. You can visit the Nursery from 11 a.m. to noon for $7. The Animal Orphanage at the main gate nurses hurt lions and cheetahs. Your Kenya safari tour to the Nairobi National Park backs a vital fight.

Quiet Reigns Supreme

July to September peaks at 200 visitors daily. In contrast, the Masai Mara swamps with thousands, but it’s much larger than the Nairobi National Park. Dry season roads, June to October, go on a 90 kilometers game drive in dust trailing 4x4s. November to May greens the plains. There are fewer tourists letting you enjoy the solitude with 60 hippos in the Embakasi River. Locals picnic in the weekends near Hippo Pools. Pack a sandwich and sjoin them. Your Kenya safari tour here trades bustle for peace.

Geology Bites Hard

Volcanic basalt carves the land and dark cliffs rise 50 meters near Mokoyeti River. Red soils of the Athi Basin paint paws and boots. Four dams, Hyrax, Mbagathi, Silole, Sosian, lure wildlife all year. Mbagathi alone hosts 60 hippos. November rains, heaviest at 150 millimeters, turn tracks to slop. Your Kenya safari tour to the Nairobi National Park during this season tackles Rift Valley grit.

Nairobi National Park isn’t a footnote. It’s a dense, wild marvel defying city clamor. Mzima Africa Travel knows its pulse. Our decades of steering Kenya safari tours prove it. Slot this in, and you’ll see why Kenya’s wild core thrives so close to its urban beat.

When to Visit

Amboseli Seasons at a Glance

Season	Weather	Months	Activities	Traffic	Rates
Dry Season	Dry, Humid	June – October	Game drives, bird watching, hot air balloon safari	High	High
Wet Season	Wet, Rainy	November – April	Game drives	Moderate	Moderate
Shoulder Season	Wet, Rainy	May – November	Bird watching	Low	Low

Dry Season: July to October

This is peak game time. Temps climb to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) daily. Rainfall drops to 10 millimeters monthly and the grass thins to 20 centimeters. Wildlife clusters at the four dams – Hyrax, Mbagathi, Silole, and Sosian. Over 50 black rhinos hit Mbagathi’s 2 kilometer stretch. Lions, 30 strong, stalk dawn kills. You have 60 percent success of seeing them from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Cheetahs clock 60 miles per hour on open flats and you often see them in topflight. Dust swirls on the 90 kilometers of tracks allowing 4×4 safari vehicles to grip the beaten path. July peaks at 200 visitors daily, still quieter than Masai Mara’s 2000. Your Kenya safari tour scores prime wildlife, sharp views.

Wet Season: November to May

Rain transforms the park. November dumps 150 millimeters. May adds 120 millimeters. Grass shoots to 50 centimeters, scattering game. Zebras, 300 in dry season herds, split to 50 across 45 square miles. Hippos, 60 at Mbagathi Dam, wallow deeper when it rains making them harder to spot. Birdlife explodes and peak at 520 species. Migrants like grey crowned cranes flood in and you may just see 100 new species in the park. Tracks turn to muck, and you might need clearance rigs to clear some sections. Temperature ease to 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). Visitors drop to 50 daily. Green plains stun, but patience rules.

Short Dry Spell: January to February

A sneaky window opens. Rain fades to 20 millimeters monthly. Heat softens to 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). Newborns emerge. zebra foals wobble by January. Buffalo calves, 200 herd strong, trail mothers. Predators get the memo and begin prowling the plains. Leopard sightings are highly probable at dusk. Crowds dip to 40 daily but locals picnic at Hippo Pools. Tracks firm up with 80 kilometers being passable. Your Kenya safari tour catches calm and cuteness amid wet season’s lull.

Shoulder Seasons: March to April, October

Edges blur here. March to April rains hit 120 millimeters and October teases 40 millimeters. Temps hover at 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). Wildlife spreads out across the savannah. Rhinos, 50 plus, roam wider making them harder to spot. Birds also breed during this season. Jackson’s widowbirds dance, 20 males per square kilometer, a rare treat for bird lovers. Mud slicks a third of the trail, but it’s no match for 4×4 safari vehicles. Visitors average 70 daily during the shoulder season. Your Kenya safari tour balances quiet and quarry. Scenery shifts daily from lush to patchy.

Crowd Dynamics

July to September draws 200 daily. Weekends spike to 250 with Nairobi locals. November to May cuts to 50 while rainy April dips to 30. Gates open 6 a.m. with dawn drives beat most of the of visitors arriving post 9 a.m. Timing your Nairobi National Park for dawn drives can dodge the bustle.

When to Pick

Dry season, July to October, packs the punch. Most of the animals are at dams, allowing for clear shots. Wet season, November to May, trades density for green calm. There are fewer visitors and 100 extra bird species. January to February slips in peace with about 40 visitors. Shoulder seasons, March to April and October, mix it. 70 daily guests and a little mad on the tracks. Mzima Africa Travel’s logged decades on Kenya safari tours. We peg July for wildlife, November for solitude. Your safari to the Nairobi National Park wins either way. Pick your flavor.

Tour Packages

Safari Highlights

Game drives, air balloon safaris, bird watching, picnics.

Itinerary

0500Hrs Morning Game Drive

0800Hrs Breakfast

1300Hrs Lunch

1600Hrs Evening Game Drive

Includes & Excludes

4×4 Game Drive vehicle

Tour Guide

Travel Advice

Your Kenya safari tour’s hitting the Nairobi National Park. Smart move. It’s 117 square kilometers of wild jammed against a capital’s edge. To nail this trip, you’ll need more than a good tour guide. Here’s the hard won know how to make your Kenya safari tour to the park in the city shine.

Clothing Specifics

Pack light layers. Dawn hovers at 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). Midday spikes to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Cotton tees wick sweat. Long sleeve shirts block the sun and bugs. Pants beat shorts, and that grass hides ticks. Earth tones like khaki or olive blend with the savanna. White spooks wildlife. A wide brimmed hat cuts UV. Nairobi sits 1795 meters (5892 feet) up, amplifying rays. Sunglasses tame glare off open plains. A windbreaker handles evening drops to 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).

Footwear Facts

Wear sturdy trail shoes. Tracks mix gravel, mud, and thorn strewn bush. Ankle boots fend off twists when you wander around in the park’s 90 kilometers of paths that dip and climb. Closed toes dodge dust and ants. Soles need grip. The November rains turn clay to slick mush, 150 millimeters monthly. Sneakers work if thick soled. Sandals are asking for blisters or worse.

Camera Kit

Bring a DSLR or mirrorless with a 200 to 400 millimeter zoom. Lions lurk 50 meters off, but rhinos demand distance. A 24 millimeter wide angle grabs skyline shots. Dustproof bags shield gear from the red soil keen on invading every crevice. Two batteries last a 6 hour drive. You might also want to bring monopod along to steady shots without snagging scrub. Bring these and make your Kenya safari tour photos stunning.

Wildlife Rules

Keep 30 meters from animals. Lions nap but wake grumpy. Leopards bolt if crowded. There are 10 roaming the park. Rhinos charge at 15 meters if spooked, and they can reach 55 kilometers per hour (34 miles per hour). Guides set limits to avoid unwanted outcomes. Trust them. Don’t feed the animals. Baboons snatch snacks and they are 200 strong near the Hippo Pools picnic spot. Stay in your safari vehicle unless guided. Your Kenya safari tour to the park stays safe this way.

Don’t Forget to Hydrate

Carry 2 liters of water. Daytime heat tops 35 degrees Celsius July to September. Drink 3 liters over 6 hours. Dehydration hits at 2 percent loss then dizzy spells kick in fast. Bottles cost about $1 at the gate. Refill there because dams like Mbagathi are hippo turf.

Sun Armor

Slather SPF 50 sunscreen. Reapply every 90 minutes; altitude boosts UV 10 percent per 1000 meters. Skin burns in 15 minutes at noon. A wide hat shields neck and ears. Nairobi’s 1.8 kilometer elevation cooks you quick. Polarized sunglasses cut glare as the plains reflect 20 percent more light. July to October peaks at 12 UV index. With sunglasses and UV protection, you won’t roast on your Kenya safari tour.

Bug Protection

Mosquitoes swarm 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Use DEET to fend them off, especially when you’re near Sosian Dam. Wear long sleeves and pants after 5 p.m. to ward off all manner of bugs. Permethrin spray on clothes adds extra layer of bug protection.

Cultural Notes

Maasai graze cattle south of the park. You can ask them for a quick photo. A 50 KES tip is the norm. Dress modest. Shorts offend Maasai elders in nearby Kitengela. Learn “supat olaiserr” (hello) in Maa. Smiles open doors. Buy beads at Lang’ata markets, 5 kilometers north. You’ll spend about $2 per necklace. Don’t bargain to hard, it’s their trade. Your Kenya safari tour gains soul this way.

Health Prep

You’ll need a Yellow Fever vaccine. You can get one $50 at Nairobi clinics, proof stamped. Typhoid shots cut risks, especially if you plan on sampling stall foods outside the park. Bottled water’s 100 KES for 2 liters. Tap’s a little dicey. It contains about 50 coliforms per 100 milliliters. Cooked lodge meals hit 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit) making them extremely safe. Should the need arise, the nearest hospital is in Karen, 10 kilometers west.

Timing Precision

Gates open 6 a.m. when lions hunt. Midday is a bit slow and gets to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) putting most of the game to sleep. Things rev up in the afternoon making it the best time to catch cheetahs sprinting. Dry season, July to October, packs 80 percent of game near 4 dams. Wet season, November to May, scatters 50 percent; 150 millimeters rain floods tracks. Your Kenya safari tour thrives on this rhythm.

Leave No Trace

Don’t leave trash behind. A troop of 200 baboons scavenge scraps near Mokoyeti picnic site. Stick to 90 kilometers of marked trails. Off path flattens 30 rare plant species per step. Fires spark only at Hippo Pools grills. Don’t go lighting matches. Bushfires ate 10 square kilometers in 2018. Water bottles stay in bags. Plastic litters 5 percent of park edges. Your Kenya safari tour keeps it pure.

Nairobi National Park demands savvy. Mzima Africa Travel’s logged decades mastering Kenya safari tours; we’ve got the dirt and the dazzle. Prep this sharp, and you’ll rule the urban wild.