Nairobi National Park is one of the few places in the world where lions, rhinos and giraffes live within sight of a capital city skyline. It lies just seven kilometres from the city centre, and on a clear morning you can watch a pride of lions hunting on the grassland with high-rise office towers on the horizon.
The park is small but rich in wildlife, with one of Africa's best densities of black rhino. Lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hippo and many antelope live on the plains, forest and river valleys, and more than 400 bird species have been recorded. The southern edge is unfenced, which lets animals move into the Kitengela plains in the wet season.
It makes an easy half day on arrival or departure, and a good way to see wildlife before or after a long international flight.
The park has a remarkable list of animals for a site so close to a city. Black rhino are the highlight, and white rhino have also been introduced. Lions are seen regularly on the open plains, leopards and cheetah are present but more elusive, and buffalo, Maasai giraffe, eland, Coke’s hartebeest, impala, zebra, wildebeest and Thomson’s gazelle are common. Hippo and crocodile live in the Mbagathi and Athi rivers, and Hippo Pools has a walking trail.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
Open grassland, acacia woodland and a patch of dry forest roll down to the Mbagathi River. The city skyline lies to the north, and the Ngong Hills fill the western horizon.
Activities here
Nairobi National Park has a mild highland climate, with daytime temperatures around 21°C to 26°C and cool nights. The main rains fall from March to May, with a shorter wet season in November.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | 12 | 60 |
| Feb | 26 | 13 | 50 |
| Mar | 25 | 14 | 90 |
| Apr | 23 | 15 | 200 |
| May | 22 | 14 | 170 |
| Jun | 21 | 12 | 30 |
| Jul | 20 | 11 | 15 |
| Aug | 21 | 11 | 20 |
| Sep | 24 | 12 | 25 |
| Oct | 24 | 14 | 60 |
| Nov | 22 | 15 | 150 |
| Dec | 23 | 14 | 80 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
June to October and January to February are the driest months, with clear skies and animals gathered near water. Mornings can be cool and misty.
The long rains from March to May bring heavy showers, and some tracks become muddy. The park turns green and the animals move out of it on to the Kitengela plains, so game viewing is slower.
The park can be visited at any time of year, but the dry months from June to October and January to February make for easier viewing. Early morning is best for lions and rhino.
Best time to visit Jan to Feb, Jun to Oct
The main gate is about 7 kilometres from the city centre and about 15 to 20 minutes from Wilson Airport. From Jomo Kenyatta Airport it takes 30 to 45 minutes. Most guests visit for a half day, a morning or afternoon game drive, or as a break between flights.
Park fees are included in our safaris. Most visitors need a Kenya eTA arranged online before travel, and a passport valid for at least six months.
Altitude is mild and the city has good clinics. Take advice on malaria before you travel, because the risk is low in Nairobi but not absent elsewhere in Kenya.
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“Our take”
Nairobi National Park is a good first morning in Kenya or a good last one, and the best place near a city to see a rhino.
Safaris from
US$179 per person
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