Rhino Stronghold
One of Kenya's most important rhino sanctuaries, with excellent chances of seeing black rhinos, which are bred here to restock other parks.
Kenya National Parks
Nairobi National Park
Lions on the plains, rhinos grazing in the grass and giraffes framed by skyscrapers: Nairobi National Park is the world's only true wildlife park on the edge of a capital city.
- Location
- 7 km south of Nairobi city centre
- Known For
- Rhinos & city-skyline safaris
- Area
- About 117 km²
- Birdlife
- Over 500 species
Discover Nairobi National Park
A real safari on the city's doorstep.
Covering about 117 km², Nairobi National Park is the only wildlife park in the world so close to a capital city, lying just 7 km south of Nairobi's centre. Here you can watch lions, rhinos, buffalo and giraffes on open plains with skyscrapers on the horizon, a remarkable contrast that makes it one of Kenya's most memorable experiences.
The park is a major rhino sanctuary, used for breeding and for restocking other parks across Kenya. More than 100 species of mammals live here, including four of the Big Five; only the elephant is missing. It is also an excellent birding paradise, with over 500 species recorded, making it well worth a visit.
Nairobi National Park can be visited all year round. Its attractions include varied vegetation from open grassland to forest and riverine woodland, Kifaru Ark, the Ivory Burning Site Monument, walking trails at the hippo pools and the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, all of which make a safari here exceptional.
Why Nairobi National Park
Big wildlife, minutes from the city.
Whether you have a few hours between flights or a full day before your safari, Nairobi National Park offers genuine wildlife viewing without a long journey.
Four of the Big Five
Lions, leopards, buffalo and rhinos all live in the park; only elephants are absent.
City Skyline Views
Few places on earth let you photograph giraffes and zebras against the towers of a capital city.
Over 500 Bird Species
Grassland, forest, rivers and dams attract an exceptional variety of resident and migratory birds.
Hippo Pools Walk
Stretch your legs on the guided walking trail at the hippo pools along the Mbagathi River.
Perfect for Short Stays
Ideal for a morning or afternoon game drive on arrival, before an evening flight or as a half-day trip from the city.
Location
Where is Nairobi National Park?
Nairobi National Park lies just 7 km south of Nairobi city centre, with the main gate on Langata Road. It is only a short drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport, so you can be on a game drive within minutes of landing. Its southern boundary is the Mbagathi River, beyond which wildlife moves onto the open Kitengela plains.
From Arusha, it is about 270 km to Nairobi via the Namanga border, a drive of roughly 5 to 6 hours, and there are also short daily flights between the two cities. This makes the park an easy first or last stop on a combined Tanzania and Kenya safari.
When to visit
Nairobi National Park through the seasons.
The park is visited all year round, but the dry seasons make wildlife easier to find around the dams and rivers.
Long Dry Season
Excellent game viewing as animals gather around the dams and the river, with cool, clear mornings.
Short Rains
Brief showers green the grassland, and migratory birds arrive in good numbers.
Short Dry Season
Warm and dry, with good visibility and reliable game viewing.
Long Rains
The wettest time; some animals disperse and tracks can be muddy, but birdlife is superb and the plains are lush.
What is the best month to visit Nairobi National Park?
Any month is good for a short safari, though the dry months bring the most reliable sightings.
Warm and dry, with good game viewing and fresh grass from the short rains.
One of the driest months, ideal for spotting rhinos and lions.
The long rains approach; a good time for green scenery and birding.
Usually the wettest month, with lush plains and fewer visitors.
Rains ease and migratory birds are still present.
The dry season begins and wildlife returns to the dams.
Cool and dry, a prime month for game drives.
Excellent wildlife viewing as animals concentrate near water.
Dry and rewarding, with clear views of the city skyline.
Warm and settled before the short rains arrive.
Short rains bring fresh growth and migrant birds.
Green and lively, with good birding and pleasant drives.
Explore the area
Explore Nairobi National Park.
Though compact, the park includes open plains, forest, river valleys and some fascinating historical sites.
Southern ParkHippo Pools & Mbagathi RiverA guided walking trail along the river, with hippos, crocodiles, monkeys and riverine birds.
Central ParkOpen Plains & DamsGrassland and dams where rhinos, lions, buffalo, zebras and giraffes are most often seen.
Main Gate AreaIvory Burning Site MonumentThe site where Kenya publicly burned confiscated ivory, a powerful symbol of the country's stand against poaching.
Main Gate AreaNairobi Animal Orphanage & Safari WalkA centre caring for orphaned and injured animals, with an elevated walkway giving close views of wildlife.
Western ParkHighland ForestDry upland forest near the main gate, home to bushbuck, monkeys and forest birds.
Wildlife
Rhinos, lions and giraffes on the city's edge.
Nairobi National Park supports more than 100 species of mammals, including four of the Big Five: rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalo. Black rhinos are a highlight, and the park is one of the best places in Kenya to see them. Plains game is plentiful, with giraffes, zebras, elands, hartebeest, impalas, gazelles and warthogs grazing the grassland, while cheetahs and hyenas are also present.
With over 500 bird species recorded, the park is a birding paradise, from ostriches and secretary birds on the plains to raptors, weavers and many migrants.
10 animals to look for
Black rhino
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Open plains and thickets
Nairobi is a key rhino sanctuary and sightings are frequent.
1 / 10
Lion
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Open plains
Prides roam the plains, often with the city skyline behind them.
2 / 10
Buffalo
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Grassland and dams
Commonly seen grazing across the park.
3 / 10
Leopard
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Forest and riverine areas
Present but rarely seen.
4 / 10
Masai giraffe
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Acacia woodland and plains
Often photographed against the city's skyscrapers.
5 / 10
Zebra
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Open grassland
Common throughout the park.
6 / 10
Cheetah
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Southern plains
Occasionally seen on the open southern grasslands.
7 / 10
Hippo
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Hippo pools on the Mbagathi River
Best seen on the hippo pools walking trail.
8 / 10
Eland
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Open plains
Africa's largest antelope grazes the grassland.
9 / 10
Ostrich
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Open plains
The world's largest bird is a common sight.
10 / 10
Rhinos Beneath the Skyline
Where the wild meets the city.
Watching a black rhino graze with the towers of Nairobi rising behind it is an experience found nowhere else on earth. As one of Kenya's leading rhino sanctuaries, the park breeds rhinos to restock other reserves, and its open plains make them easier to spot than in many larger parks.
Combine an early-morning game drive with the hippo pools walk, the Ivory Burning Site Monument and the Nairobi Animal Orphanage for a rewarding day before or after your wider safari.
Safaris to 中文
Tours that include Nairobi National Park
Itineraries that include Nairobi National Park, often as a first or last day on a Kenya or Kenya–Tanzania safari.
Kenya · 11 days
11-Day Kenya Elephant Odyssey: Echoes of the Giants
Amboseli · Tsavo West · Tsavo East
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Kenya · 12 days
12-Day Across Wild Kenya: Where Rhinos Roam
Ol Pejeta Conservancy · Lake Nakuru · Masai Mara · Lake Naivasha
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
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Usually replies within minutesHeritage
The story behind Nairobi National Park.
Established in 1946, Nairobi National Park was Kenya's first national park. Its creation owed much to early conservationists who campaigned to protect the plains that wildlife shared with the growing city, and it became a model for Kenya's national park system.
The park has played a key role in rhino conservation, breeding animals for translocation across Kenya. In 1989 it was the setting for a landmark ivory burn, when Kenya destroyed its stockpile of confiscated ivory to signal its stand against poaching, an event now marked by the Ivory Burning Site Monument. Today the park faces pressure from development around it, and keeping the southern Kitengela migration corridor open remains vital to its future.
How close is Nairobi National Park to the city?
Just 7 km from the city centre, and only a short drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Are there elephants in Nairobi National Park?
No. The park has four of the Big Five but no elephants. Orphaned elephants can be seen nearby at an elephant orphanage.
Can I visit on a stopover?
Yes. A morning or afternoon game drive fits easily around flights.
What animals can I see?
Rhinos, lions, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, elands, cheetahs, hippos and over 500 bird species.
Can I walk in the park?
Yes, on the guided hippo pools trail along the Mbagathi River.
When is the best time to visit?
The park is visited all year; June to October and January to February are best for game viewing.
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