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Wildlife in Nairobi National Park
Four of the Big Five live here: lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino. There are no wild elephants. The park is a black rhino sanctuary on 117 km2 of grassland against the Nairobi skyline.
| Park | Nairobi National Park, Kenya's first, gazetted 1946 |
|---|---|
| Size | 117 km2 of grassland, riverine forest, gorges, and dams |
| Altitude | About 1,500 to 1,800 metres. Cooler than lowland savannah |
| Distance | About 7 km south of the CBD. Langata Main Gate from most hotels. East Gate from JKIA |
| Hours | Gates 06:00-18:00. Last entry 17:15. Hippo Pools walkers out by 17:15 |
| Big Five | Lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino. No wild elephants in this park |
| Wildlife | 100-plus mammal species. 400-plus birds. Black rhino sanctuary |
| Known for | Skyline-and-giraffe photographs, Ivory Burning Site, Hippo Pools walk |
Does Nairobi National Park have the Big Five?
Almost. Lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, and both black and white rhino. The missing member is the elephant. The park is too small and too fenced on the city side to hold a wild elephant population. Orphaned elephants at David Sheldrick Nairobi Nursery are a conservation visit at 11:00, not a wild sighting. Do not book this park if the only animal you want is a free-ranging elephant. Book it if you want rhino close to the city.
Cats
Lions use the Athi basin, Mokoyeti, and the southern plains. Dawn is the honest window. Leopard is possible in riverine bush and not something we promise. Cheetah uses open grass and termite mounds. Spotted hyena and jackal are common. A half-day can produce several predator sightings. It can also produce none. This is a wild park, not an orphanage drive.
Rhino sanctuary
Nairobi National Park is one of the more reliable places in Kenya to see black rhino in open habitat, plus white rhino. Morning and late afternoon. Guides work radio calls. We do not off-road to force a photograph.
Plains game and the river
- Lion
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Black rhino
- White rhino
- Buffalo
- Maasai giraffe
- Plains zebra
- Wildebeest
- Eland
- Impala
- Hartebeest
- Waterbuck
- Thomson gazelle
- Grant gazelle
- Warthog
- Spotted hyena
- Jackal
- Ostrich
- Hippo at the Athi River
- Nile crocodile
- 400-plus bird species
- Nairobi city skyline
Maasai giraffe against office towers is the picture people send home. Zebra, wildebeest, eland, hartebeest, impala, and gazelle carry the grassland. Hippo and crocodile sit on the Athi / Mbagathi at Hippo Pools. The 1 km trail there is the only place you leave the vehicle, with a ranger, walkers out by 17:15.
Birds
More than 400 species on 117 km2. Counts in some lists run higher. Grassland, dams, riverine woodland, and gorges sit close together, which is why a short drive is productive. Secretary bird, kori bustard, lilac-breasted roller, grey crowned crane, African fish eagle, and ostrich are the easy names. November to April adds Palearctic migrants. The park has held large lesser kestrel roosts in passage season. Birders should take a morning and say so on WhatsApp so we do not rush the dams.
What this park is not
It is not the Maasai Mara. It is not Amboseli for elephants. It is not a walking safari except Hippo Pools. The Standard Gauge Railway crosses the southern section on an elevated bridge about 6 km long. Wildlife still moves under the pillars. You will see the structure. It is not a viewing hide.
Sightings are not guaranteed. Neutral clothes, binoculars, and a 06:00 start raise the odds. See things to do and best time.