Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park is the oldest of all Kenya’s national parks. It is known for its Black Rhino Sanctuary and, despite bordering the city, it is home to lions, leopards and hyenas as well as many other Kenyan animals.
Destination Highlights
Its closeness to Nairobi City also means it is very accessible to Kenyans and tourists alike who want to experience a safari without having to travel and stay overnight elsewhere. Nairobi National Park has herds of buffalo and a concentrated population of ostriches. It is also a good place to experience the wildebeest migration in the summer months and to see four of the “Big Five” African animals.
Nairobi National Park Background Information
“The World’s Wildlife Capital” - A short drive out of Nairobi’s central business district is the Nairobi National Park. Wide open grass plains and backdrop of the city scrapers, scattered acacia bush play host to a wide variety of wildlife including the endangered black rhino, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded. Visitors can enjoy the park’s picnic sites, three campsites and the walking trails for hikers.
What to see and do
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 endangered black rhinoceros is protected here and the park supplies black rhinos to other national parks. Take a game drive to see four of the “Big Five”- lions, leopards, buffalo and rhinos, but no elephants. Walking trailscan be enjoyed, along with five picnic sites. Bird watchingis popular here, with 400 species recorded.Turtle and tortoise watching can also be enjoyed.
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.
Where to find Nairobi National Park