Nairobi National Park
Nairobi National Park: Situated at the suburbs of Nairobi City in Kenya, Nairobi National Park is the only national park that is located within close proximity to Kenya’s central business hub. The national park was established in 1946 and covers 117 square kilometres of savannah grassland.
The national park is fenced on three sides while the southern section of the park allowing wildlife to migrate between the park and the adjacent Kitengela plains. The park is located about 7 kilometres from Nairobi city which makes the park a great destination for tourists to visit during your stay in the city.
Although Nairobi park is relatively small in size as compared to other national parks in Kenya, it boasts of a large variety of wildlife. The national park is home to over 400 species of birds and about 100 mammal species including buffalo, giraffe, lions, leopard, baboons, zebra, wildebeest and cheetah to mention but a few. The park offers its visitors activities like guided game drives, bird watching, picnics and camping.
The park is one of Kenya’s most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries. Many rhinos are bred in the national park and later transferred to other national parks in the country that have a limited number of rhinos. The national park is sometimes referred to as ‘Kifaru Ark’ which means Rhinoceros Sanctuary.
Activities conducted in Nairobi National Park.
Game Viewing:
Game viewing is the major activity carried out in Nairobi national park. Game drives in the national park take between 2-4 hours of wildlife viewing. Lookout for lots of wildlife species such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffalo, impala, zebras, hartebeests and so many more. The concentration of wildlife in the park is greatest in the dry season, when areas outside the park have dried up. Small dams built along the Mbagathi River give the park more water resources than these outside areas. These small dams attract wildlife during the dry season. Tourists can also visit the Rhino sanctuary which is run by the David Sheldrick Trust and get an opportunity to see how the sanctuary is taking care of orphaned elephants and rhinoceros calves- and later releases them back into their natural habitats.
Camping:
The park also offers its visitors wilderness and lazy camping. The park has three camp sites where visitors can camp for a night or two in the park. Get a chance to relax and unwind in the midst of Mother Nature as you take in the fresh breeze of air in the park. Camping in the park is a great way for you to spend quality time with friends and family as you bond with each other and nature. Campers can get to enjoy listening to the sound of crickets chirping in the night, and interesting folk tales or stories being narrated by local guides. Wake up to the beautiful sounds of birds singing, chirping and tweeting early in the wee hours of the morning.
Nature Walks:
Nature walks in Nairobi national park are such a great way for one to explore the park on foot. Some of the wildlife animals that you can spot during nature walk in the national park include; Thomson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, common warthogs, waterbuck, giraffe, hippos, spotted hyena, and buffalo among others.
Bird Watching:
The park is a great destination for birding safaris in Kenya. The national park is home to over 400 recorded species of birds including the common ostrich, Black-headed heron, Blacksmith lapwing, Common moorhen, and the Long-tailed fiscal to mention but a few.
Accommodation within and around Nairobi National Park.
Accommodation facilities within and around the national park include; Murera Cottages, Kinna Guesthouse, Meru Guest House, Simba Cottages and Kinna Cottages among others. These accommodation facilities range from luxury to mid-range and budget depending on what you prefer.
What to take with you during your visit to Nairobi National Park.
When visiting Nairobi park, please carry the following essentials; drinking water, binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen cream, sunglasses and a guidebook in case there are specific animals or birds that you wish to see in the national park.
How to get to Nairobi National Park.
The national park can be accessed by either road or air transport means. By Road, the national park is located approximately 10 kilometres south of Nairobi city centre. Visitors can also travel to the national park by air from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airports.
