Background Information The only protected area in the world with a variety of animals and birds close to a major city. The 117 km2 Nairobi National Park is unique by being Located only about 7 km from the city center. The park is easily accessible on tarmac roads and has six gates. The main gate at KWS headquarters, East Gate, Cheetah Gate, Lang’ata Gate, Maasai Gate and Banda Gate.
The park has a diversity of environments with characteristic fauna and flora. Open grass plains with scattered acacia bush predominant. The western side has a highland dry forest and a permanent river with a riverine forest. In addition, there are stretches of broken bush country and deep, rocky valleys and gorges with scrub and long grass. Man-made dams have also added a further habitat, favourable to certain species of birds and other aquatic biota. The dams also attract water dependent herbivores during the dry season.
Large mammals are the park’s main attraction. Herbivores include, black rhino, buffalo, eland, Maasai giraffe, plain’s zebra, wildebeest, coke’s hartebeest, grant’s and Thompson’s gazelles, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck, and warthog. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena, jackal civet and genet represent the carnivores
The park has diverse birdlife with 400 species recorded. However all species are not always present and much depends on season. Northern migrants pass through the park primarily during late March through April.
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. 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.
To the south of the park is the Athi-Kapiti Plains and Kitengela Migration Corridor. These are vital areas for herbivores disperse over them during the rains and concentrate in the park in the dry season.
- By Road: Distance: 10km South of Nairobi City Center
- By Air: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airports
PARK GATES The park has 7 gates. 2 gates being for KWS service use only. The gates are:-
- Main gate: KWS headquarters Langata road
- Cheetah Gate
- Langata Gate
- Maasai Gate
- Mbagathi Gate(service gate)
- Banda Gate(service gate)
SIZE / LOCATION
- 117 Km2
- Nairobi Province
- January-March is hot and dry, April-June is hot and wet, and July-October is very warm and wet.
SAFARICARD REQUIRED? Entry is by Safari Card only. Safaricards may be obtained and loaded at main gate, Nairobi National Park. Proof of identification will be required.
- Citizens – Valid Passport or National ID
- Residents – Valid Passport & re entry pass
- The only Wildlife park in the world that is so close to the city
- Black rhinoceros :which is an endangered species
- The first park to be gazetted in Kenya on December 16, 1946
- Major rhino sanctuary for breeding and restocking other parks
Picnic Facilities For corporate events, bush dinners, weddings, picnics, team building sessions, video and film production
- King Fisher
- historic ivory burning site
- Game viewing
- Corporate Events such as Bush Dinners, Team Building, Video and Film Production.
- Special Events such as Weddings.
- Three-star Rangers Restaurant where patrons relax for meals while overlooking the park.
- Perfect outing place for families, couples, friends, bonding, game viewing, family get-togethers
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
- Drinking water, picnic items. Also useful are: binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and a guidebook
- Diverse birdlife:Has over 400 bird species. At least 20 of which are seasonal European migrants.
- Home to over 100 mammal species, four of the Big Five (lion, Buffalo, leopard and rhino)
- Has a spectacular wildebeest and zebra migration
- Large predators- lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah.
- Aggregations of large herbivores- eland, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest
- Ivory Burning Site Monument
- Walking trails at hippo pools
- Nairobi Safari Walk & the Orphanage.
- Spacious accommodating picnic sites
- Animals include buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, baboon, zebra, wildebeest and cheetah—100 mammal species.
- 400 migratory and endemic bird species.
WHERE TO STAY
No in-park accommodation. Plenty of accommodation to choose from in the city of Nairobi.