Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum tour from Nairobi

Hand-feed Rothschild giraffes and walk through colonial Kenya history

A small-group day tour in Nairobi combining two stops: the Giraffe Centre, where you feed giraffes by hand and photograph them up close, and the Karen Blixen Museum, the 1910 home of the author of "Out of Africa" set at the foot of the Ngong Hills. A professional guide provides conservation information at the centre and historical context at the museum. Pickup and drop-off from your hotel are included, along with bottled water and parking fees.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Giraffe Centre1h · entry included
2. Karen Blixen Museum2h · entry included

Visit Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum

• Depart hotel to Giraffe Centre
• Feed giraffes and take photos
• Drive to Karen Blixen Museum
• Tour Karen Blixen Museum and grounds
• Return to hotel

The experience

The Giraffe Centre sits in the Karen suburbs and started as a rescue project for Rothschild giraffes when only 120 remained in a Western Kenya ranch. You arrive with pellets in hand and feed the giraffes directly, standing close enough to photograph them. The operator notes you can capture the moment it looks like you're kissing the giraffe. A guide walks you through what the centre's conservation trust does and explains the animals' behaviour and history as you interact with them.

After the centre, you drive to the Karen Blixen Museum, the former home of the Danish author and her Swedish husband Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke. The house, built in 1910 with a red tile roof and wood-paneled rooms, sits on what was once a 6,000-acre property. Only 600 acres were developed for coffee. Much of the original furniture remains on display. The kitchen has been restored to show the Dove Stove Karen Blixen used, along with period utensils, and a reconstruction of the coffee factory and old farm machinery is underway. The museum is designed to take you back in time and show what settler life looked like in Kenya's colonial period.

Your professional safari driver guide handles all transport between the two sites. The tour runs about four hours total, with the remaining time allocated to driving. You're picked up and dropped off at your hotel, and bottled water is provided throughout the day.

What’s included

• Professional safari driver guide.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel.
• bottled water.
• parking fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gracepatt Safaris

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a relaxed pace between two stops with no strenuous walking, making it suitable for all fitness levels and families with infants (who can sit on an adult's lap). If you want to interact directly with animals rather than observe from a distance, the hand-feeding at the Giraffe Centre is the core of the experience.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (under 3): free.

Can I actually feed the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre?

Yes. The Giraffe Centre provides pellets you feed to the giraffes by hand. You stand close enough to photograph them while they eat, and the operator notes you can capture a shot that looks like you're kissing the giraffe.

What is the Karen Blixen Museum?

The Karen Blixen Museum is the restored 1910 home of Karen Blixen, author of "Out of Africa," and her husband Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke, located at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The house displays original furniture, a restored kitchen with period utensils and the Dove Stove she used, and a reconstruction of the coffee factory that operated on the property.

Why was the Giraffe Centre founded?

The Giraffe Centre started as a rehabilitation project to rescue Rothschild giraffes when only 120 remained in a ranch in Western Kenya. It now operates as a conservation trust and visitor centre where you can interact with and learn about the animals.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off from your hotel are included in the tour, along with a professional safari driver guide, bottled water and parking fees.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs approximately four hours, with time split between the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum and transport between the two sites.