Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center Tour

Four of the big five and three sanctuaries in a single morning and afternoon

A full-day guided tour of Nairobi combining a safari through Nairobi National Park (where you spot lions, rhinos, buffalos and leopards against the city skyline), a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage to watch baby elephants fed, and the Giraffe Centre to hand-feed endangered Rothschild giraffes. A live English-speaking guide leads the route. Pickup from your hotel is included. Entry fees to the park and sanctuaries are paid separately on the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Nairobi National Park4h
2. Giraffe Centre1h
3. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust1h
4. Maasai Market30m

Nairobi wildlife and conservation tour

• Depart early morning for Nairobi National Park
• Game drive and visit ivory & rhino horn burning site
• Optional visit to elephant orphanage
• Lunch break
• Visit Giraffe Centre and feed giraffes
• Visit Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery
• Optional tour of Kobe Tough Beads and Leather factory
• Optional visit to Utamaduni crafts center
• Drop off at hotel or airport

The experience

The tour starts early at Nairobi National Park, the only protected wildlife reserve inside a city boundary. A pop-roof safari vehicle gives you an unobstructed view of lions, rhinos (both black and white), buffalos, and the rare leopard roaming the savanna, with Nairobi's skyscrapers framing the horizon behind them. The park also holds the historic ivory and rhino horn burning site. An early departure means cooler temperatures and better chances of spotting free-roaming animals.

From the park, you move to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where baby elephants orphaned or abandoned are rescued and rehabilitated. You'll watch them being fed and learn how the sanctuary prepares them for reintegration into the wild after three years. The work here is central to elephant conservation in Kenya. Lunch can be arranged before or after this stop depending on your preference.

The day ends at the Giraffe Centre, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife to protect the endangered Rothschild giraffe. You feed the giraffes by hand, learning about their conservation and the centre's education work with Kenyan school children and international visitors. Optional stops at a women-run beads factory (Kobe Tough Beads and Leather) and Utamaduni craft shop in Karen are available if your schedule allows. Both are community enterprises. Your guide will drop you back at your hotel or airport afterward.

What’s included

• Transport in a custom safari 4x4 vehicle with a pop roof for unobstructed game viewing and photography.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel or accommodation.
• a complimentary visit to a women-run beads factory that employs single mothers from the local community.

Options for this experience

2 options

Game drive/elephants/giraffesGuide in English · 06:00includes pickup

Jeep/LandcruiserGuide in English · 06:00Private tour in a jeep or Land Cruiser, with only your party aboard. This is the best safari option. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 80

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by Rustic Nature Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to move between three different wildlife settings (wild park, elephant sanctuary, and giraffe center) in one day rather than booking each separately.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

Can I see the big five animals in Nairobi National Park on this tour?

You'll spot four of the big five: lions, rhinos, buffalos, and leopards. The park is one of the few places in the world where you can see them within a city, with Nairobi's skyline visible in the background during your game drive.

What happens at the elephant orphanage?

At the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, you watch baby elephants being fed and learn how the sanctuary rescues orphaned calves and rehabilitates them for three years before releasing them back into the wild in Tsavo East.

Do I get to touch the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre?

Yes, you hand-feed the endangered Rothschild giraffes at the centre. The giraffes stretch their long necks to eat from your hand, and staff explain the conservation efforts protecting this species.

How long is the full tour and what's included in the price?

The tour runs about seven hours. Your price covers transport in a custom safari vehicle with a pop roof, bottled water, pickup and drop-off from your hotel, and a complimentary visit to a women-run beads factory. Park entry fees and elephant orphanage entry are paid separately on the day in cash.

Is a guide included, and what language do they speak?

A live guide in English leads the entire tour, explaining the wildlife, conservation work and sites you visit throughout the day.