Nairobi National Park Elephant Orphanage Tour: 4-Hour Drive

Four hours tracking lions, rhinos and giraffes inside a city park.

A full-day wildlife and city tour in Nairobi combining a 4-hour game drive through Nairobi National Park, a visit to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, and the Giraffe Centre where you hand-feed Rothschild giraffes. Hotel pickup begins at 5:30am. The tour includes a driver-guide, safari van with open roof, and bottled water. Lunch at Love Birds Café is at your own expense, and admission fees to each site are paid separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wildlife and city tour in Nairobi

• Pickup from hotel early morning
• 4-hour game drive in Nairobi National Park
• Visit David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
• Lunch at Love Birds Café (own expense)
• Visit Giraffe Centre and feed giraffes
• Tour Kobe Beads factory
• Return to hotel for rest

The experience

The day starts early: pickup from your hotel runs between 5:30am and 6am depending on where you're staying. You head straight into Nairobi National Park for a 4-hour game drive in a safari van with an open roof, the setup that lets you see across the grassland without obstruction. The park sits inside the city itself, the only national park in the world with a capital's skyline at its edge, and the animals don't know the difference: you'll track lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, black rhinos and dozens of bird species as the morning light holds.

After the game drive, you move to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Nursery, where orphaned baby elephants begin their rehabilitation. The Nursery opens to the public from 11am to 12 noon each day, though visitor numbers cap at 200, so availability depends on the day you book. Your guide handles the logistics. You then head to the Giraffe Centre to feed the Rothschild giraffes by hand. They eat from your palm, and you learn how the centre works to protect the species. Lunch happens at Love Birds Café, which you pay for separately.

The tour wraps with a stop at the Kobe Beads factory before your driver takes you back to your hotel. The whole day runs about 8 hours from pickup to drop-off. Your guide speaks English and travels with you throughout. The van is equipped for the wildlife viewing, and bottled water is provided. Admission to Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Centre and the Elephant Orphanage are separate charges you settle on the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Nairobi location.
• a professional driver-guide who speaks English.
• a safari van with open roof for the game drive.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• access to Nairobi National Park, the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Nursery, the Giraffe Centre where you feed Rothschild giraffes, and the Kobe Beads factory.

Options for this experience

2 options

Nairobi National Park, half-dayGuide in English · 05:30Pickup is included, by van

Group tour with a guide, joining an existing groupGuide in English · 05:30Group tour with a guide in a van with an open roof: Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Centre and Bomas of Kenya day tour, 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 05:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

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 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Kenya Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see African wildlife without leaving the city and have the morning hours free: the 5:30am pickup and 4-hour game drive mean you catch the animals when they're most active, and the early start gets you through the park before the midday heat.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What animals will I actually see on the 4-hour game drive through Nairobi National Park?

The game drive covers lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, black rhinos and many bird species. What you see on any given morning depends on where the animals are grazing and moving, so sightings vary by day.

When does the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Nursery open, and can I visit it on any day?

The Nursery opens daily from 11am to 12 noon for public visits, but the number of visitors is capped at 200 per day. If you want to include this stop, contact the operator directly to confirm availability before you book.

What time does the hotel pickup happen, and when will I be back?

Pickup runs between 5:30am and 6am depending on your hotel location. The full tour takes about 8 hours, so you'll return to your hotel in the early afternoon.

Do I feed the giraffes at the Giraffe Centre, or just watch them?

You hand-feed the Rothschild giraffes at the Giraffe Centre. They eat from your palm. The centre also teaches you about giraffe conservation while you're there.

What's included in the tour price, and what do I pay separately?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the driver-guide, the safari van with open roof, and bottled water are included. Lunch at Love Birds Café and admission fees to Nairobi National Park, the Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre are paid separately on the day.

Is the safari van open-air, or does it have windows?

The van has an open roof, which gives you an unobstructed view for wildlife spotting and photography during the 4-hour game drive through the park.