Nairobi National Park

Nairobi National Park is a short drive from the city centre, yet it is home to lions, buffaloes, cheetahs, giraffes and one of Kenya’s most important populations of black rhino. The sight of giraffes browsing in front of Nairobi’s skyscrapers is unique.

A morning game drive here makes a good start or finish to a safari, especially if you have only a day in Nairobi. Nearby, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant orphanage and the Giraffe Centre, where you feed Rothschild’s giraffes from a raised platform, are favourites with children.

Go early in the morning, when animals are most active and traffic is lighter. The elephant orphanage has a limited daily visiting time, so we plan the day around it. The park is also a good way to fill the last day before an evening flight home.