Nairobi National Park Half Day Safari (5-6 Hrs)

Overview

This Nairobi National Park half day safari is a private 5 to 6 hour game drive from Nairobi, with pickup and drop-off at your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Choose a 6:00 AM or 2:00 PM start and look for black rhinos, lions and giraffes below the city skyline. It runs all year, costs from USD 75 per adult and suits layovers, business visitors and families.

Why choose a Nairobi National Park half day safari?

Nairobi National Park is one of the few national parks in the world on the edge of a capital city, about 20 minutes from the city centre and the airport. Half a day is enough to cover its open plains, riverine forest and dams, so you get a real game drive without an overnight stay or a long road transfer.

The park is one of the best places in Kenya to see endangered black rhinos, alongside lions, cheetahs, buffalo, zebras and giraffes, and more than 400 bird species. Read our Nairobi National Park guide for the park’s history and wildlife.

• Layover travellers: the park is about 20 minutes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, so a layover of 6 hours or more can work.
• Business visitors: a morning or afternoon slot fits around meetings.
• Families: an easy, short introduction to Kenya’s wildlife.

What to expect on the Nairobi National Park half day safari

The safari starts with pickup from your hotel or the airport at 6:00 AM (morning drive) or 2:00 PM (afternoon drive). About 30 minutes later you enter Nairobi National Park and begin the game drive across the plains and riverine forest, stopping wherever lions, giraffes, zebras or buffalo appear.

About an hour into the drive your guide heads for the rhino areas, where the park’s black rhinos are most often seen. Later there is an optional stop at the Hippo Pools on the Athi River, a short walk with a ranger to look for hippos and crocodiles, which can be swapped depending on time and animal movements.

The last stop is the Ivory Burning Site and skyline viewpoint, where the Nairobi skyline rises behind grazing wildlife. You then leave the park and return to your hotel or the airport, around 5 to 6 hours after pickup. Other stops the guide may include are Athi Dam, Ololoo Dam and Hyena Dam.

Is a morning or afternoon game drive better in Nairobi National Park?

A morning game drive is usually better for wildlife, because the animals are most active in the cool early hours and the drive starts as the park gates open. An afternoon drive brings softer, golden light for photography and suits travellers who cannot make an early start. Both slots follow the same route and last about 5 to 6 hours including transfers. See our day trips from Nairobi guide for other half-day ideas.

What is included in the half day safari?

The price includes return transport in a 4×4 safari Land Cruiser, a professional English or bilingual guide, private hotel or airport pickup and drop-off, and refillable drinking water.

Not included is the Nairobi National Park entry and conservation fee, paid per person (USD 80 for non-residents, KES 1,500 for residents and KES 1,050 for citizens). Breakfast, lunch and snacks are also extra, as are visits to the Giraffe Centre and the elephant orphanage. Check current rates in our Kenya park fees guide.

How much does the Nairobi National Park half day safari cost?