NAIROBI // DAY TOUR
David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre Day Tour
Rhino and lion in Nairobi National Park at dawn, the orphaned baby elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, then face to face with Rothschild’s giraffe at the Giraffe Centre.
Full Day Tour
DURATION
$220
FROM, PER PERSON
Nairobi NP, Sheldrick, Giraffe Centre
DESTINATIONS
2 to 6
GROUP SIZE
ABOUT THIS SAFARI
About This Nairobi Day Tour
This Nairobi day tour combines three of the city’s best wildlife experiences in one easy day: an early game drive in Nairobi National Park, the one hour public visit at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and a stop at the Giraffe Centre in Karen. It is ideal on arrival or departure day, or as a family outing between safaris.
Nairobi National Park is the only national park in the world on the edge of a capital city, and at dawn it is one of the best places in Kenya to see black rhino, with lion, buffalo, giraffe and zebra against the city skyline. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery cares for orphaned baby elephants and rhinos, and the Giraffe Centre breeds the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, which you can feed from a raised platform.
You travel in a pop-up roof safari vehicle with your own driver guide, with pick up and drop off at your Nairobi hotel. All entrance fees are included, and we book your Sheldrick visit for you, which is required in advance. If you have more time, follow it with a safari to the Masai Mara or Amboseli.
AT A GLANCE
Trip Summary
| Detail | This safari |
|---|---|
| Price from | USD 220 per person |
| Duration | 1 day, no overnight |
| Safari style | Day Trip, Family and Conservation |
| Countries | Kenya |
| Parks visited | Nairobi National Park, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Centre |
| Starts | Nairobi |
| Ends | Nairobi |
| Group size | Private departure. Typically 2 to 6 guests per vehicle |
| Best time to go | All year |
| Difficulty | Easy |
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Your Route, Day By Day
| Day | Route | Overnight | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick Orphanage and Giraffe Centre | Departure | – |
B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Accommodation is shown by type and area. We confirm the exact camp or lodge in writing with your quote.
DAY BY DAY
The Full Itinerary
Your driver guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel at 6.30am for an early game drive in Nairobi National Park, when the animals are most active and the light is soft. The park is a stronghold for black rhino, and you may also find lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, ostrich and hippo at the pools, all with the skyscrapers of Nairobi in the background.
At about 10am you leave for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery for the public visit from 11am to noon. The keepers bring the baby elephants out for their milk feed and mud bath and tell the story of each orphan. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, at your own cost, you visit the Giraffe Centre in Karen to feed the Rothschild’s giraffe at eye level from the platform, before you are dropped back at your hotel in the late afternoon.
Activities: Early game drive in Nairobi National Park, Sheldrick elephant orphanage visit, Giraffe Centre
Meals: Not included · Overnight: Return to your hotel
THE ROUTE
Where This Safari Takes You
Your Nairobi hotel → Nairobi National Park → Sheldrick Wildlife Trust → Giraffe Centre → your hotel. Under 60 km of driving.
How To Get There
This day tour starts and ends at your hotel in Nairobi, with pick up at 6.30am and drop off in the late afternoon. If you are arriving by air, plan to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) the day before, or ask us to start from the airport on an early morning arrival.
All three stops are on the south side of the city, less than 60 km of driving in total. Nairobi National Park is about 7 km from the city centre, the Sheldrick nursery sits inside the park, reached through the Mbagathi gate on Magadi Road, and the Giraffe Centre is in Karen, about 20 minutes away.
The Sheldrick visit runs at a fixed time and late arrivals cannot join, so we plan the morning around it. Book at least a week ahead in busy months through our free quote form.
WHAT IS COVERED
Included and Not Included
Included
- Nairobi National Park entrance fee
- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust entrance fee
- Giraffe Centre entrance fee
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- Pop-up roof safari vehicle
- Bottled drinking water
- Hotel pick up and drop off in Nairobi
Not included
- Lunch
- Travel insurance
- Drinks
- Karen Blixen Museum (can be added)
- Tips and gratuities
GOOD TO KNOW
Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre FAQs
The public visit runs every day except 25 December from 11am to 12 noon, when the baby elephants come out for their milk feed and mud bath. Visits must be booked in advance and late arrivals are not admitted, so we build the day around this slot.
The nursery asks for a donation of $20 for adults and children aged 12 and over and $5 for children under 12, paid in cash on the day, with lower shilling rates for Kenya residents. Visitors also pay the Nairobi National Park gate fee. Both are included in this tour.
Yes. The Giraffe Centre in Karen breeds the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, and you feed them pellets from a raised platform at their eye level. It is a favourite with children and a great photo stop.
Yes, it is one of the best family days out in Nairobi. Children love the baby elephants and the giraffes, and the early game drive is short. Tell us the ages in your group when you book.
Nairobi National Park is one of the best places in Kenya to see black rhino, especially early in the morning. Read more in our Nairobi National Park guide.
This tour starts from $220 per person, including the park fee, the Sheldrick and Giraffe Centre entry fees, your driver guide and hotel transfers. Lunch is not included. Request a free quote with your date and group size.
NO OBLIGATION
Enquire About This Safari
Send us your dates and we will confirm availability and a firm price within 24 hours.
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TAILOR MADE SAFARI
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